Vasanth Balakrishnan

9.0

You’ll definitely want to decant this wine. Well over an hour after opening in the glass the initial dusty #bordeaux muted fruit wakes up fully, very youthful bramble fruit, purple jam on the nose. Mouthwatering acidity and generally soft tannins from the Merlot dominant blend with some more assertive tannins on the finish. 68% #merlot, 17% #cabernetsauvignon, 13% #petitverdot, 2% #cabernetfranc - clearly I got the impression this wine could easily cruise for another 5 years in the bottle. Excellent #costcowines value. — 6 days ago

Vasanth Balakrishnan

8.9

Textbook #loirevalley #cabernetfranc, this one from #touraine ; It was late in the evening after happy hour so notes are a bit more approximate than usual. 😜 Pyrazines active, green pepper notes, shy black/purple fruit, soft tannins and a vegetal earthiness on the palate. It could have been served cooler by the bar but nice night cap nonetheless. — 9 months ago

Vasanth Balakrishnan

8.9

One more winner from Nice Winery: Softly spiced blackberry and plum nose framed by faint coffee aromas. Proportional acidity and fruit on palate, more pronounced dark chocolate notes, soft tannins on the finish that build over time. #mendoza #cabernetfranc — a year ago

Todd Scurci

9.1

#elizabistro #cabernetfranc #loirevalley — 6 months ago

with Annie

Vasanth Balakrishnan

20% #cabernetsauvignon 60% #tannat 20% #cabernetfranc . Touch of barnyard funk nose immediately followed by a deep well of cassis, bramble fruit. Higher tension on the palate, robust grippy tannins, as expected. Feels like it needs another 5 years bottle time to fully integrate. #madiran — 7 months ago

David Kline

9.2

Big and bold nose shows cedar and espresso and sweet notes of blackberry, violets and cassis. Full bodied and full of muscles. Dark chocolate with espresso aspirations, black cherry and blackberry reductions, black currant and blacker tobacco. Toffee and cedar explode and melt into a lingering, unctuous chocolate ganache.

#elusa #kenefickranchvineyards #cabernetfranc #cabfranc #calistoga #napa #napavalley — 10 months ago

with Courtney

Vasanth Balakrishnan

9.0

#secondwine of #stemiliongrandcru first growth Château Chauvin. Absolutely an excellent wine for the price. 95% #merlot 5% #cabernetfranc , understated cassis and purple plum nose, medium plus body on the palate, pretty soft fruit balanced by bright acidity, some mineral undertones and soft tannins after 8 years of bottle age. — 7 months ago

Vasanth Balakrishnan

9.0

Exquisite single vineyard #cabernetfranc from #agrelo #mendoza. Deep well of purple & black berries, graphite, dark cocoa on the nose. Considerable tension on palate offsetting a beam of dark fruit, peppery finish and yes some pleasant red pepper notes towards the finish with soft tannins to close things out on the mouth-smacking finish. — 7 months ago

MICHAEL COOPER DipWSET

Owner TomeVinos wine shops, WSET Level 3, Blogger www.spanishwinesandmore.com, blog.tomevinos.com

9.1

Solid #cabfranc #cabernetfranc — a year ago

Vasanth Balakrishnan

9.3

It’s great to see the historic and influential Robert Mondavi Winery return to excellence. Napa Bordeaux blend with 85% #cabernetsauvignon 6% #cabernetfranc 6% #petitverdot 2% #malbec 1% #merlot. This wine shines with generous decanting. Elegant, memorable ripe bramble fruit and black plum, sweet baking spices on the nose. Juicy tartness underlays a bold wave of fruit on the palate with silken tannins on the finish. I definitely plan on laying down my other bottle for at least half a decade. #oakville — a year ago