Cabernet Franc

Celene Amethyste Brut Blanc de Noirs NV Review – A Great Price

In my studies for WSET Diploma, I knew I had to get my hands of a Blanc de Noirs style of wine to try.

This style of sparkling is white wine made from black grapes (hence the term “white of black”) and, in my shopping experience at least, is slightly harder to come by over the more popular (and highly prized) Blanc de Blanc style.

So not only was it a treat finding Celene's Amethyste Brut, it was also a treat to try a Cremant from Bordeaux made from Cabernet Franc and Merlot. But the real kicker was that this bottle was also on sale for about $12, which made it an absolute steal!

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Anthony Road Cabernet Franc and Lemberger 2016 Review

I can't remember the last time we opened a light red. So it took us a minute to get used to Anthony Road's Cabernet Franc and Lemberger blend.

As it turns out, while we generally prefer fuller-bodied reds in just about every situation possible, this one really hit all the right notes for us with these two classic red grapes from the Finger Lakes!

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Heron Hill Cabernet Franc Reserve 2017 Review – Ideal Wine

I have to admit that Cabernet Franc isn't my favorite varietal out there. But there is one winery I'll buy bottles from again and again, and that is Heron Hill in the Finger Lakes.

This one has everything I look for in this grape, and even though I open every bottle with a bit of apprehension, I always walk away pleased.

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McGregor Cabernet Franc 2018 Review – A Solid Representation

Every so often we crack open a bottle of wine and instantly think it is a characteristic representation of the varietal as we know it. All wines are different of course, even with the same grape varietal, but every so often we crack open a bottle and go “yes, this is exactly what we expected!”

McGregor Cabernet Franc was one such bottle, and it had everything we enjoy from this particular grape.

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Clos du Roy Fronsac 2016 Review – Surprisingly Tannic

The Clos du Roy Fronsac is a primarily Merlot-based wine (90%) with just a bit of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc blended in for good measure (5%) of each.

We quickly noticed two things after opening this one. On the nose, it was incredibly perfumed and on the palate, it was significantly more tannic than we expected.

You guessed it, we opened this one too soon.

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Bloomer Creek White Horse 2015 Review – A Powerful Red Blend

Generally when we think of wine from the Finger Lakes, our mind goes to an array of white grapes that we absolutely love from the region. While we've had some delicious reds, including several bottles of Cabernet Franc and Saperavi from various producers, we haven't quite had a red blend like Bloomer Creek's White Horse.

This one contains the regional favorite Cabernet Franc with a mix of Merlot for good measure, making for an especially powerful wine.

At five years old this one still had an impressive tannin level and evolved considerably as we drank it. To be quite honest, we'd even love to age this wine a few more years for good measure!

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