WTN: Totally Franc

[Jenise]

Got together with two other couples for a Cab Franc tasting last night. All the wines were sampled before and with food.

2015 Va Piano Vineyards Cabernet Franc Estate Walla Walla Valley
Served blind. Black licorice, raspberry and mint. Complex with good tannins and a very fetching peppery finish. Excellent with particularly good definition for a six year old bottle from a very hot vintage. In my top three of the tasting.

2017 Adega on 45th Cabernet Franc Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Served blind. Mild brett mostly blows off. Raspberry fruit, herbs, dusty tannins and a hint of barnyard funk. Complex and bright, very Loire-ish. Restrained and European, a food wine that came alive when the steaks were served. Excellent; my second favorite of the tasting and a new winery to me.

2016 Fielding Hills Cabernet Franc Wahluke Slope, Washington
Served blind. Pretty floral nose with Luden cherry cough drop and obvious oak on the palate. Full-bodied and fruit-forward with some heat. Easy last place for me in the tasting, but a favorite with others for whom bigness is a top consideration. 16.2% alcohol--a surprise miss from one of Lake Chelan's best wineries.

2016 Camaraderie Cellars Cabernet Franc, Washington
Served blind. This winery in Port Angeles on the Olympic Peninsula sourced Yakima fruit for this wine. Charming and brambly with boysenberry fruit and notes of milk chocolate and basil. Good body, juicy acidity and tannins dominate the finish. If this tasting weren't cab franc-specific I might have guessed zinfandel. Deservedly popular at the table. (My wine.)

2017 Mulderbosch Cabernet Franc Stellenbosch, South Africa
Decanted two hours and served blind. Nose of camphor, green bell pepper and eventually mint, something I'm familiar with in South African wines particularly a producer called Thelema, but it was strange and medicinal to the rest of the group. On the palate black and red raspberry, black currant and green tannins. (My wine.)

2016 Hard Row to Hoe Whole Picture Estate Cabernet Franc, Lake Chelan, Washington
Served blind. Darker color than the others with vivid black cherry and black currant fruit, licorice and fennel. Elegant and mouth filling with no obvious oak, perfectly balanced. WOTN, outstanding, and an impressive showing for a Washington appellation that some don't take seriously. They should.

[David M. Bueker]

Very interesting theme. Several new to me.

Adega on 45th ...that is a new name. Will look out for this winery when in BC next month!

We enjoy Cab Franc. Had a few from Chinon, entry-level. Had a few from CA and one from CO; CO seems especially suited to Cab Franc and Riesling with good site selection.

Jenise/others: what wines have you considered good values? I am thinking the South African one...and others?

[Jenise]

You're asking good value cab francs, not just wines period? There are a number that are reasonably priced, but they might not fit the bill for a 'frugal' purchase. However, there is one in particular I've owned cases of in the past and saw recently here in my area, it's from the Languedoc and runs about $11/bottle. Insane value. If I can come up with the name I'll let you know.

You got it, good value Cab Francs only (Jenise, other WLP folks).

http://www.adegaon45.com/#

I have visits planned for Orofino, Clos du Soleil, Syncromesh and the above. Hopefully Blue Mtn will be open.

[David M. Bueker]

You got it, good value Cab Francs only (Jenise, other WLP folks).

It might be a little too Loire Valley influenced for your tastes, but the Division Wine Co (Oregon) Beton is a Cab Franc blend that I find both delicious, and very high QPR.

Sorry for the thread drift, but Bob, I believe Blue Mountain is opening on July 1 - check their website to be sure. If you are visiting Orofino and Clos du Soleil, Corcelettes is right beside CdS and is worth a look. There's a newish restaurant in Cawston called Row 14 that is a must visit if you are a foodie. It's a farm to table style; we were there last week for lunch and were very impressed. It's open for dinner too.

Another place near Synchromesh is Meyer, which make some of the best chardonnays in the valley, and Liquidity is worth a stop too. I was impressed by the wines at The French Door in Oliver as well. If you are in the Naramata Bench area, Nichol is a lovely, low key visit, and the wines at La Frenz are still impressive; they have two rieslings there at the moment, one dry, one off dry. Hopefully it cools off a bit when you are there!

I hate making appointments, but it is almost a necessity now. We managed a few walk ins, and had about a 60-65% success rate. Things will be much busier in July.

Oh, if you are near Oliver, the Miradoro restaurant has a great view and good food. The Poplar Grove restaurant in Naramata has great views and good food too - it's more upmarket. Again, reservations are needed well in advance.

[Jenise]

John, great advice. Some things there I didn't know about myself. Would also mention, that is if its still open, that Liquidity has a great restaurant. Good place for a midday lunch.

Still closed when I was there, but it might be opening up later this summer. Our visit to Liquidity this time was interesting - I pulled into the parking area and there was a huge helicopter there. I instantly thought of the classic Screaming Eagle helicopter thread in WineBerserkers! But it wasn't a client, it was the owners who had been flown in in their brand new private helicopter, the most beautiful helicopter I have ever seen. Lives of the rich and not so famous...

Jenise, I think you would love that Row 14 restaurant!

[Jenise]

Sounds like I would, John. But where's Cawston? I can't place it.

Not surprised about the helicopter--the art collection at the winery set someone back a few $$$$$. It reeks money (as does the winery name).

You got it, good value Cab Francs only (Jenise, other WLP folks).

It might be a little too Loire Valley influenced for your tastes, but the Division Wine Co (Oregon) Beton is a Cab Franc blend that I find both delicious, and very high QPR.

Thanks, will be on lookout for that vino. Sometimes interesting juice pops up at our LWS.

Cawston is right beside Keremeos in the Similkameen Valley.

Thanks John, a great update. Foodie fan here needless to say!!

[Jenise]

Cawston is right beside Keremeos in the Similkameen Valley.

I've stopped in Keremeos, so yes I know where that is. Cool that a fine dining restuarant has popped up there.

From our archives.
Just opened the 2018 Adega on 45th., my last bottle. Very Loire-ish and still drinking very nicely with breaded pork scallopine.

Jenise note..2017 Adega on 45th Cabernet Franc Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Served blind. Mild brett mostly blows off. Raspberry fruit, herbs, dusty tannins and a hint of barnyard funk. Complex and bright, very Loire-ish. Restrained and European, a food wine that came alive when the steaks were served. Excellent; my second favorite of the tasting and a new winery to me.

[Jenise]

Glad to get a follow-up report on a wine you took a chance on because I recommended it. Had one of their merlots not long ago--not as impressive as the CF, I must say.

I like cab franc. Several wineries in BC have been using it for single varietal wines - Poplar Grove and Black Market have produce creditable versions. but my faves for the varietal are Loire - Amirault (Bourgueil) and Baudry (Chinon). I also enjoy the Enemigo CF (Argentina).

[Jenise]

Poplar Grove is good indeed, though more modern than Adega. Never tasted Black Market's--they were out of it when we tasted there last year. You must have picked some up thru their club.

Never tasted Black Market's--they were out of it when we tasted there last year. You must have picked some up thru their club.

Yup - remind me some time when you are here to try a bottle. Even young (5 years) we can probably assess it.

Are we limiting ourselves to New World CF here? If not, I'll nominate the Baudry Domaine Chinon and the Dom. Guion Bourgueil as both excellent values.

[Jenise]

Good reccos, Mark. When I first moved to Washington just over 20 yrs ago, the grocer nearest me had the entry level Baudry Chinon in their wine department for like $13. I went thru scads of it before the store fired the wine stewards (a quote unquote corporate restructuring at all their stores) and geek names like Baudry disappeared to make room for more Meomi and Tres Picos.

I miss those days!