Well, unsurprisingly, Cabernet Franc sucks when it is made into a huge blockbuster wine - it’s just a variety that is in my opinion not built for such purposes. If Cabernet Sauvignon retains greater sense of freshness, structure and varietal typicity in warmer climates than Cabernet Franc - which is very much a cooler-climate variety - I really can’t understand why there are still so many producers who want to make Cabernet Franc into these huge, monolithic blockbuster wines. Sure, nothing prevents you from making Cabernet Franc into those kinds of wines, but if I try to remember, I think there has not been a single instance where I’ve tasted these wines and haven’t thought “Why Cabernet Franc? Cabernet Sauvignon would work here so much better!”. In such massive fruit bombs, you really can’t see any varietal typicity - just generic, anonymous big wine flavors. Why use Cab Franc specifically, if the end result tastes like any variety would do?
So, when I received an invite for this big “Cab Franc from around the world” tasting, I didn’t set my hopes particularly high. I knew the person arranging the tasting had a strong penchant for big, ripe and impactful wines with lots of oak, so I naturally expected to see such wines also in the tastings - and these expectations were promptly met (including more than one 100-Parker pointer!). However, to my fortune, there was also a small flight of proper Cabernet Franc wines from the Loire Valley as well. With this flight it was as if I had returned back home after a long and arduous journey. These were finally wines that tasted like Cab Franc; immensely enjoyable and very well-balanced wines that were simply a joy to drink! Naturally almost everybody expected Clos Rougeard to perform magnificently - which it did - but to some people’s surprise, Couly-Dutheil’s Clos de l’Echo Crescendo held its ground easily next to this esteemed Saumur-Champigny wine, ending up even as the WotN for a few attendees - me included. However, I had tasted this vintage of this particular Crescendo cuvée once before, so its greatness didn’t come as a surprise to me; I was only glad to see that the wine was as great as before!
Anyways, apart from the Loire classics, the wines I enjoyed in this tasting were few and far between. These kinds of gloopy monstrosities are just not made for my wimpy European palate.
Seafood might not be the most classic choice for bombastic Cab Francs but I don’t mind, #yolo.
- 2019 El Enemigo Cabernet Franc Gran Enemigo El Cepillo - Argentina, Mendoza, Valle de Uco (21.1.2025)
100% Cabernet Franc (or 85% Cabernet Franc and 15% Malbec, according to some sources) from Cordón El Cepillo, a high-density vineyard planted at the altitude of 1300 m above sea level; the harvest was in 5 successive tries. Fermented in concrete tanks or oak barrels, depending on the sources. 70% of the fruit destemmed, 30% vinified in whole bunches. Fermented and macerated with the skins for 23 days. According to some sources, the wine is aged for 23 months in concrete tanks, in oak barriques of 2nd and 3rd use according to others, and in centenarian foudres according to yet other sources. 13,5% alcohol, 6,5 g/l acidity and pH 3,3.
Youthful, more or less opaque purplish-red color. The nose feels ripe, dark-toned and quite sweetly-fruited with rich aromas of dark plummy fruit and juicy blackcurrant, some sweet oak notes, a little bit of licorice, light inky tones, a hint of peppery spice, a touch of cocoa and a whiff of Christmas spices. Based on the nose, the wine must've seen some oak. The wine feels ripe, polished and quite velvety on the palate with flavors of sweet cassis and toasty oak spice, some toasty mocha oak, a little bit of tart dark plum, light notes of vanilla and Christmas spices, a hint of blueberry jam and a touch of extracted bitterness. The structure relies more on the quite extracted and rather grippy but also somewhat coarse tannins than on the slightly soft and round medium-plus acidity. The finish is dark-toned, extracted and moderately grippy with a long aftertaste of ripe redcurrant, some licorice, a little bit of toasty mocha character, light spicy notes of vanilla and Christmas spices, a hint of extracted bitterness and a touch of dark plummy fruit.
A somewhat clumsy and rather coarse new world fruit bomb that feels more like a generic, polished red wine than a classic Cabernet Franc. According to the winery website, the wine is today made in concrete tanks, but I'd say this wine feels relatively sweet-toned and toasty, so I'd be surprised if the wine hadn't seen any small oak barrels. Can't say I was particularly enthralled by this example of new world Cab Franc - maybe I should just stick to Loire?
(81 points) - 2019 El Enemigo Cabernet Franc Gran Enemigo Gualtallary - Argentina, Mendoza, Valle de Uco, Gualtallary (21.1.2025)
A blend of Cabernet Franc (85%) and Malbec (15%) from the Gualtallary, a high-density vineyard planted at the altitude of 1450 m above sea level within the larger Tupungato region; the harvest was in 5 successive tries. Fermented in concrete tanks or oak barrels, depending on the sources. 60% of the fruit was destemmed, 40% vinified in whole bunches. Cold-soaked for 4 days. Fermented and macerated with the skins for 26 days. According to some sources, the wine is aged for 15 months in concrete tanks, and in centenarian oak foudres according to yet other sources. 13,5% alcohol, 7,0 g/l acidity and pH 3,05.
Quite youthful and rather opaque black cherry color. The nose feels youthful, fruit-forward and rather clean with aromas of sweet blackcurrants, some raspberry marmalade, light woody tones, a little bit of dark plummy fruit and a hint of crème de cassis. The wine feels ripe, youthful and fruit-driven on the palate with a moderately full body and juicy flavors of strawberries and tart red plums, some candied primary notes of sweet grapey fruit, light woody tones, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, oaky hints of vanillin and cloves and a touch of ripe blackcurrant. The overall feel is pretty balanced, thanks to the moderately high acidity and ripe yet firm medium tannins. The finish is juicy, fruit-forward and a bit soft with a moderately long aftertaste of raspberry jellies and primary grapey notes, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of crunchy redcurrant, light woody tones, a hint of sweet vanillin and a touch of dark plummy fruit.
Well, if I have to say something positive about this wine, it's that this was better than the 2019 El Cepillo from the same winery due to the somewhat higher level of acidity here, giving the wine a bit more sense of freshness. Other than that, I found it hard to get thrilled by this kind of fruity crowdpleaser. Had I tasted the wine blind and somebody had said that this is a new world Merlot - or Cabernet Sauvignon, or Malbec, doesn't really matter - I would've believed them without any questions. This is just a generic red wine with a somewhat anonymous, fruit-driven that doesn't manage to do anything but leave at most a rather lukewarm impression. I can't fathom how a wine like this was scored 100 points and was compared to Château Lafleur - to me, this wine was a very generic Argentinian red wine that had nothing to do with a Bordeaux red. It seemed like most of the attendees in our Cab Franc tasting agreed; to them, this wine came across as a pretty mundane and quite forgettable new world red.
(83 points) - 2019 Garage Wine Co. Cabernet Franc Lot #112 Las Higueras Vineyard - Chile, Maule Valley (21.1.2025)
100% Cabernet Franc from the centenarian Las Higueras vineyard in Maule Valley. Fermented spontaneously. 13% alcohol. Total production 5975 bottles.
Slightly translucent or moderately opaque blackish-red color with a subtly maroon hue. The nose feels a bit restrained with aromas of brambly raspberries, some ripe blackcurrant tones, a little bit of juicy bilberry, light crème de cassis notes so typical of Chilean wines and a hint of minty greenness. The wine feels quite dry and fruit-forward on the palate with a medium body and juicy flavors of blueberries and crème de cassis, some strawberry tones, a little bit of tart blackcurrant juice, light crunchy notes of crowberries and a hint of savory spice. The overall feel is pretty fresh and balanced due to the high acidity and moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is long, crunchy and moderately grippy with a dry, fruit-forward aftertaste of tart blackcurrant juice, some spicy notes, a little bit of brambly raspberry, light redcurrant notes, a sweeter hint of ripe blueberries and a touch of crème de cassis.
A balanced, crunchy and enjoyably fresh Chilean Cab Franc. The overall feel is quite fruit-forward and it shows that somewhat pungent and easily identifiable cassis note that seems to be present in almost all Chilean red wines, no matter which grape variety they are made from. I kind of liked the wine, but even if the wine was enjoyably fresh and crunchy for a Chilean red, it also came across as somewhat generic and anonymous with its fruit-forward, cassis-driven flavor profile. This was not a bad wine in any way - it just didn't manage to move me in any meaningful way.
(86 points) - 2016 Raats Cabernet Franc Eden High Density Single Vineyard - South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch (21.1.2025)
100% Cabernet Franc from a small 0,2-hectare vineyard in Polkadraai Hills, planted to approximately 1600 vines (translating to ~8000 vines per hectare). Mostly destemmed with 20% left in whole bunches. First cold-soaked, then fermented spontaneously. Aged in a single new oak barrel for 18 months. 13,5% alcohol.
Quite translucent and slightly evolved pomegranate color. The nose is surprisingly reminiscent of a classic Bordeaux with aromas of fresh blackcurrants, some roasted bell pepper, a little bit of leathery funk, light notes of pipe tobacco, a hint of ripe redcurrant, a woody touch of pencil shavings and a whiff of smoke. The wine feels characterful, lively and surprisingly crunchy on the palate with a light-to-medium body and bright flavors of crunchy redcurrants, some leathery funk, a little bit of leafy forest floor, light herbaceous notes of roasted bell pepper, sweeter hints of strawberries and blueberries and a woody touch of pencil shavings. The structure relies mostly on the high acidity, while the firm yet somewhat resolved medium tannins contribute more to the texture. The finish is long, crunchy and gently grippy with a nuanced aftertaste of brambly raspberries and ripe redcurrants, some leathery funk, a little bit of savory wood spice and pencil shavings, light herbaceous notes of bell pepper, a leafy hint of forest floor and a faint touch of sweet oak spice.
A fresh, characterful and surprisingly serious Cabernet Franc that had a strikingly Bordelais nose, yet on the palate the wine seemed to nod quite deeply to the direction of Loire Valley. There's a tiny bit of leathery funk that only adds to the unpolished, rustic charm of the wine, not detracting one bit from the fresh and vibrant fruit profile. The subtle yet still pretty perceptible herbaceous nuances only point out that yes, this is a Cabernet Franc, suiting the flavor profile perfectly. This is one of the more delightful new world Cab Francs I've tasted, and even if the wine is starting to show a little bit of age, I feel it is going to not only keep, but also evolve and improve for at least a handful of years more. The only real downside of the wine is its scarcity - and the hefty price tag that results from this. No matter how lovely the wine is, at approximately 150€ I'd say the wine is not really worth the price - I will continue to stick with Loire Cab Francs, thank you very much.
(93 points) - 2021 Three Barrel Project Cabernet Franc Laavu - New Zealand, North Island, Hawke's Bay (21.1.2025)
100% Cabernet Franc from Hawke's Bay. 14% alcohol.
Youthful, moderately translucent cherry-red color. The nose feels moderately ripe and fruit-forward with aromas of juicy raspberries and cherries, some herby notes of oregano, a little bit of crunchy black raspberry, light notes of tobacco, a hint of exotic spice, a primary touch of blackcurrant jelly and a reductive whiff of rubber. The wine feels youthful, juicy and still somewhat primary with a moderately full body and quite fruit-driven flavors of strawberries and sweet dark plums, some jammy notes of blackcurrants, a little bit of vanilla, light primary nuances of raspberry jelly, a herbaceous hint of leafy greenness and a touch of blueberry juice. The structure relies more on the rather high acidity than on the soft and supple medium-minus tannins. The finish is fruity, crunchy and gently grippy with a moderately long aftertaste of brambly raspberries and ripe strawberries, some sweet red plums, a little bit of tobacco, light spicy notes, herbaceous hints of oregano and leafy greenness and a touch of blackcurrant jelly.
A pleasant and drinkable but also quite simple and fruity Cabernet Franc with rather pronounced level of ripeness, translating to a somewhat sweet-toned fruit profile and relatively high level of ABV. However, I guess the wine was nevertheless true to the variety, as it did show those some of those herbaceous nuances many people associate with a Cabernet Franc. All in all, a pleasant and enjoyable, if also somewhat fruit-forward and linear little new world Cab Franc. Seeing how very youthful - almost primary - the wine still is, I can see it benefiting from at least a handful of additional aging. Priced somewhat according to its quality at approximately 28€.
(87 points) - 2019 Trespass Vineyard Cabernet Franc - USA, California, Napa Valley (21.1.2025)
100% Cabernet Franc from multiple sites in Napa Valley. Aged for 22 months in new oak barriques. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 16% alcohol (!). Total production 125 cases.
Youthful, slightly translucent blueish-purple color. The nose feels huge, sweet and almost Porty with a spirituous waft of alcohol along with lush aromas of blueberry jam and overripe dark plums, some blackcurrant marmalade, light boysenberry tones, a little bit of chocolatey oak spice, a hint of nutty wood and a touch of vanilla. The wine feels huge, noticeably ripe and rather sweetly-fruited on the palate with a full body and lush, borderline primary flavors of strawberry jam and blackcurrant marmalade, some vanilla oak, a little bit of soft overripe dark plum, light toasty oak notes of cacao and cloves, a hint of blueberry juice and a primary touch of grape jelly. The overall feel is quite hot, due to the high alcohol, but also rather soft and flabby, all thanks to the quite low acidity and gentle, manicured tannins. The finish is long, hot and round with a sweetly-fruited aftertaste of strawberry jam and soft dark plum, some vanilla, a little bit of boysenberry marmalade, light toasty oak tones, a hint of chocolatey mocha oak and a touch of crème de cassis.
This was a horrible caricature of Napa Cab. I wonder why anyone would want to use Cabernet Franc to make a travesty of this caliber, when you can make it better with Cabernet Sauvignon? I couldn't find anything even remotely typical of Cabernet Franc from here, because the wine was so overripe that any varietal qualities were hang-timed to oblivion. Since Cab Franc fares better in cooler climates than Cab Sauvignon, this wine had no chances whatsoever to retain any sense of structure, unlike a CS might've had. This ridiculous Napassimento disaster is just a humongous winemaker's wine that has everything to do with ripeness and excessive new oak, nothing with balance, finesse or varietal typicity. At 185€ (including delivery costs, duties, etc), this sounds like a very bad joke. For reasons beyond me, a few people found this wine very impressive, but I have to admit that I just don't get it. Which is why I'm not even trying to be objective when rating the wine. Even if the wine is not faulty in any way, I simply fail to see how someone can think this kind of soft, hot jam bomb can be seen as a technically correct wine.
(69 points) - 2009 World's End Cabernet Franc Against The Wind Reserve - USA, California, Napa Valley (21.1.2025)
The debut vintage of this label. Typically a Cabernet Franc-dominant blend, backed up with small additions (5-10%) of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Made with purchased fruit. 15% alcohol and 6,4 g/l acidity.
Somewhat evolved and moderately translucent dried-blood color. The nose feels open, expressive and rather sweet-toned with somewhat evolved aromas of blueberry jam and plum compote, some spirituous notes of alcohol, a little bit of dried blackcurrants, light toasty notes of chocolatey oak spice, a hint of ripe figs and a touch of developed meaty character. The wine feels ripe, silky-textured and quite lush on the palate with a full body and rather sweet-toned flavors of ripe blueberries and dark plums, some toasty oak spice, a little bit of kirsch, light stony mineral notes, a hint of peppery spice and a woody touch of savory oak spice. The high alcohol lends quite a bit of heat to the palate and the soft medium acidity feels somewhat insufficient for such a big wine, which is why the structure relies mostly on the surprisingly ample, extracted and quite grippy tannins. The finish is long, quite hot and moderately grippy with a long, sweet-toned aftertaste of ripe dark plums and blueberry jam, some elderberry juice, light woody notes of savory oak spice, alight bit of kirsch, a ferrous hint of blood and a touch of toasty mocha oak.
A rather generic blockbuster Napa Cab made with the wrong variety. I don't understand why some producers want to make Cabernet Franc into this huge, super-ripe full-throttle wine when you lose all the varietal characteristics at that ripeness and Cabernet Sauvignon would fare so much better in this job. This wine is just way too sweet-toned, unpleasantly jammy and hot for any pleasure. Age has certainly added some tertiary elements to the overall feel, but that still doesn't remove the fact that the wine is lacking quite badly in balance. If I were looking for a good Cabernet Franc, I'd steer clear away from this wine, as it doesn't show any varietal qualities - only generic, anonymous overripe Napa blockbuster characteristics. Although the wine hasn't been particularly expensive at 46,50€, I still think it was overpriced for the quality.
(79 points) - 2010 Château Le Dôme - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru (21.1.2025)
A blend of Cabernet Franc (80%) and Merlot (20%). Aged in oak barriques (80% new) for 12 months. 14,6% alcohol, 4,8 g/l acidity and pH 3,8. Total production 1000 cases.
Slightly translucent and somewhat evolved pomegranate color. The nose feels ripe, dark-toned and rather oak-heavy with aromas of toasty mocha oak, some sweet dark plums, light cassis notes, a little bit of spirituous alcohol, hints of vanilla and pipe tobacco, a woody touch of pencil shavings and a whiff of ripe bilberry. The wine feels ripe, silky and quite sweet-toned on the palate with a full body and rather rich flavors of dark plums, some toasty notes of chocolatey mocha oak, light sweet notes of ripe blackcurrants, a little bit of vanilla milkshake, a woody hint of pencil shavings and a touch of blueberry jam. The high alcohol makes the overall feel pretty hot, but despite its ripeness, the wine retains quite a bit of structure with its rather high acidity and ample, still rather assertive and grippy tannins. The finish is chewy, quite hot and rather grippy with a long, sweet-toned aftertaste of ripe dark plums and juicy blackcurrants, some toasty mocha oak, a little bit of ripe bilberries, light woody notes of pencil shavings, an oaky hint of vanilla and a touch of milk chocolate.
An unabashedly modern, chewy and gloopy St. Ém that is way too ripe for its own good. The wine does show impressive sense of structure - which I like - but the overall feel is way too sweet, hot and oaky for my preference. The wine is supposed to be a very unique wine due to its atypically high percentage of Cabernet Franc, but to me this wine tastes like a generic, overripe and excessively extracted Saint Émilion where all the finer nuances are smothered under a thick, glossy sheen of new oak. If I were to taste this wine fully blind, I doubt I'd never guess the wine to be almost varietal Cabernet Franc wine. Furthermore, if the wine is as ridiculously oaky as this at 15 years of age, how longer one needs to age this wine to integrate all that new oak? I wager there is no amount of time in which this wine is able to do that. At 161,10€, this wine has been a daylight robbery.
(85 points) - 2017 Bakonyi Cabernet Franc Siklós - Hungary, Dél-Pannónia, Villányi (21.1.2025)
100% Cabernet Franc from 5-10 yo vines in Siklós, harvested between September 25th and 29th. Fermented with selected yeasts. Aged in used Burgundy oak pièces (50%) and stainless steel tanks (50%). Bottled in August 2018. 14% alcohol, 1,4 g/l residual sugar and 5,7 g/l acidity.
Youthful, slightly translucent black cherry color. The nose feels dull, dusty and quite muted with vague sweet aromas of ripe raspberries. The wine feels somewhat mellow and quite understated on the palate with a medium body and slightly dully flavors of dusty earth and vague raspberry tones. The overall feel is somewhat soft with the medium-plus acidity and quite gentle tannins.
A mildly corked bottle. The wine cost 3980 HUF, ie. approximately 11-12€.
(NR/flawed) - 2017 Duemani Cabernet Franc Duemani - Italy, Tuscany, Costa Toscana (21.1.2025)
100% biodynamically farmed Cabernet Franc from 15-20 yo vineyards in Riparbella. Fermented spontaneously in open-top oak casks. Aged in 225 and 228-liter French oak barrels for 22 months. Bottled unfiltered. 14% alcohol.
Dense, luminous and more or less fully opaque black cherry color with a slightly blueish hue. The nose feels savory and a bit restrained with aromas of dark fruits, some savory woody notes, a little bit of ripe red plum, light cherry tones, a hint of salty liquorice and a faint touch of alcohol. The wine feels juicy, rich and somewhat chewy on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and rather ripe yet a bit understated flavors of sweet red plums, some strawberries, a little bit of savory wood spice, light brambly notes of black raspberries, hints of cassis and ripe cherry and a touch of salty liquorice. The medium-plus acidity feels a bit soft, so the structure relies more on the rather extracted and quite grippy tannins. The finish is juicy, rich and quite noticeably grippy with a long and somewhat sweetly-fruited aftertaste of raspberries, some gravelly mineral tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light strawberry and blackcurrant notes, a woody hint of oak spice and a touch of toasty spice.
A rather serious but also pretty ripe, chewy and extracted Cabernet Franc. Feels a bit more balanced and not that overdone as some older Duemani wines, but still the overall feel is a bit more monolithic than I care for. Especially the sense of freshness is lacking and the wine could really use a bit more acidity. Furthermore, the fruit department comes across as somewhat closed and understated - even with some airtime. All in all, the wine is quite enjoyable - especially if one is looking for a muscular, chewy expression of Cabernet Franc - but to me, the wine feels a bit too ripe, extracted and low in acidity. Good, but not great.
(88 points) - 2015 Fattoria Casa di Terra Bolgheri Superiore - Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Superiore (21.1.2025)
100% Cabernet Franc from vineyards planted in 2004 and 2011 in Bolgheri. The grapes are first cold-soaked, then fermented spontaneously and macerated with the skins for 25 days. Aged in French oak barriques (20% new, 40% once used and 40% twice used). 14,5% alcohol.
Dark, almost fully opaque and slightly evolved pomegranate color. The nose feels quite ripe and sunny with red-toned aromas of strawberries and red plums, some cherry tones, a little bit of woody oak spice, light crunchy notes of redcurrants and a hint of toasty character. The wine feels ripe, silky and juicy on the palate with a full body and quite solar flavors of sweet strawberries and succulent cherries, some sweet and toasty oak spice, a little bit of red licorice, light ferrous notes of blood, a hint of pipe tobacco and a touch of ripe redcurrants. The quite modest acidity doesn't lend much freshness or firmness to the palate, so the structure relies for the most part on the ample, quite extracted and noticeably grippy tannins. The finish is rich, juicy and tannic with a long, sweetly-fruited aftertaste of sweet cherries and ripe redcurrants, some licorice, light toasty oak notes, a little bit of tobacco and a hint of soft red plums.
A very rich, solar and ripe Cabernet Franc with a surprisingly stern and grippy backbone of extracted tannins. Although the wine doesn't feel particularly overdone in any way - it isn't overripe, overtly oaky and excessively extracted - it still feels rather clumsy and unbalanced with its elevated ripeness, quite high alcohol, rather modest level of acidity and somewhat conspicuous oak influence. I guess in a cooler vintage the wine might feel more balanced, but at least this wine ends up being yet another victim of the solar 2015 Tuscan vintage. Not really a wine that managed to talk to me.
(82 points) - 2010 Le Macchiole Paleo Rosso - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (21.1.2025)
100% Cabernet Franc from vineyards planted in 1994, 1998 and 1999, harvested within the first two weeks of September. Fermented and macerated with the skins for 20 days in concrete and stainless steel tanks. Aged in oak barriques (75% new, 25% 2nd use) for 14 months. Blended together and finally blended in April 2012. 14,5% alcohol.
Quite deep and moderately opaque blackish-red color with a somewhat evolved pomegranate hue. The nose feels dark-toned and quite expressive with rather rich aromas of dark plummy fruits and tobacco, some woody notes of pencil shavings, a little bit of juicy blackcurrant, light licorice tones, a hint of brambly blackberry and a sweeter touch of toasty oak spice. The wine feels ripe yet enjoyably firm and dry on the palate with a moderately full body and intense flavors of dark fruits and juicy blackcurrants, some gravelly mineral tones, a little bit of fresh bilberry, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a hint of chokeberry juice and a sweeter touch of dark-toned toasty oak. The wine pretty stern and muscular with its rather high acidity and quite ample, grainy and pretty grippy tannins. The finish is juicy, savory and noticeably grippy with an intense, persistent aftertaste of black cherries and blackcurrants, some gravelly mineral tones, a little bit of ripe red plum, light licorice notes, a woody hint of savory oak spice and a touch of sour cherry bitterness. The high alcohol lends a tiny bit of warmth to the finish.
I remember tasting this wine in 2017 and it was still very youthful, stern and tightly-knit wine back then. I expected the wine to be more evolved and accessible now, at twice the age, but to my surprise, the wine is still surprisingly youthful and taut. The new oak impact has receded a little, so the wine is definitely evolving in the right direction, but at a noticeably slower rate than I anticipated. This is still a very promising wine, but to my surprise I have to say that it still could use quite a bit of more age. This vintage is obviously built for the long haul. Although showing some elevated ripeness, new oak and alcohol, this is nevertheless an impressive and enjoyably balanced example of the Super-Tuscan style. Recommended.
(92 points) - 2015 Domaine des Roches Neuves Saumur-Champigny La Marginale - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur-Champigny (21.1.2025)
100% biodynamically farmed Cabernet Franc. Fermented spontaneously and macerated with the skins for 22-24 days in 2500-loter Stockinger casks. Aged in 228-liter oak pièces for 12 months. 13% alcohol.
Quite translucent pomegranate color with a slightly aged maroon hue. The nose feels fresh and somewhat sauvage with aromas of fresh blackcurrants and crushed red berries, some brett funk, a little bit of leafy forest floor, light brambly raspberry tones, a hint of ripe redcurrant, a touch of tobacco and a fragrant whiff of chinotto zest. The wine feels slightly wild yet still enjoyably clean on the palate with a medium body and intense flavors of ripe raspberries, some pomegranate juice, a little bit of crunchy redcurrant, light bretty notes of leather and phenolic funk, a hint of leafy forest floor and a touch of juicy blackcurrants. The structure relies more on the rather high acidity, but the ripe medium-plus tannins slowly pile up on the gums, contributing to the sense of firmness. The finish is savory, quite crunchy and somewhat grippy with a long, subtly wild aftertaste of ripe black raspberries, some pomegranate juice, a little bit of fresh redcurrant, light gravelly mineral notes, a hint of phenolic funk and a touch of leafy forest floor.
A rather classically styled and well-proportioned Cabernet Franc with a little bit of bretty funk, which only adds to the rustic complexity without overwhelming any finer nuances. The wine shows good sense of balance, freshness and structure for the warm 2015 vintage; there's certain sense of ripeness to the fruit, but the wine still remains as dry and crunchy as a proper Loire Cab Franc should. Fine and thoroughly enjoyable stuff. At almost 10 years of age, the wine shows relatively little evolution, so I can see the wine holding up easily for at least another 10 - although the wine is perfectly ready right now. Highly recommended.
(93 points) - 2001 Couly-Dutheil Chinon Cuvée Crescendo Clos de l'Echo - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon (21.1.2025)
The flagship wine of Couly-Dutheil. Made from the fruit sourced from a special parcel located in the Couly-Dutheil monopole Clos de l'Echo, a 17-hectare vineyard. The vines in this parcel are pruned down to produce a yield half to that of the rest of the Clos de l'Echo, resulting in a tremendously concentrated and massive Chinon. The wine is fermented with natural yeasts and macerated with the skins over a period of 30 days, after which the wine is aged partially in stainless steel and partially in new oak barrels. 12,5% alcohol.
Deep, dark and slightly evolved brick-red color with a subtly tertiary maroon hue. The nose is that of a classic old-school Cab with rustic, savory aromas of herbaceous leafy tones and sous-bois, some wizened blackcurrants, a little bit of old leather, light minty tones, a hint of roasted bell pepper, a touch of smoke and a whiff of fragrant pipe tobacco. Had I tasted this blind, I probably would've went to Left-Bank Bordeaux quite immediately. The wine feels moderately evolved yet pretty stern and chewy on the palate with a medium body and intense flavors of wizened blackcurrants and tart cranberries, some old leather, a little bit of tobacco, light herbaceous notes of cooked bell pepper, a savory hint of meaty umami and a touch of dried flowers. The overall feel is impressively structured and wonderfully balanced with the high acidity and ample, rather grippy yet quite ripe and not tough tannins. The finish is lively, crunchy and rather tannic with a long, somewhat developed aftertaste of ripe redcurrants and wizened blackcurrants, some old leather, a little bit of tobacco, light tart cranberry tones, a herbaceous hint of bell pepper and an autumnal touch of leafy forest floor.
I've had this wine before and it continues to be one of the most impressive Loire Cab Francs I've tasted. Although the overall feel is maybe closer to an old-school Bordeaux rather than a classic Chinon, the wine is still a textbook example of those savory, slightly herbaceous and wonderfully complex Cabernet Franc flavors. With its muscular yet not aggressive structure and remarkable flavor intensity, this wine is really a showstopper. I'm not sure if the wine is going to improve qualitatively with further aging, but I don't see it going downhill anytime soon. The wine is probably going to keep just fine and probably develop in one direction or another for many, many more years before it starts falling apart. Superb stuff, very highly recommended.
(95 points) - 2008 Clos Rougeard (Foucault) Saumur-Champigny Le Bourg - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur-Champigny (21.1.2025)
100% biodynamically farmed Cabernet Franc from a vineyard averaging 80 yo in age. Fermented spontaneously and macerated with the skins for 4-6 weeks in open-top concrete vats. Aged in predominantly new oak barrels for 18 to 24 months. 12,5% alcohol.
Developed and quite translucent brick-red color with an aged dried-blood hue. The nose feels savory, fine-tuned and a bit reticent with layered aromas of ripe blackcurrants, some leafy notes of autumnal forest floor, a little bit of rustic funk, light herbaceous notes of roasted bell pepper, a hint of phenolic smoke, a sweeter touch of wizened red plum and a fragrant whiff of exotic spices. The wine feels silky and harmonious on the palate with a medium body and nuanced flavors of ripe raspberries, some autumnal leafy tones, a little bit of truffles and earth, light crunchy blackcurrant tones, a sweet hint of wizened red plums and a touch of woody spice. The structure relies on both the high acidity and the somewhat resolved yet still quite firm medium tannins. The lengthy finish is long, gently grippy and moderately acid-driven with an intense and somewhat evolved aftertaste of ripe raspberries, some fresh blackcurrant tones, a little bit of leathery funk and smoky phenolics, light leafy notes of autumnal forest floor, a hint of dried flowers and a herbaceous touch of bell pepper.
A delicious, harmonious and suave Saumur-Champigny showing wonderful sense of finesse and complexity. Although starting to show some evolved tertiary qualities, the wine still retains quite a bit of vibrant fruit and intensity, making me think that the wine will at least keep - if not even evolve further - for a good number of years more. A very complete wine and a textbook example of classy Loire Cabernet Franc - although I have to point out that despite all its fine qualities, the price of the wine (379€) is simply insane. Anyways, this would've easily been my WotN, if it weren't for the 2001 Couly-Dutheil Clos de l'Echo Crescendo that we had in the same flight, overshining all the other wines - even this one.
(94 points) - 2017 Lakeview Cellars Cabernet Franc Icewine - Canada, Ontario, Niagara Peninsula, Niagara Peninsula VQA (21.1.2025)
100% Cabernet Franc harvested in December. Fermented in stainless steel tanks. The fermentation was halted and the wine was cold stabilized naturally by moving the wine outdoors in February. 11% alcohol, 205 g/l residual sugar and 10,9 g/l acidity.
Luminous, translucent coppery-red color. The nose feels sweet, maybe a bit odd but also quite characterful with aromas of honeycomb, some apple sauce, light rowanberry jam tones, a little bit of Rice Krispies, a fragrant hint of floral character and a grappe-like whiff of fusel alcohols. The wine feels very sweet and quite spicy on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of apple jam and peppery spice, some rowanberry marmalade, light stony mineral notes, a little bit of Rice Krispies, hints of ripe redcurrants and overripe apricots and a touch of wild honey. The high acidity manages to keep the wine pretty nicely in balance despite the very high level of residual sugar, lending it some nice sense of structure. The finish is sweet but also somewhat short with a rather intense aftertaste of apple jam, some honeyed tones, a little bit of overripe apricot, light spicy nuances, a hint of Rice Krispies and a touch of redcurrant marmalade.
A very sweet but also quite balanced Icewine - all thanks to its high acidity. With lower level of acidity, the wine would easily feel soft, flabby and cloying; however, in its current shape the wine shows good sense of harmony. There are some weird Rice Krispies nuances, though, which do distract a little bit from pleasure. Furthermore, despite its flavor intensity, the wine is still maybe a bit linear and lacking depth and nuance. This is a good dessert wine, but nothing truly memorable. Maybe a bit pricey for the quality at 30,35€ for a half bottle.
(89 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
Yes I did, don’t know if anyone else has ever come up with that one before!
