"Odedi"

9.1

Hawk and Horse Vineyards Red Hills Cabernet Franc 2017, California

Time for my #FridayCabernetfix. Here is a nice Cabernet Franc from California.

Ruby in color with a wide reddish/ brick rim and medium plus intensity.

Strong nose of blackberries, blueberries, black plums, wildflowers, alcohol, spices, cedar, dark chocolates, licorice and peppercorn.

Medium plus in body and smooth, with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and fruity on the palate with black currants, blueberries, sweet cherries, cedar, leather, chocolates, tobacco, licorice, peppercorn, spices, alcohol and sweet vinaigrette.

Nice length on the finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cranberries.

This four-year-old Cabernet Franc from Lake County in California is drinking very nicely now.

Fruit forward and enjoyable by itself or with food. The nose is very aromatic and flowery. Doesn't drink like a Cabernet Franc, as it not showing any vegetables notes.

Needs time to open up, and I gave it 2 hours in a decanter.

Alcohol is still noticeable, but that will dissipate with time. Would be nice to revisit it in 2 years.

Paired nicely with cheeses, olives and crackers.

100% Cabernet Franc grapes were aged in French Oak barrels (40% new). Grapes are grown at 2,000 feet of elevation on a red volcanic soil. A small production of only 150 cases. Organic.

14.3% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$65. — 4 days ago

Jim McCusker

9.7

Without question the best cabernet franc I’ve ever had from California, this is unfortunately the last bottle I have. I don’t know what happened in 2007, but Gerhard made a spectacular cab franc that has no parallel before or since (of course, the winery no longer exists - at least not in any recognizable form - but you get my meaning). Still drinking incredibly well, this was a singular achievement from what always was a WAY underrated winery. — 4 days ago

with Vanessa

Ray Vanderhoff

8.9

Raspberry, tobacco and spice on the nose. Brambly berry fruit with a subtle green overtone. Flavors fade a bit past the mid-pallet. Full bodied but soft tannins and reasonable balance. — 2 days ago

Vanessa

8.9

Château Yvonne, ‘L’île Quatre Sous,’ is 100% Cabernet Franc from Saumur Champigny AOC in the Saumur region of Loire Valley, France. The Vintage 2018. The ABV is 14.5%. 🏰 🍷

👁 This wine is deep ruby with medium intensity of youthful aromas. 👃 The aromas offer blackberry bramble, plum, black cherry, and fresh fig, also, green bell pepper and vegetal notes along with fennel, wet earth, forest floor, cured meat, leather, and Brett.

👄 It is dry, has medium acidity, a medium body, high alcohol, and medium tannins. The flavors are consistent with the nose and the finish is medium.

👏 This wine is savory and rustic – it has a sauvage (wild) quality and fresh black fruit notes to balance all of that organic, earthiness. It is multi-faceted and delicious. 😍

In addition to using organic and biodynamic growing practices, Winemaker Mathieu Vallée pursues a minimalist vinification approach, designed to highlight the grape’s innate quality, purity, and expression.

For example, after being hand-harvested, this wine was fermented with native yeast in concrete vats and is un-fined and unfiltered with no additions besides minimal sulfur dioxide. Despite its youth, there is notable sediment in the bottle. — 7 days ago

with Deked1

Christian Fischer

9.3

This bottle over delivers for sure. $65 was an outstanding price for what this brings. Usually not a huge cab franc fan, but this one hits all the marks. Tannins will integrate more over time, but this already tastes smooth. Comes with dark berries and even vanilla undertones. Very nice — a day ago

Paul Jakubowski

9.1

45+ minute decant. Dark red color. Cherries and licorice on the nose. Wine is thinner and more tart than past bottles. Medium depth. Vanilla and oak elements. Medium finish. — 3 days ago

with Brooke

Romain Fitoussi

9.2

Beautiful concentrated expression of Cabernet-Francs. Natural wine, without input, not filtered. Deep purple dress. Open nose. A round, fresh mouth that honours the fruit with marked floral notes. Allow to aerate one hour before serving.

Belle expression très concentrée du Cabernet-Francs. Vin nature, sans intrant, non filtré. Robe pourpre profonde. Nez ouvert. Bouche ronde et fraîche mettant le fruit à l’honneur avec des notes florales marquées. Laisser aérer une heure avant de servir. — 4 days ago

Michael B

9.4

Wow! On the nose, dark plums and black cherries, fresh dark liquorice.
On the palate. A first phase of dark plums, black cherries and black berries. Fairly quickly the dark fruit notes are cut through with black liquorice, secondary ripple effects of vegetation and hints of fresh mint. The final third engulfs the medley of flavours laced with fine leather. Medium tannin percolates around, staying for a final bow. Decanted 1hr and 45 min. Served with filet mignon with melted blue cheese, roasted vegetable medley sprinkled with goat’ cheese (sweet potatoes, beets, carrots), asparagus and green pea basil/mint puree (all prepared at home). — 8 days ago

Ely Cohn

9.1

Everything from Manoir de la Tête over delivers. Here another outstanding value in line with the Chenin and Pet Nat proceeding. There's lots to appreciate - the smells, the tastes. Smells like black tar, cherries, pine needle, and dark chocolate leather. It's plushy in the mouth with some tannin grip. It goes down as blackberries and dark plum and an ancient limestone salt lick. — 10 days ago

Ericsson

9.0

Odd wine of the night. Cab Franc to top it off. Fresh ripe tomato and tomato leaves, dried herbs (oregano) on the nose. Tastes much better than it smells. Light bodied, with medium plus acidity, slight red fruit feel and herbaceous finish. Again odd wine, not surprising for a Cab Franc, but good tasting experience. — 11 days ago