The wines:
• Madeleine “Chapitre VII La Planche a Canons” Paicines, San Benito County (near Pinnacles National Park)
• Charles Joguet 2010 Chinon “Clos du Chene Vert”, Loire Valley, France
• Ridge “Rousten”, Monte Bello Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains, California
Price
• Madeleine - $25 (from Producer)
• Joguet - $47 (Kermit Lynch)
• Ridge - $45 (from Producer)
Alcohol
• Madeleine – 13.5%
• Joguet – 13%
• Ridge – 12.5%
Three Cabernet Francs. One from a well known Loire Valley producer, a Californian from one of the world’s most celebrated vineyards and wineries and one from a relative unknown California region and producer.
Color: All three wines exhibited a similar shade of crimson red. The Madeleine and the Joguet were a near identical medium-light shade, while the Ridge was noticeably darker and richer looking than the other two wines.
Aroma: All three wines were moderately expressive. The Joguet was the most herbaceous, the Madeleine was also herbaceous but showed more sweet red and black fruit, the Ridge was more stately and claret-like.
Palate impression: All three wines were very pleasing, showing structured red fruit and claret-like overtones. The Joguet was perhaps the most crisp and dry of the three. The Madeleine some leafy and herbaceous overtones with underlying red fruit. The Ridge was the most claret-like in style – deeper, longer and rounder than the other two wines.
Conclusion: All three of these wines would benefit from more time in the bottle (the young Madeleine was the most disadvantaged in this regards). While the Ridge came across as an aromatic claret (as you’d expect from a Monte Bello component), the Madeleine and the Joguet were more in a classic Loire style – somewhat lighter, chrisper and more herbaceous.
Cabernet Franc, whether from France or California, deserves more serious consideration here in the states!
