Cabernet franc
Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2018 6:37 pm
Unusual wines were blind tested in our club latest meeting. The subject: Cabernet Franc (CF) around the world. Al wines tested are either 100% CF or have at least 80% CF in the blend. There were no Aussie available. Any straight CF that you know of?
There were some researches in the end of the century with DNA test, which led to the conclusion by Jancis Robinson that Cab Sauvignon is actually the offspring of CF and Sauvignon Blanc union. So expect dark fruit and grassy flavour!
The line up:
(1) '08 Larkin CF, Napa Valley, USA
(2) '10 Morlet Force de la Nature, Napa Valley, USA
(3) '15 Mabileau Les Petits Grains, Loire Valley, France
(4) '11 Le Dome, Saint-Emilion, France (80% CF, 20% Merlot)
(5) '11 Zorzal Piantao, Mendoza, Argentina (mainly CF, maybe Syrah, Malbec etc)
(6) '09 Aleanna Gran Enemigo Gualtallary, Mendoza, Argentina (unknown blend)
(7) '08 Tenuta di Biserno Biserno, Tuscany, Italy (mostly CF with dollops of CS, Merlot and Petit Verdot)
(8) '01 Le Macchiole Paleo, Tuscany, Italy (mostly CF)
(9) '09 Poplar Grove CF, BC, Canada
My head is still spinning around, but here are some notes:
(1) The wines vary in price from CAD 40 to CAD 260 with three above 180!
(2) Colours vary from ruby red to dark ruby red, so it was not possible to guess the age
(3) Nose is very similar ( dark fruits, spice, smoke, pencil, forest) except for the young Mabileau which overhelms you with sweet cherry (young punk!) and the Tenuta and the Larkin grasp you with lovely mocha and expresso.
(4) All palates show expressive fruit and spice flavour, medium to full body but the tannins are still very aggressive in all, including the '01.
(5) WOTN turned out to be a big discussion. In the end, the most expensive Morlet was chosen (just!) for its long palate. The Canadian did well, but had an austere palate, methinks.
Since this was a blind tasting, everybody got a good surprise at the end.
There were some researches in the end of the century with DNA test, which led to the conclusion by Jancis Robinson that Cab Sauvignon is actually the offspring of CF and Sauvignon Blanc union. So expect dark fruit and grassy flavour!
The line up:
(1) '08 Larkin CF, Napa Valley, USA
(2) '10 Morlet Force de la Nature, Napa Valley, USA
(3) '15 Mabileau Les Petits Grains, Loire Valley, France
(4) '11 Le Dome, Saint-Emilion, France (80% CF, 20% Merlot)
(5) '11 Zorzal Piantao, Mendoza, Argentina (mainly CF, maybe Syrah, Malbec etc)
(6) '09 Aleanna Gran Enemigo Gualtallary, Mendoza, Argentina (unknown blend)
(7) '08 Tenuta di Biserno Biserno, Tuscany, Italy (mostly CF with dollops of CS, Merlot and Petit Verdot)
(8) '01 Le Macchiole Paleo, Tuscany, Italy (mostly CF)
(9) '09 Poplar Grove CF, BC, Canada
My head is still spinning around, but here are some notes:
(1) The wines vary in price from CAD 40 to CAD 260 with three above 180!
(2) Colours vary from ruby red to dark ruby red, so it was not possible to guess the age
(3) Nose is very similar ( dark fruits, spice, smoke, pencil, forest) except for the young Mabileau which overhelms you with sweet cherry (young punk!) and the Tenuta and the Larkin grasp you with lovely mocha and expresso.
(4) All palates show expressive fruit and spice flavour, medium to full body but the tannins are still very aggressive in all, including the '01.
(5) WOTN turned out to be a big discussion. In the end, the most expensive Morlet was chosen (just!) for its long palate. The Canadian did well, but had an austere palate, methinks.
Since this was a blind tasting, everybody got a good surprise at the end.