2017 Zoltán Günzer Cabernet Franc Villányi, Hungary, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$17.00USD

This is a nice, solid Cabernet Franc from Hungary.  Varietally correct and fairly priced.  Deep garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright. The nose has black cherries, tobacco, green bell pepper and spice.  Medium bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, black cherries with some tobacco and a slight green note.  Good finish.  This is nice on its own but better with food.  A nice wine to pair with stuffed pepper.  Drink over the next few years.  

Acumen PEAK 2021 Cabernet Franc

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$125.00USD

It’s always exciting to see a winery launch a new wine and for Acumen, this is their first ever Cabernet Franc. True, they have grown and used Franc for years, just not as its own bottling. This offers tight, dusty tannins supported by a mélange of dark red and black berry fruits. There is an earthy core with light black tea leaves, cigar notes and pomegranate. The oak program is evident (60% new French oak was used) but not overwhelming. Comprised mainly of Cabernet Franc, there are small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot added in to finesse this already lovely wine.

1999 Inniskillin Cabernet Franc Icewine, Canada, Ontario, Niagara, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1999
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$58.00USD

From a 375ml bottle.  Interesting wine.  Kind of a deep pink with some ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose has strawberries, a bit of tomato, and slight honey note.  Medium bodied but viscous.  On the palate, this is slightly sweet.  Flavors of raspberries with slight herbal quality (Chervil?).  Moderate finish.  It is showing its age but still has plenty of life.  Still, probably best to drink sooner than later while is still has some vibrancy.  It would work with a plain cake such as sponge cake, nicely.  

2005 Olga Raffault Chinon Les Picasses, France, Loire, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2005
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$65.00USD

Ruby in color, purple swirls, mostly clear and bright.  The nose brings the barnyard funk but also some black cherries and a bit of cigar box.  Medium bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, this has depth and complexity.  Much cleaner on the palate, but still some Brettanomyces.  Black cherries with some leathery notes.  Menthol on the finish.  This is very nice on its own but probably a bit better with food.  It would work well with Lamb Stew but also Roasted Vegetables.  At or past peak, this should be consumed over the next five years or so.  

2013 Kapcsándy Family Winery Rapszodia, USA, California, Napa, Yountville, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
97
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$300.00USD

This is a blend of 65% Cabernet Franc and 35% Merlot from one of the premier vineyards in Napa, the State Lane Vineyard.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with black cherries, blueberries, slight cigar box and spice.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Juicy acidity.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Black cherries, some black raspberries and blue berries with a bit of leather and earthiness.  Long finish.  This is drinking well and may still improve.  It should drink well for another twenty years.  Great on its own, this would work well with roasted duck or even roast r

Primus 2019 The Blend

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$20.99USD

Earthy tannins leads to blackberry, blueberry, plum, and violets. Made from mainly Carménère and Cabernet Sauvignon, there are small amounts of Syrah, Petite Verdot and Cabernet Franc in the mix. This has always been a solid wine for a very reasonable price. It deviates from much oak treatment and instead promotes the raw, earthy flavors of its organic vineyards. The aging consisted of 66% of the wine placed in French oak for 18 months, therefore the oak is supporting and not dominate. Nicely balanced this is a great go-to everyday drinking wine. ORIGIN: Apalta, Chile. ALCOHOL: 13.5%

2022 Crooked Tree Vineyard Cabernet Franc, USA, Ohio, Kelly's Island, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2022
Score: 
87
Grade: 
B+

Kelly's Island is part of a group of islands in the south western section of Lake Erie just off the Ohio coast.  Back in the mid-1800's this was one of the leading wine areas of the country.  Now it is kind of a summer resort escape area.  It is always difficult to make reds in Ohio due to late and early frosts and lots of thunderstorms and hail and very hot temperatures.  Yields were apparently way down in 2022, but luckily a friend lives right next to the winery and was able to snag a bottle for us.  This wine seems to be somewhere between a very serious rosé and a lighter red wine.  11.5

Decoy Unlimited 2021 Alexander Valley Merlot

Vintage: 
2023
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$30.00USD

This offers nicely balanced red fruit with minimal oak, solid acidity and decent tannic structure. Not an easy thing to find in a Merlot, and a Merlot at this price. Black cherry, black berry, huckleberry, red currant, light cedar and vanilla notes dominate and this is a very comprehensive wine. Mainly Merlot, there are small percentages of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Syrah and Malbec. It was aged for 14 months in French oak, only 40% of which was new, hence the light wood touch. What this ultimately offers is a robust Merlot that is well worth the price.

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