Acorn Winery - 2006 Russian River Cabernet Franc

Crossing valleys, today's stop for the 12 Days of Cabernet Franc, finds me in Sonoma. Acorn Winery was born in 1994 after Betsy & Bill Nachbaur purchased Alegría Vineyards. Some of the vineyards they took over (Zinfandel mostly) date as far back as 1890. Their focus has been on Field Blends and Estate grown wines. Using sustainable practices has also been an important piece of their operating philosophy. Acorn Winery makes approximately 3,000 cases of wine per year. The 2006 Acorn Cabernet Franc is from fruit sourced at their Alegría Vineyard in Russian River Valley. This wine has 4% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot. This Franc was aged in a combination of French, American, and Hungarian oak for 17 months, 54% of it was new. 379 cases were produced, and the suggested retail price is $32.

The nose of this Russian River Cabernet Franc is filled with plum, violets, cedar and a hint of earth. The palate, which really speaks of this wine's origins, has dark berry notes, black pepper, and more toasty oak. The finish has lots of the earth that was only hinted at earlier as well as a hint of chicory and a touch of sour cherry. This wine has firm but approachable tannins and good acidity. Like the other Acorn wines I've had previously this Franc is made to enjoy with food. I had it with Gnocchi in Wild Boar Ragu, which was a tremendous match.

What struck me most about this wine, was its deceptive levels of complexity. The first handful of sips washed over me. After that though, the wine really started opening up, and revealing its subtle and complex layers of both dark fruit, and earth. This offering scores points on two other fronts. It's both an excellent example of Cabernet Franc and a terrific example of the sorts of wine Russian River can produce.

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Peju Province Winery - Two Cabernet Francs

My first experience with Peju occurred during my initial visit to Napa Valley, back in the early 90's. Back then I recall being impressed by the tasting room, as well as one of their white wines. Over the years, during frequent trips to California, Peju has become a bit of a regular stop for me. The tasting room is still nice, but it's the killer juice that keeps me going back time and again. I've found the Peju wines to be very consistent in style and quality over time, an enviable feat for any producer. I'm glad to look at two of their offerings, during the 12 Days of Cabernet Franc. The first wine up is the 2006 Peju Napa Valley Cabernet Franc. 16% Cabernet Sauvignon was blended in. This wine was aged in a combination of French (55%) and American (45%) oak for 18 months, 40% of it was new. 1,846 cases of this wine were produced and the suggested retail price is $45.

This 2006 Napa Valley Cabernet Franc has cloves in the nose, as well as both black and red plum notes. There is an incredible purity of dark fruit throughout the palate, along with cedar and mineral characteristics. Towards the back of the palate, dusty Baker's chocolate kicks in and leads to a finish filled with espresso, earth, toast, and cherry pie notes, underscored by a bit of a forest floor element. This wine has a firm tannic structure and good acidity.

What struck me most about this wine is that it has the classic big nose associated with Cab Franc and the structure most often thought of in regards to Cabernet Sauvignon. It's a little tight coming out of the bottle, and if you're going to drink it now, decanting for about an hour, is recommended. If you're patient, tuck it away for a couple of years, and it's sure to improve in the short term, and drink well for about 5 years after that.

The second wine is the 2005 Peju Rutherford Reserve Cabernet Franc. This selection has 1% Cabernet Sauvignon blended in. It was aged in French oak for 26 months, of which 85% was new. 980 cases of this wine were produced and the suggested retail price is $95.

The nose of this Rutherford designate reserve Franc is filled with black raspberry, plum, and blueberry as a well as gingerbread spice notes. The entire palate is opulent and mouth-filling. Expressive berry fruit and chocolate notes are underscored by classic elements of Rutherford dust. An absolutely wonderful, hedonistic expression of pure fruit continues through the finish, and is joined by black tea, spice, leather, and earth. That finish is incredibly impressive, persistent and lingering. This is one of those wines that continually beckon you back to the glass, for sip after the sip, until you realize the bottle is gone, all too soon.

Everything about this Rutherford Cabernet Franc impressed me, but there are of course highlights. For me it's two things. One is the amazing finish, which quite frankly I can't say enough about. The other, is that this Franc does a fine job of conveying its sense of place.

Both of these offerings underscore the lovely wines that Peju has been steadily pumping out since their inception, in the early 80's. In my time tasting and drinking their wines, the name Peju has come to mean many things to me, the first however is quality.

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Cooper-Garrod - 2005 Cabernet Franc

The next stop for the 12 Days of Cabernet Franc is back in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Cooper-Garrod Vineyards is a small, family run operation. The 120 acres that make up their Estate, have been in the family for over 100 years. 28 of those acres are under vine. They've been producing wine since 1991. The 2005 Cooper-Garrod Cabernet Franc is 100% varietal. The fruit is from Estate vines planted in 1985. Cuttings for that planting date back to a turn of the Century French settler. This wine spent 11 months in barrel. 556 cases were produced, and the suggested retail price is $25.

The nose of this Franc opens with a bevy of berry fruits, and a hint of spice. Blackberry and black raspberry jam are prominent through the palate, along with black cherry, and pie crust spices. A touch of earth, and a bit of bramble, are present as well. The finish is above average in length. A host of spice notes dominate, but are also joined by sour cherry, subtle leather, and a gentle hint of tea. The last sensation is a hit of mineral that tickles the back of the throat and lingers.

What I liked best about this Cabernet Franc is that the palate is full of rich and persistent fruit notes that are also restrained and never go over the top. This is a mouth-filling wine, which could be enjoyed alone, but will perform better with food. Pot Roast comes to mind as an excellent accompaniment. This Cabernet Franc should drink well for the next 5-7 years.

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Clos du Bois - 2005 Alexander Valley Cabernet Franc

There are, of course, wineries of all sizes. The next selection for the 12 Days of Cabernet Franc, comes from a Winery of the humungous variety. As far as wineries go, Clos du Bois is a juggernaut. They started in 1974 and have subsequently become a very well known name in wine. While the average consumer likely knows them for the host of wines they make in the everyday drinking price range, Clos du Bois makes wines in a number of brackets. The 2005 Clos du Bois Alexander Valley Cabernet Franc was sourced from two specific parcels. This offering isn't available in stores and can only be acquired through their tasting room or website. 450 cases of this Franc were produced and the suggested retail price is $40.

Blackberry and plum note star in the nose of this Alexander Valley Cabernet Franc. Throughout the palate, dark, fleshy plum dominates the fruit characteristics, while fruitcake spice notes underpin them. Black tea notes kick in towards the back of the plate and lead into the finish. Leather, chicory and sweet dark chocolate fill a finish that is smooth and a bit above average in length. This wine is an excellent match for Corned beef, Pastrami or other smoked, cured meats.

What I liked best about this wine is its accessibility. For a wine that should age well for several years, it's ready to go, and expressive, from the first pour. It's also a well layered, fairly complex wine that does a good job showing off its Alexander Valley roots.

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Gundlach Bundschu - 2006 Cabernet Franc

Today the 12 Days of Cabernet Franc swings back west, Sonoma to be exact. Gundlach Bundschu has a storied history that reaches back as far as 1858, when it started as Rhinefarm. Far more recently, in 2001, they made the decision to focus exclusively on the production of Estate Wines. They also use sustainable practices, considering themselves caretakers of the land. The 2006 Gundlach Bundschu Cabernet Franc has 8% Syrah blended in. Fruit was sourced from a single block that was planted in 1999. This wine spent 15 months in French oak, with 35% of it being new. 743 cases of this offering were produced, and the suggested retail price is $38.

What was immediately obvious about this wine, is that it needed some time to really open up. It was pretty tight out of the bottle, and decanting for at least an hour, is my recommendation, two wouldn't hurt. After that though, it really began to express itself. The effusive nose showed plum pudding and fruitcake spice notes as well as dark berry fruit. The medium bodied palate, was filled with cherry, leather, and light bramble notes. The finish is a terrific one, featuring berry, building earth (increases as it opens up), spice, and a touch of chicory. This wine is well structured and has firm acidity. An excellent food wine.

This 2006 Franc from Gundlach Bundschu has the elements that I most think of when this great varietal comes to mind. The big, expressive nose, and solid core of fruit, really shine through. This wine is very enjoyable now, after decanting. However my recommendation, if you can wait, is to lay it down for a year or two. That should be enough time to really bring everything together, so this wine is at it's peak.

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Truro Vineyards - 2006 Cabernet Franc

The next selection for the 12 Days of Cabernet Franc takes me about 3,000 miles east to Cape Cod. Truro Vineyards has a history dating back 15 plus years. Current owners, the Roberts family acquired the winery in 2007. Beyond the approximately 10 wines they currently make, plans are afoot to eventually source grapes from other regions. The 2006 Truro Vineyards Cabernet Franc was fermented in open vats and given prolonged skin contact. The wine was aged in American oak for 20 months. The suggested retail price for this wine is $15.99.

The nose of this Cape Cod Franc is filled with Cranberry and violet notes. The palate is medium bodied with continued cranberry notes along with red raspberry and vanilla. White and black pepper emerges on the finish as well as nutmeg. The finish is medium in length. This wine will be a good match for pineapple glazed ham.

One of my goals when I selected wines to taste for the 12 Days of Cabernet Franc was to reach into some regions that aren't the first I would think of. I was curious to see what was going on with Cabernet Franc in some diverse areas of the US. I'm glad to report that I found several fine examples from less obvious regions. I really enjoyed this selection from Truro. It's well priced at $15.99, providing true character and a medium bodied, easy drinking palate. It reminds me more of Old World Cab Franc then it does California Franc.

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Ironstone Vineyards - 2 Cabernet Francs

Today, the 12 Days of Cabernet Franc moves to the Sierra Foothills and Ironstone Vineyards. 2009 marks 20 years that Ironstone started work on their Winery Facility. In that time they've become a pretty large producer, whose wines are readily available on US Wine store shelves. They make a couple of Cabernet Francs and I'll look at each of them. First up is the Ironstone 2006 Cabernet Franc. This selection has 4% Cabernet Sauvignon blended in. Fruit for this wine was sourced in Lodi. This bottling spent 12 months in a combination of French and American oak. 10,000 cases of this Franc were produced and the suggested retail price is $11.

Notes of wild red strawberry dipped in fresh cream fill the nose of this wine. Throughout the palate, this 2006 Franc is medium bodied, with a host of red, and black cherry notes, as well as berry pie crust spices.  The finish brings out some subtle cola notes, along with leather and tobacco. This wine is soft and approachable, making it a good fit with a wide array of foods. I found myself craving a Cuban Panini.

What impressed me about this Cabernet Franc, was the amount of varietal character, at a $12 suggested retail price. Combine the price, with it's wide availability, and this is a good wine to use as an introduction to Francs in general. This wine is made to enjoy in its youth, when the nose and palate are bright, lively, and exuberant.

The second wine today is the 2006 Ironstone Reserve. This offering has 12% Cabernet Sauvignon blended in. Fruit was sourced at Ironstone's Estate Vineyards in the Sierra Foothills. This selection was aged for 24 months in French and American oak. 3,500 6-pack cases, of the reserve, were produced, and the suggested retail price is $28.

The Reserve isn't nearly as immediately accessible as the other Franc. If you're going to drink it now, decanting for a minimum of 90 minutes is my recommendation. That time allows it to really open up and come into its own. The nose has prominent dark berry, bramble and vanilla notes. Throughout the palate, intense, dark, fleshy fruit flavors dominate. They're supported by leather and cedar notes. The medium length finish has cranberry, sour cherry and white pepper. This offering has a firm tannic structure and good acidity. This reserve Cabernet Franc will be best suited to mach bigger, bolder, more flavorful foods.

This offering from Ironstone should improve over the next 2-3 years, and drink well for several after that.

Both Cabernet Francs from Ironstone Vineyards are well made and distinct. The one sourced in Lodi offers easy drink-ability, good varietal character, and easy affordability. The Reserve is more complex, layered and extroverted. It also offers value in its price, and quality range.

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Thomas Fogarty - 2004 Gist Ranch Cabernet Franc

The second stop for the 12 Days of Cabernet Franc is the Santa Cruz Mountains. The Thomas Fogarty Winery has been a commercial venture since 1981. They have several of their own Estate vineyards, and also source some fruit from select, well regarded growers. What has struck me about the better, past wines I've had from this region, is that they have shared the specific commonality of having a noticeable purity of fruit about them. As simple as that may sound, there are certain wines where the fruit flavors glide through the palate in a manner that seems more natural and closer to their origin. When I popped the cork on the Thomas Fogarty Cabernet Franc, my hope was, that it would be of that ilk. The 2004 Thomas Fogarty Gist Ranch Cabernet Franc has 3% Cabernet Sauvignon blended in. The fruit was sourced entirely from the Gist Ranch Estate Vineyard, which is located 14 ½ miles away from the Winery itself. The wine was aged in 25% New Russian Oak. A mere 95 cases of this offering were bottled and the suggested retail price is $48.

Red and black plum, violets and blueberry notes fill an extremely effusive nose. Throughout the palate obvious mountain fruit characteristics are evident. Along with the plum and raspberry fruit, clove and black pepper notes emerge, and resonate through the finish. Abundant cherry, earth and a hint of licorice also surface in the lengthy and impressively long finish. I had this with a grilled steak and roasted potatoes, it was a terrific match.

There are two things that stood out to me most about this Cabernet Franc. First of all, it is one of those Santa Cruz Mountain Wines that displays an incredible core of pure, delicious fruit. Additionally, this is a serious Cab Franc, that while delicious now, will improve for 4-6 years and drink well for a couple after that. As stated above, only 95 cases of this wine were produced, if you're a hardcore Franc fan, go grab some!

Up Next: 11 More Days of Cabernet Franc!

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Halter Ranch Vineyard - 2005 Cabernet Franc

Where to start the 12 Days of Cabernet Franc, was a question I debated. After tasting over 50 Cabernet Francs during the last few weeks, and identifying the ones I want to recommend, what would the method to my madness be? Essentially, I'll present 1 or 2 a day over the next 12 days. As for the first one, I decided on a selection from Paso Robles. I taste wines from Paso as often as I can, and it seems as appropriate to start with one from there, as anywhere. The first wine is from Halter Ranch Vineyard. While the winery only dates back to 2000, the property, and one of the buildings on it, has a history going back to 1880. 245 of the Estate's 900 acres are under vine with a total of 20 different varietals. 60% of those acres are planet to Bordeaux varietals with the remainder being made up of grapes predominate in the Rhone. The 2005 Halter Ranch Vineyard Cabernet Franc has 10% Malbec blended in. The wine spent 18 months in French oak, with 40% of it being new. 300 cases of this bottling were produced and the suggested retail price is $28.

Smoke, black cherry and light cigar notes emerge on the nose of this Cabernet Franc. The palate is loaded with leather, blueberries, plum, clove and a touch of nutmeg. Blueberry pie crust notes emerge on the finish along with some bramble and a bit of earth. This wine has a firm tannic structure, which yields with time in the decanter, and/or the glass. This wine will be an excellent match for Braised Beef Short Ribs.

While I found this wine to be very drinkable now, especially after it got some air, it should improve over the next 5 years and drink well for a couple after that. It's interesting to note that whole this wine has relatively high alcohol, at 15%; it doesn't drink hot at all. This wine is an impressive, reasonably priced effort from Halter Ranch Vineyard. I'll certainly keep my eye on their other wines going forward.

Up Next: The 12 Days of Cabernet Franc Continues.

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12 Days of Cabernet Franc

Starting tomorrow I'll spend 12 days looking at Different Cabernet Francs. For the last couple of weeks I tasted a boatload of them, more than 50 to be more precise, and I found about 20 that I really enjoyed. Over the next 12 days I'll write about those 20 at a rate of one or two a day. Some may wonder why I chose Cabernet Franc for 2009's first installment in the "12 Days of..." series. The choice was actually pretty simple. Cabernet Franc is one of those varietals that I never turn down a taste of. Whether I'm at a public tasting, in a Winery Tasting Room or elsewhere, if someone offers a Cabernet Franc, I'm compelled to give it a shot. Part of it, is certainly the fact that it doesn't get as much attention as it deserves, and isn't bottled as a varietal often enough for my liking. The other part is that when they are well made, they can be absolutely profound.

Hopefully at the end of 12 Days of Cabernet Franc, some folk will be inspired to bring some home and pop the corks on them.

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