Water into Wino

Domaine de Pallus Les Pensées de Pallus Chinon 2006

Les Pensées de Pallus Chinon 2006
Loire, France ($20)

Every now and then I come across a cabernet franc that reminds me of what I love about the grape. It’s these times when I drink a glass without fussing over aromas or finishes because these wines just wash away any motivation to intellectualize the experience.

This usually happens with well made Montepulcianos and Dolcettos. For some reason I associate it with mainly Italian wines but it can happen with good Chinons, Bourgiels, or even Cahors. I do appreciate the rest they offer my frequently over stimulated brain and allow my to just relax and sip away.

I picked this one up at a local wine shop that competes with most Manhattan stores I’ve been to in terms of boasting a thoughtful wine selection, City Wine Merchant in downtown Buffalo. There was only one Chinon there and I assumed it was decent, so I took home a bottle of this Domaine de Pallus Les Pensées de Pallus Chinon 2006.

Aromas of blackberry, dark cherry, olive and tobacco make this worth spending some time with your nose in the glass. The palate is ripe and has some flesh behind it, perfectly balanced and generous with its smooth tannins. It’s simply effortless in the mouth and finishes with a chalky rustic feel. Overall a cabernet franc that others should look to for an example of what makes this grape so seductive

Bernard Baudry Chinon "Les Granges" 2006

Bernard Baudry Chinon "Les Granges"
Chinon, Loire, France ($20)

My wine buying habits can be quite irrational. In my latest example I passed up a few wonderfully extracted 2005 Bourgueils and Chinons just to take home a 2006 Bernard Baudry “Les Granges”. This wine is simply an entry level Chinon from a not so fabulous vintage. They say that anyone can make good wine in a great year. It’s those poor years that reveal the most skilled winemakers, and coming from an area that has clear vintage variations myself, I’m interested in what Chinon reds are like in average to poor years.

“Les Granges” is made from young vines (in France this apparently means only 25 year old vines) in mostly sand and gravel soils. Fermented in stainless steel, this wine is meant for early consumption.

I often find myself describing cabernet franc as rustic and this wine surely fits that term. Dark red in color with aromas of blackberry, black cherry and pepper with undertones of barnyard animals, it revealed mouth filling fruit and a chalky tannic mouth-feel. I really dug the finish. The tannins didn’t finish with sweet fruit flavor, rather more along the lines of earthy loam and chalk.

Overall this wine was definitely rustic. In the second bottle I had I picked up much more of that barnyard aroma which can probably be attributed to some level of brett, but it still wasn’t offensive. For a wine with no oak aging it showed a great deal of complexity and texture, and I’d buy it again.

Lamoreaux Landing T23 Cabernet Franc 2007

Lamoreaux Landing T23 Cabernet Franc 2007
Finger Lakes, New York ($14)

My recent foray into winemaking has given me plenty of experience drinking unoaked Cabernet Franc as most of my batches are less than sixty gallons. I’m always looking for comparable wines as a reference so picking up this Lamoreaux Landing T23 Cabernet Franc 2007 was a no brainer. The aspiring vigneron in me wanted to know what this grape, grown in the Finger Lakes, in a hot vintage and left unoaked would taste like.

The wine revealed a light ruby color, with aromas of cherries and violets. After a few hours it began to show some bell pepper aromas as well, but certainly not right after uncorking. On the palate, this wine was soft and supple and this the first time I can call a wine “easy going” thanks in part to its round structure. Its gentle finish wasn’t complex but it did leave you wanting another sip.

There was also a definite perception of sweetness that I can only guess is the addition of residual sugar. This may have ultimately contributed to its feeling of balance but my interest in tasting a wine unobstructed by oak was now seemingly influenced by some “pushing” of the fruit.

From what I’ve read this wine has been quite popular and I can see why. It’s probably the same reason why so many Parisians enjoy a glass of cab franc at the local bistro. It’s easily quaffable, light and delicate enough to ponder on its own or with any number of food pairings. It makes me think that maybe in the future, restaurants in New York will carry local unoaked Cab Francs as house wines, served in a pitcher and drank from a tumbler. My grade: 2.5/5

Anthony Road Cabernet Franc-Lemberger

Cabernet Franc-Lemberger 2006
Finger Lakes, New York ($18)

Every once in a while I find a wine that seems like its been grown, made and marketed towards people like myself. On a recent trip to basically the only wine store I go to these days, I found a wine that simply made its purchase mandatory. No questions. No doubts. No checking of my finances before hand.

There are only a few grapes that could induce this kind of reaction. And if this isn't your first trip to my site, you probably know the that I'm talking about cabernet franc. But this bottle had even more going for it... 30% lemberger! And from the Finger Lakes to boot.

Anthony Road Winery is located on the west side of Seneca Lake. I've stopped in quickly on my way down to NYC in the past and was mildly impressed with the reds, which were really the only wines I tasted there. The fact is nothing really stood out compared to the other FL reds I tried that day. I had pretty much forgotten about them until last week when I found this bottle.

Why am I so thrilled about this wine? I just think these two grapes are suited for cool climate viticulture up here in the FL and Niagara USA Region. Rarely do you see them together and I'm not sure why that's the case. I know Fox Run Vineyards also bottled a blend of the two that won an award or two, but it wasn't available when I visited. So this bottle is my first introduction to the cab franc/lemberger wines of the FL.

Dark red color with aromas of raspberry and cherry. Lively mouth feel with decent weight to it for a cool climate red. Spicy tones of cherry and vanilla linger on the finish. I drank this with my meat ragu (and used it in sauce as well) the other night and loved every sip. I don't think it's big enough to just hang out with as it begs for food with its acidity. It also benefitted with decanting and/or a good rest over night. My grade: A-

Corey Creek Cabernet Franc 2002

Corey Creek Cabernet Franc 2002
Northfork, New York USA ($20)

The 2002 growing season must have been a good one for North Fork red grape growers. It was the 02' Osprey's Dominion Cabernet Franc that motivated a spending spree on Cab Franc that me to having a the franc filled wine fridge I have today. I've enjoyed a few others from the same vintage but nothing that excited me as much as the Osprey's. A few days ago I was reminded of my first innocent experiences with great Cab Franc.

Black raspberry and cherry aromas. I thought the color is slightly lighter than the Osprey's 02' and overall the tannins seem a bit smoother. The supple mouth-feel was simply delightful. It reminded me of the 04' Jamesport Cab Franc that critics went gaga over last year. The lengthy finish had a bit of vanilla and cedar and it just left a great impression. My grade: A

Osprey's Dominion Cabernet Franc 2002

Osprey's Dominion can take much of the credit for my awakening to Long Island's North Fork wine country. Sure it took a couple of my good friends to pour there for a few seasons to find it, but it really did open me up to several new things. It all started with the 2000 vintage Cabernet Franc and evolved into day long picnics with live music, friends, and a huge selection of wine.

Last season Osprey's was building a new tasting room so we didn't hang out there for their live music and tranquil scenery as much as I'd like to. This didn't stop us from stopping by to taste how their Meritage blends were evolving and to pick up more Cab Franc. They probably have the widest selection of reds and whites on the Island, with about 90 acres of grapes planted. In 2005 they were declared winery of the year at the NY State Wine and Food Classic and they are no stranger to double gold and best in show awards.

The standouts for me have been the reds of course, the rose, Fume Blanc, the Sauvignon Blanc, and maybe even the Johannisberg Riesling. The list goes on and on and something they have should satisfy anyone that goes. They welcome picnics on their property and it's as easy as walking up to the outdoor bar and bringing an open bottle back to your group. On busy weekends, it may get crowded with families and kids playing, but its always relaxing.

Osprey's Dominion Cabernet Franc 2002
North Fork, Long Island, New York, USA ($24)

The 2000, 2001, and 2002 Cabernet Francs have been among the best in the region. They have been known to mix in a splash of Merlot to round it out some but the 2002 is pure Franc. The wine spends 12 months in French oak and the alcohol weighs in at 13%.

Dark ruby red color. Aromas of cherry, raspberry, and bell pepper. Textbook mouth feel as far as I'm concerned. A slightly tart food friendly acidity is obvious and welcome. This is not for the fruit bomb lovers out there as the fruit is subtle and in lockstep with the spice and herbal qualities. What really separates this wine from similar ones is its long delicate spicy finish. My grade: B+

Finger Lakin Good Cab Franc

My passion for all things Cabernet Franc hasn't let up in the time I've been grossly neglecting this blog. Although I've tasted a few that made me rethink it as being my favorite varietal. It's just so damn hard to balance out the acidity and fruit with the green characteristics of most of the cool weather francs I consume. These thoughts began after I drank a deliciously large and juicy one from Castello di Borghese on Long Island. Unlike any other I've drank from that area, it was dark and mysterious, complex and relentless on the finish. The kid over at Vintage New York endorsed it as one that will "rock my world" and in some ways it did, though without the herbal notes I associate with the grape. Was I beginning to prefer the more ripe and extracted style of this wine?

Ravines Wine Cellars Cabernet Franc 2005
Keuka Lake, Finger Lakes, New York ($18)

Turns out the answer is no. Jay over at The Wine Chicks pointed me to a Finger Lakes Cab Franc from Ravines Wine Cellars recently. This bottle from the 2005 vintage had everything I love about this varietal. Cherry and blackberry flavors mixed with spicy herbal notes combined with oak aging that amplifies the complexity and length in the finish. Since I haven't tried too many Finger Lakes Cab Francs, this one easily takes the prize as the best I've tasted. That being said, I look forward to trying Dr. Frank's version also from the east side of Keuka Lake.

Forty Dollars a Day

"Best Red in Show" in the Sunlight

It's amazing how the value of a dollar can change within the coarse of the day. During a recent trip to the Northfork of Long Island, my opinion of spending $40 on a Cab Franc went from a skeptical "yeah right" to a somewhat slurred "put it on the Visa." My anticipation of visiting Jamesport Vineyards had been growing all season. A "Best Cab Franc" award at the New York Food and Wine festival only fueled my interest and I'm not even going to mention the Wine Advocate blurbs about Jamesport's wines. Osprey's Dominion 2001 Cab Franc won the same "Best Red" and "Best Cab Franc" the previous year and I love that wine enough to give it credit for my current addiction to the varietal.

After insisting we stop at Jamesport first during our recent visit I was amped to get a taste of their reds. Because we went on the weekend the tasting room was overwhelmed with buses and "weekenders." No clean glasses and my refusal to taste in plastic denied my taste buds for a little while longer, but when I finally got my flight I wasn't disappointed at all. The 2001 Merlot Reserve was lush and concentrated with cherries and plums. It had everything I have come to love Long Island wines including a perfect balance of fruit and oak with that terroir of the North Fork. The acclaimed Cabernet Franc 2004 was just as good as the hype that surrounds it. Aromas of red berries and smoke with a elegantly soft mouth feel and a palate that whispered strawberry. The finish was delicate and subtle. It didn't have the spiciness that I expected with only a slight herbal quality yet still delicious and unique to the region.

My only disappointment with my experience there was the prices. Both of these reds were priced roughly at $40. Similar Cab Francs at Osprey's Dominion and Corey Creek Cellars that are equally as satisfying are almost half the price. With my current budget combined with the amount of wine I buy in general, a $40 wine makes its way into my home a few times a year. Long story short...I passed on a purchase of the Cab Franc at Jamesport.

Key Lime Pie at EON in Southold

After lunch at EON (duck salad and key lime pie - Shinn Rose and Corey Creek Cab Franc) in Southold and tastings at Castello di Borghese our journey led us to Shinn Estate Vineyards. Shinn is a small winery that practices sustainable agriculture. Their tasting room is a tiny room in a renovated old barn that oozes with quaintness. The owners are on hand to pour and answer questions, and even ring you up after you splurge on a few bottles. Stand-out wines tasted were "Wild Boar Doe" 2004 and their 2005 Rose. I was bummed when I found out they weren't pouring their Cab Franc, but after some of my charming nosiness, co-owner Barbara Shinn indeed let me know there just happened to be an open bottle behind the bar. From what I remember there are only 1 1/2 acres of cab franc planted there and only 170 cases made of this 2004 vintage which has a price tag of around $40. For some reason I didn't mind shelling out the cash for this bottle. Maybe because there's not that much of it going around, maybe it was the organic vineyards or the humble tasting room, or maybe it was because it resembled a mom and pop business that made my decision easy. In hindsight it may have been all the alcohol, but after being wooed by the ambience of the North Fork, I found myself completely doing a 180 and heading home with a $40 bottle that I'm sure will just cause me anxiety when I decide when to open it. Cheers to that!

Shinn Estate tasting room

Rafael Cambra Dos 2004

Rafael Cambra Dos 2004
Valencia, Spain ($20)

Even though I haven't been updating this site recently, I haven't been a stranger to the other wine blogs I've come to appreciate. A recent Wine Chicks posting mentioned a Spanish Cabernet Sauv/Franc blend from Valencia called "Dos" by Rafael Cambra. It would only be a short matter of time after reading that before I found a bottle to try myself. I'm learning that I much prefer wine blog reviews to those of a magazine.

First of all, it has a kick arse bright orange label with a simple yet elegant scribble of grapes. Dark violet color, practically opaque wine. Aromas of plum and blackberry. Well balanced and supple, very pleasing on the palate. Very full flavored but ultimately not a very long finish. It could probably benefit from some more time in the bottle as the tannins weren't integrated enough. I'm gonna buy a couple more bottles and see how it ages. My grade: B+

Chevalerie Bourgueil Cuvée du Peu-Muleau

Chevalerie Bourgueil Cuvée du Peu-Muleau 2001
France, Touraine, Bourgueil ($18)

This is one of those bottles I would have passed right over had I not done my geeked out research on Cab Franc. I've been aware of Chinon and Saumur-Champigny for a while now. Only recently did I discover that Bourgueil is another Loire appellation I might be interested in. During the Astor blow out sale I picked this one up for a fraction of its original price. Bourgueil is northwest of Chinon and northeast of Saumur-Champigny.

Bright red in color. Raspberry and somewhat vegetal on the nose. Smooth texture and light tannins combine with a cherry and berry flavor to make this a pleasing easy to drink wine. Somewhat tart with earthy notes on the finish. It's not as lively as the L.I. Cab Francs I love. I didn't notice the peppery qualities I expected either. All around a good wine that I would buy again. My grade: B+