2019 Sineann Cabernet Franc Phinny Hill Vineyard, Washington, Columbia Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$30.00USD

A very nice Cab Franc and a nice value.  Purple in color, some ruby, opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, slight cigar box, slighter bell pepper, and spice.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Good balance.  On the palate, black cherry fruit with some tobacco and slight bell pepper.  Good finish.  Drinking well and should continue for seven to ten years.  Nice on its own, this will work well with Lamb Stew.  

2013 Realm Cellars The Falstaff, USA, California, Napa, Rutherford, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
98
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$425.00USD

This is a blend of 42% Cabernet Franc, 42% Merlot, and 16% Cabernet Sauvignon.  Impressive showing.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is tight at first but opens to show black cherries, cherries, chocolate, and brown tobacco.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Wonderful velvety texture.  On the palate, this is delicious with black cherries, iodine, blueberries and crushed leaves.  Complex.  Still not fully mature but getting there.  Long finish.  No harm opening now, but another five to eight years and this might get a 100 score.  Great on its own, it will take big food right

2019 Château des Landes Luccianus Amphore, France, Bordeaux, Lussac-St. Émilion, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$50.00USD

This is 100% Cabernet Franc.  After fermentation, it spent 12 months in amphora where it underwent malolactic fermentation.  The result is an outstanding wine.  Black cherry in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is tight at first but opens to show black cherries, smoke, and baking spices.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, black cherries, slight cigar box and very concentrated.  Nice finish.  Still young, this will improve. Drink over the next ten to twelve years.  Lamb chops would go quite well.  

Val Delle Rose 2018 Aurelio Maremma Toscana

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$30.00USD

Located in Southern Tuscany, Val Delle Rose is one of the largest wineries in the region. Their 2018 Aurelio, something of a flagship wine, offers superb quality fruit - muted pomegranate, rhubarb, black cherry, blackberry, along with a judicious use of oak that brings out cedar notes. There are vague back notes of dusty cocoa. This is a nicely balanced wine that combines all the necessary elements of oak, fruit, tannin and acidity, making for a wine that would be very complementary for any number of foods.

2005 Catherine et Pierre Breton Bourgueil Les Perrières, France, Loire, Wine Review, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2005
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose has cherries, tobacco and slight barnyard.  Great texture   Tannins are all integrated.  Complex and deep.  Just about at peak.  Layers of cherries and black cherries and also some tobacco.  Good finish.  Delicious.  This drinks well on its own but is better with food.  Lamb stew would be a nice choice.  Drink over the next five to seven years.  

2018 Attila Gere Villányi Kopár Cuvée, Hungary, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$20.00USD

This is the flagship wine of one of Hungary's leading wineries.  It is a blend of 50% Cabernet Franc; 40% Merlot; 10% Cabernet Sauvignon with the grapes coming from the Csillagvölgy, Konkoly, Kopár, and Ördögárok vineyards.  Purple in color, opaque  but a bit cloudy.  The nose is nice with dust, spice and cherries.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this is deep and complex.  Black cherry fruit with some cherries and a sli graphite note.  Pinpoint balance.  Nice, silky finish.  This is drinking well now and should continue to for another ten to twelve years.  It will go well wit

2019 Konyari Páva, Hungary, Balaton, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$35.00USD

This is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.  The label list 15% abv.  Purple in color, garnet at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cassis, black cherries, spice and slight cigar box.  Full bodied.  Medium to firm tannins.  On the palate, cassis and black cherries with some underlying spice.  Very ripe for Hungary.  Quite delicious.  Enough acidity to work at the dinner table, it also drinks great on its own.  This needs strong flavors to stand up to it.  Pörkölt (Meat stew) would be a nice choice.  Drink over the next ten years.  

2019 Casa Carmen Tinto, USA, Maryland, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$30.00USD

This is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon from the state of Maryland.  Enrique and Felipe Pallares, originally from Ecuador, founded this winery in 2017.  Good wines are being made all over these days.  Garnet in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is very earthy with a bit of barnyard, but also tobacco, dried cherries and black cherries.  On the palate, there is some Brettanomyces.  Not off putting but noticeable.  There is also some black cherry fruit and underlying forest floor.  There is some complexity here.  It drinks well on its own and would work well wi

2016 Detert Family Vineyards Cabernet Franc Oakville, USA, California, Napa, Oakville, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A

From one of the premier producers of Cabernet Franc in California.  The vines are part of what was historically To Kalon vineyard.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with black cherries, slight cigar tobacco and cedar.  Wonderful texture.  Medium tannins.  Nice balance.  On the palate, lots of black cherries, some cassis with underlying spice.  Lots of energy.  Long finish.  Delicious.  This should last another ten to fifteen years.  Great on its own, better with food.  Roast duck or chicken would be great.  

2011 Bevan Cellars EE Cuvée, USA, California, Napa, Oakville, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2011
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A

Nice to try this from a "lesser" vintage but with some nice age on it.  It is in a very good place right now.  It is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Cabernet Franc.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, tobacco and a slight herbal notes.  Also a but of spice.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, cassis with underlying char.  Lots of depth.  Nice finish.  This won't get better but it is drinking very nicely and should continue for another eight to twelve years.  It works on its own but worked great with mushroom ravioli.  A great example of great

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