Happy Cabernet Franc Day!

Let me be franc...you should definitely be celebrating Cabernet Franc Day today. If you're not, hurry up and join the party! The best way to celebrate is to pick up a bottle. We've rounded up a few picks from fellow Delectable users. Whether it is 100% Cab Franc or a blend, there are many ways to celebrate and enjoy this French grape variety! Check out these Cab Franc facts from the Vinous Grape Guide: What: Intensely aromatic, lifted and nuanced, Cabernet Franc is also capable of delivering super flavor intensity and structure. Usually rich, deep and structured, lighter in the Loire. Where: Tuscan Coast, Bordeaux Right Bank, Napa Valley, Loire

Dalla Valle Vineyards

Maya 2006

Greg Ballington
9.5

Dark ruby red with garnet edges. Rich nose with dark currants, baking spices and a touch of damp earthiness. Full bodied and medium plus tannins (7.5/10). High acidity with flavors of dark berries, dark spices, cinnamon and a touch of vanilla. Tons of structure with a long finish. Drink till 2028+. — 5 years ago

Sean BallingtonIndia OkohDavid L
with Sean, India and 3 others
David, Ron and 41 others liked this
David L

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I should’ve decanted this for a couple of hours. Shame on me. A little bit of a waste. I thought for sure the 2006 would be a P & P.
Ron R

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I agree with @Greg Ballington’s notes, but I found this wine to be compact, shy, reserved on the nose and palate. It didn’t respond much to O2, either. I think @David L‘s insights are bang on. If you have this vintage, leave em for a year or two more. Still a great experience, tho.
9.4

Pride Mountain Vineyards

Sonoma County Cabernet Franc 2013

Pride is a winery I always enjoy. This was delicious. Closer to fine — 5 years ago

Trixie, Shay and 11 others liked this

Clos Rougeard

Le Bourg Saumur-Champigny Cabernet Franc 1995

By far the best Clos Rougeard i ever drunk — 5 years ago

Marc, jesus and 21 others liked this

Wm. Harrison Vineyards & Winery (William Harrison)

Simpatico Rutherford Estate Bottled Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc 2013

Shay A
9.3

After a bit of a hiatus from drinking wine once last weekend’s WNH event ended, it’s time to get back to it! @Mark Flesher gifted this to me as he’s a big WH fan, and after trying many of their wines, I am too.

This is meant to be an easy drinking, easily pair-able wine. Mission accomplished. Dusty raspberries and ripe, fresh squeezed blackberries on the nose. Medium bodied. Very little tannic bite, with accompanying acidity, implying this is indeed meant to be enjoyed young. Red and black fruit dominant on the palate with currant, tobacco, and typical Rutherford “dust”. There is a fairly pronounced herbal spice toward the back and finish...sage and black pepper, maybe? Great QPR here.
— 5 years ago

Clive, Severn and 31 others liked this
Anna Sangiacomo

Anna Sangiacomo

Love the name @Shay A
Shay A

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@Anna Sangiacomo : It epitomizes the wine perfectly!
Hugh O'Riordan

Hugh O'Riordan

I like their wines a lot

Gramercy Cellars

Walla Walla Valley Cabernet Franc 2013

Tomato vine, smoke, and red fruit nose. Wonderful savory cherry and saline flavors. When a terrific WA Rhône producer makes a cab franc, you can expect wonderful Rhône- like savoriness. — 5 years ago

Velma, Ira and 5 others liked this

Gaja

Ca' Marcanda Camarcanda Bolgheri Red Bordeaux Blend 2015

Angelo Gaja, owner of Gaja Winery, began a new venture - Ca'Marcanda, Piedmontese term for “house of endless negotiations”-Blend of 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon & 10% Cabernet Franc, not blended with this mix again. A rich Gaja style wine. Aromas of fruit and earthy spice. On the palate blackberry and cherry flavors with cacao, tobacco and oak notes. Full body, fine tannins, lingering, elegant balance and structure, ending with sweet earthy mineral. Tasting Sample. — 5 years ago

Daniel P., Severn and 4 others liked this

Arraigo Benegas

Old Vines Mendoza Cabernet Franc 2010

Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim.

Fruity nose with black currants, plums, vanilla, oak, spices, licorice, coffee, cloves, chocolates, earth, peppercorn, light vegetables and light vinaigrette.

Full bodied than bold with medium plus acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with plums, red currants, raspberries, vegetables, vanilla, licorice, oak, wet leaves, bell pepper, bitter herbs, pencil lead, earth, leather, dark roast coffee and peppercorn.

Medium plus on the finish with big tannins and tangy cranberries.

This is a very nice Cabernet Franc from Mendoza. Earthy and not fully balanced with nice complexity and a great mouthfeel. Still showing big tannins and a grippy mouthfeel. Feels very much like a powerful right Bank Bordeaux.

A good food wine that will pair nicely with BBQ Meats.

This 8 year old still needs 2 hours to open up properly. Fruity right out of the bottle.

Would be better in a few years as it softens up.

100% Cabernet Franc Old Vine grapes were aged in French oak barrels for 18 months.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

89 points.

$50.
— 5 years ago

Casey, Matt and 20 others liked this

Philippe Alliet

Chinon Cabernet Franc 2015

Earthy candied bell pepper cherry goodness. Unmistakably French. Love it. — 5 years ago

Bill, Bob and 14 others liked this

Justin Vineyards & Winery

Isosceles Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2014

Bright medium. Red fruit on the nose, big raspberry with black licorice on the nose. Spearmint hides underneath. On the the palate it's a perfect sphere. No residual sugar, well balanced. Not much in terms of tannins else this would be a home run. Dynamite wine, drink it now.

93+ points
— 5 years ago

P, Bill and 4 others liked this

Dyer Vineyard

Diamond Mountain District Cabernet Franc 2014

Thanksgiving wine number 6. Very much a split decision for the group for wine of the night. Half of people thought it was the 2006 Dyer Cab edging this one out, where the other half believed that this one edged the 2006. My personal observation is that this wine definitely had a sweeter and more youthful and concentrated fruit profile upfront as one would expect, yet lacked the complexity that the 2006 displayed. This wine displayed a lot of dried herb, floral jasmine, raspberry and black cherry throughout. The tannins on the wine are massive, very stiff. In five years, this one could probably easily outdo the 2006 Cabernet. Alas my willpower is total crap to keep any of these CF's around longer than a couple of years so I can only postulate. All I know is that you need to try to keep your hands off of these for a while if possible. If not, you still have yourself a darn good bottle of wine! — 5 years ago

Shay, Kirk and 29 others liked this
Severn Goodwin

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Great CF!
Mark Flesher

Mark Flesher

Agreed @Severn Goodwin. I know the bones are there for development but I just can't keep my hands off them when I get them!