WTN: Four Francs

[Jenise]

Small dinner party last night, each couple brought two bottles.

2013 Walla Walla Vintners Cabernet Franc Columbia Valley
M's bottle. Violets and cinnamon on the nose with subtle, sweet cab franc fruit underneath. Medium-bodied with resolved tannins show a well-rested wine at peak, and it's the most overtly New World of the bunch. Lots of charm, but the overly generous oak masks the herbaceous character I love about the grape.

2013 Barrage Cellars Cabernet Franc Cease And Desist Yakima Valley
M's bottle. Spot-on varietally correct with great tone. That is, it has the herbaceous quality we love about CF with plenty of fruit and the earthy secondary nuances of bottle age. A delight.

2016 Terra Blanca Vintners Cabernet Franc Titan Columbia Valley
More structured and subdued in the fruit and extract departments than is the style of Terra Blanca wines, which could be the purpose of this stand-alone new label from them. Nicely herbal, good tannins, true to the grape. Decanted four hours with much improvement, will be better in two years.

2013 Jonata Winery El Alma de Jonata Ballard Canyon Cabernet Franc
Wow. Drank well immediately but a three-hour decant really popped the assets. Opaque purple-black color. Nose of black currant, blueberries, tarragon, mint and dust with same on the palate. Dense and rich stopping short of OTT with silky tannins and a finish that goes on forever. Have never had a CF like this before, must have one again, and tomorrow wouldn't be too soon.

[David M. Bueker]

Four Francs, but not a single Euro!?!

[Jenise]

This particular couple basically only buys Washington wines, so no, no Euro.

Ballard Canyon. That sub-AVA has intrigued me since attending a charity tasting a few years ago. Within Ballard Canyon is Larner Vineyard. Great Syrahs.

Jonata is supposedly owned by the same folks who make Screaming Eagle. Reviews of their Cab Franc are consistent with your impression, Jenise.

We have a few Ballard Canyon Syrahs, mix of Larner and Tierra Alta vineyards. Less $ than Jonata, but then again frugal one purchased them.

Cheers!

[Jenise]

Pat, a million years ago I went camping at Lake Cachuma with my selfish ex who only brought beer for himself (which he started drinking right after breakfast--the marriage was doomed from Day One), so I wandered up to the camp store and bought a bottle of Ballard Canyon Winery Cabernet Rose for myself. My first Rose and my first wine from that region, back when I didn't even know regions mattered. It was very dusty which I adored, and I've often noted that quality in the Ballard wines I've had since, including this Jonata and a Stolpman cab rose I had a year ago. Is that something you, too, find in these wines?

Jenise, my experience w/BC is limited and almost entirely Syrah. Syrah being a dominant grape in that AVA. I'd describe the wines as deep, rich, earthy. Which you might interpret to include dust. I, too, love dust and other indications that a wine seems to be reflecting, in part, where it is grown. A sense of place. Lately the TNs I've written that include dust seem to be for Cab Sauv and PN.

There was something about those Larner Vineyard Syrahs that stood out for me and for Dear Husband. Not really tannic, but so flavorful. Plenty of depth. Similar for us has been Big Basin Syrah, Santa Cruz Mountains.

Hope that helps.

Four Francs, but not a single Euro!?!

A cabernet franc made in a generic, international style could be considered a Euro rather than a Franc.

-Paul W.

[Jenise]

Jenise, my experience w/BC is limited and almost entirely Syrah. Syrah being a dominant grape in that AVA. I'd describe the wines as deep, rich, earthy. Which you might interpret to include dust.

No, 'dust' usually comes with cabernet, and is different from the earthy qualities of syrah. This Jonata had 18% cabernet sauvignon in it and I presume that's why this component was present in this wine. Though I have run into it elsewhere on the planet, the Rutherford bench of Napa and Ballard Canyon are the only places I've reliably run into it. Jonata makes a cab sauv-dominant wine, the Desafio, which I haven't had yet but if it's dusty, well, watch out wallet!

Jenise, my experience w/BC is limited and almost entirely Syrah. Syrah being a dominant grape in that AVA. I'd describe the wines as deep, rich, earthy. Which you might interpret to include dust.

No, 'dust' usually comes with cabernet, and is different from the earthy qualities of syrah. This Jonata had 18% cabernet sauvignon in it and I presume that's why this component was present in this wine. Though I have run into it elsewhere on the planet, the Rutherford bench of Napa and Ballard Canyon are the only places I've reliably run into it. Jonata makes a cab sauv-dominant wine, the Desafio, which I haven't had yet but if it's dusty, well, watch out wallet!

Jenise, it seems we sometimes agree on dust re: Cab Sauv. It's so individual. But I will be more attuned to noting/not noting dust in future Cabs. Learning....

On the El Desafio, the nearest TW has the 2014 vintage for $150. Online I found the 2016 for $160. Both seem to be Cab-Sauv dominant blends. 2016 includes a bit of Merlot, Petit Verdot and (one of my favs) Cab Franc.

I am not surprised. Doesn't exactly qualify for TW bargains/bottom-feeding.

[Jenise]

Price is why I only had one bottle of the Alma and haven't had the Desafio at all. Exceptional wines but it's very rare for me to spend that kind of money--there are so many good wines for a lot less, which I know you'd agree with. But yeah, I love syrah and drink them from all over, and never once encountered the dust thing I mentioned finding in some cabernets and Bordeaux blends.

[David M. Bueker]

How much is the Alma?

(he asks, as he is intrigued by the discussion of dust...also only ever noted in Cabernet)

[Jenise]

I paid $140 for mine at a Total Wine about five years ago.

[David M. Bueker]

I paid $140 for mine at a Total Wine about five years ago.

Still cheaper than the Bevan Cab Franc!

[Jenise]

Ha! You know I love Bevan but I can't imagine it being better than this. This was easily the best American CF I've ever tasted--better than anything I'd even imagined. Or at least up there with Harlan's, which makes it a group of two.