Cabernet Franc is a grape that I think is under-appreciated on its own. In particular, the Loire Valley does some nice work with it. So when I was in Nottingham this past weekend, and went to my favourite wine shop there, I thought I’d pick up a bottle of Cabernet Franc up, and this was the result.
In the glass
Bright, ruby, clear. It’s a textbook example of what medium ruby wine should look like. It’s got tremendous tears / legs / call-them-what-you-will, so I’m a bit surprised when I check the label and it’s only 12.5% ABV. (Yeah, I know – there’s not a one-to-one correspondence between ABV and tears, but other stuff that usually might contribute isn’t really a factor here.) If I hadn’t seen myself dry the glass moments before Coravin-ing the wine, I’d probably think I’d just forgotten to dry it, and was looking at water.
The nose
OK. This time I’ve got nothing. No red fruits, no black fruits, no cat peeing on a gooseberry bush. Perhaps some volatile acidity, or some such, but no fruits, no leather, tobacco, pencil shavings, or wild boar poop on mushrooms. (If that last one isn’t a real wine description, it should be.) Nada.
The palate
I’d go with a medium body, but tending towards the lighter side of medium. It’s dry, as expected. Perhaps cherries. It’s got a nice, refreshing acidity. The tannins are at first soft, and never harsh, but somewhat oddly, they seem to build up and linger over time. I notice them more and more as I work my way through my tasting sample. That strikes me as unusual, and I can’t recall it happening before. I mean, sure, you get some wines where the tannins cling to your gums with ice picks and crampons, but that’s from the get-go. Here, they are more of the party guest who won’t take hints and go home and keeps going on about their adventures in the Amazon for a bit too long.
The finish is medium, and is reminiscent of a cherry throat lozenge, without the sweetness.
Rating
I’m afraid despite my really wanting to like this, and my fondness for Cabernet Franc, I can only go with TY’s added category of Yum. Perhaps it’s the grey, overcast day. Or perhaps it’s me being stressed and worn-out. There’s nothing wrong with this wine, but it doesn’t have me going back for more. I was fine finishing the tasting sample. (Which I tend to be generous with myself with, since, you know, research.) But as I’m typing this up a few hours later, I’m actually drinking cider, not the wine.
Sustainability
Well, it’s not really sustainability stuff per se, but the winemaker’s notes say no sulphites are used in the early stages of the winemaking, which might explain the volatile acidity on the nose. Wild ferment, no filtering.
Other stuff
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The technical info and such
12.5%% ABV. Cabernet Franc. £9.99 from Brigitte Bordeaux