The Best of the Best
Results of the Virginia Wine and Food Society's 2nd International Cabernet Franc Tasting

December 16, 2004
by Mike Potashnik, Publisher, Virginia Wine Guide and Jay Youmans, MW

The Virginia Wine Guide's objective for its 2nd International Cabernet Franc tasting was to pit Virginia's highly regarded Cabernet Francs against those produced elsewhere. It provided some surprising answers to the following key questions:

• How do Virginia's Cabernet Francs compare with some of the best on the market today?
• What are the distinguishing characteristics of Cabernet Francs produced in Virginia?
• How do Virginia Cabernet Francs compare in price with other quality producers on the market?

When we matched 40 top quality wines from France, Italy, California, Washington State, Chile, and South Africa against the best of Virginia,* Virginia performed very well, achieving the highest average scores among the wineries with 10 entries or more.

The average score for the 11 California wines in the tasting was 86.90, while the average score of the 12 wines from France was 86.07. The average score for the 10 wines from Virginia was 87.2, second only to Italy (Italy had 2 entries). The average score for all wines produced outside Virginia was 86.46.

While the top two wines of the tasting were the Charles Joguet Chene Verte 2002 from France (90 points) and the Lang and Reed Premier Etage 2002 from California (90 points), the Virginia wines from Barboursville, Linden, and Rockbridge impressively each scored 89 points).

In short, this tasting demonstrated that Virginia is capable of producing world class Cabernet Franc. The tasting was held Nov. 7, 2004, at the award winning 2941 Restaurant in Falls Church, VA, a member of the Virginia Wine and Food Society. The tasting panel consisted of Michael Flynn, Director, Virginia Wine Guide Tasting Panel, Jim Arsenault, Proprietor, the Vineyard wine shop in McLean, VA, Jay Youmans, MW, Principal, Rock Creek Wine Merchants, Wine writer Dave McIntyre of WineLine, Ed Jenks of 2941 Restaurant, Donald Winkler, Consultant, and Michael Potashnik, Publisher, Virginia Wine Guide All wines were opened 1 hour before the tasting began. Tasting glasses were provided by 2941 Restaurant. The tasting was conducted blind following the Virginia Wine Guide's standard procedure and our 100 point scoring system described in How We Do the Tastings, found at www.virginiawineguide.com.

The Results: A Portrait

Our tasting revealed a common style of Cabernet Franc that appears to be less similar to that of California and the New World, and more identifiable to that of France. More specifically, the wines seem to fall in style somewhere between the Cabernet Francs of Bordeaux and the Loire. Many of wines tended to be darker and more concentrated versions of Chinon (with the exception of a producer like Joguet), Saumur-Champigny, and Bourgueil. The comparison to Bordeaux is more difficult because Cabernet Franc usually plays a more supportive role in blends consisting of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The most notable exception here, of course, is Chateau Cheval Blanc, where Cabernet Franc can constitute as much as half of the cuvee, with Merlot making up the balance. The defining style of Virginia Cabernet Franc, however, resembles the wines of Bordeaux and the wines of the Loire in many respects.

The distinguishing characteristics of the Virginia Cabernet Francs we discovered are that they tend to be lighter in color and extraction than their Californian counter parts, which were often very dark and heavily oaked; i.e., the Virginia wines are often medium to full bodied, possessing moderate tannin and structure. The Cab Francs from the Commonwealth can be characterized by aromas of spice, dark fruits, and leafy, olive like aromas. Many of these wines had complex aromatic characteristics of violets, cherries, and raspberries. They did not have the fleshy, supple character of Merlot or the tannin, power, and color of Cabernet Sauvignon; at their best, however, the Virginia Cabernet Francs tasted possessed great complexity, balance, and finesse.

Finally, the tasting illustrated that the Cabernet Francs of Virginia are competitively priced, providing good value for money when compared to similar wines from around the world. The prices for the Virginia wines ranged from $12.00 to $24.00, with the average price coming in at $18.80. Prices for the Californian wines started at only $8.00 but topped out at $59.00, with a high average price of $29.00. The wines from France were priced between $11.00 and $40.00, with the average price coming in at $22.00 per bottle. Although Italy only had two entries, these wines proved to be great values, averaging a score of 88, with an average price of $14.00. Considering that the average price for the Virginia wines was less than for the wines of both France and California yet registered higher scores, the Virginia Cabernet Francs clearly proved they represent good value for money.

The results of the 2nd International Cabernet Franc tasting showed that Virginia is indeed capable of producing world class Cabernet Franc. When tasted blind, side by side, with the best examples from around the world, the top Virginia Cabernet Francs performed very well. As stated earlier, these wines fall somewhere between the styles of the wines of the Loire and Bordeaux. They lack the ripe upfront fruit, and, fortunately, the lavish use of oak that was characteristic of the wines we tasted from California. In addition, the Cabernet Francs from Virginia offered competitive value when compared to the Cabernet Francs from California and France.

*The wines for the tasting were obtained from diverse sources. The Society wishes to express its deepest appreciation to the individuals and establishments who provided assistance: Mike Walters, Store Manager, Total Wines and More, Chantilly, assisted the Society in obtaining wine samples from several key distributors: The Country Vintner, Virginia Imports, National Distributing, and Kysela Pere et Fils. Didier Simonin, Managing Director, Simon N Cellars, also provided samples of two bottlings. Two wine merchants in Northern Virginia, Doug Rosen of Arrowine and Jim Arsenault of the Vineyard, generously contributed samples of several bottlings, as did Donald Winkler and Michael Potashnik. Last but not least, the Virginia wineries generously provided samples of their wines for the tasting as well.

Ratings and Tasting Notes
2nd International Cabernet Franc Tasting

90 Points

Charles Joguet, Chene Verte 2002 ($30 ) 90
Charles Joguet's 2002 Chene Verte is a well crafted wine that exemplifies the best of Chinon winemaking. It is a young garnet ruby colored wine, offering a rich bouquet of dark cherries, black currants, leather and smoked meats.. The palate is also rich in fruit with earthy and herbaceous notes. This is a finely balanced wine with well focused acidity and a lingering finish. Although Joguet himself no longer makes these wines, there is plenty of good winemaking going on at this winery.

Lang and Reed Premier Etage 2000 ($32 ) 90
The Premier Etage is this winery's most substantial 100% Cabernet Franc bottling. It is made from fruit grown in well-drained gravelly soils of the Napa Valley. It is a mouth filling, richly flavored wine, that is both dense and chewy, but without being overly extracted. While aged in oak barrels, the Premier Etage is not over wooded, and the fruit and oak are in harmony. The wine is also beautifully balanced with a long lasting finish. Clearly one of the very best, if not the best, Cabernet FranSed, possessing moderate tannin andc from California.

89 Points

Barboursville Cabernet Franc Reserve 2001 ($20 ) 89
A wine of great character!! A dark highly concentrated wine, somewhat closed on the nose, revealing dark berry fruit with hints of bacon fat, herbs, and earthiness. On the palate it displays a combination of black cherry fruit, leather with lots of spice, and notes of tea, anise, and mulberry. Beautifully balanced with round ripe chewy tannins and a long elegant finish. One of the best Virginia Cabernet Francs on the market today and one of the top Cabernet Francs anywhere.

Chappellet Pritchard Hill Cabernet Franc 2001 ( $59 ) 89
A blockbuster, Cabernet Franc blend, with powerful aromas of black cherry fruit, cassis, vanilla, and smoke. On the seamless chewy palate it reveals dense cassis fruit flavors with hints of sweet vanilla, tobacco and white pepper. Overall, a beautiful California-style wine, with a long finish and showing the influence of 18 months in French oak throughout as well as the 25% Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot in the cuvee.

Franco Furlan Cabernet Franc 2001 ( $12 ) 89
Furlan's Cabernet Franc, one of two Italian bottlings in this tasting, showed extremely well, confirming that Northern Italy is producing some of the best Cabernet Francs on the market. This beauty has a crimson garnet color and exhibits aromas of black cherry, white pepper, black tea, and herbaceous notes of dill, tobacco, and wood pencil shavings. The silky palate offers ripe and nicely extracted current fruit with notes of new leather and vanilla bean. All in all, a lovely wine with round soft tannins on a short but adequate finish. A great wine for the money.

Lang and Reed Cabernet Franc 2002 ( $21 ) 89
A cleanly made wine with a dark ruby color and exhibiting cherry and raspberry aromas, earthy underbrush, white pepper, and spicy notes. On the palate it reveals a medium body, ripe fresh fruit with good balance and acidity, sweet tannins and vanilla. Rich and round and generous in the mouth, the wine shows good extraction and good aging potential. Among the best from California for the price.

Linden Cabernet Franc 2001 ($ 22 ) 89
Linden's 2001 Cabernet Franc exhibits strong herbal and leesy aromas on the attack, with some smoke and earth nuances. On the palate, it reveals ripe berry fruit flavors along with mushrooms, smoked meat, tobacco, and wood spice. Nicely balanced with a lingering finish.

Rockbridge DeChiel Cabernet Franc 2002 ( $15 ) 89
Shep Rouse, one of Virginia's most experienced and talented winemakers, has produced a lovely Cabernet Franc, one of the best of the 2002 vintage. It exhibits loads of red fruit, mocha, and olive aromas, followed by flavors of red dried fruit, earth, and leafy spicy accents. . This is a highly polished wine offering rich mouth feel, beautiful balance, and a velvety long finish. You can hardly ask for more, especially in view of the bargain price.

88 points

McKenzie-Mueller 2000 ( $32 ) 88
The McKenzie-Mueller Cabernet Franc is a highly extracted Napa Valley wine made in relatively small quantities. It exhibits ripe black cherry aromas with truffles, green peppercorn, olives, and sweet oak. On the palate it offers rich concentrated fruit with meaty and herbaceous highlights. While nicely integrated with oak, the oak still dominates-at least for now.

Niebaum Coppola Estate Cabernet Franc 2001 ($ 44 ) 88
A big ripe wine from a blockbuster vintage. The grapes were harvested in late October from Neibaum Coppola's Rutherford Estate. The wine exhibits an attractive dark garnet color and aromas of black cherry, sweet oak, and olive, with hints of bay laurel and violets. The palate shows good concentration of flavors with sweet oak, and excellent balance through to the long lasting finish. A wine that will grow old gracefully.

Prince Michel Cabernet Franc 2002 ($ 13 Sed, possessing moderate tannin and) 88
This bottling from Prince Michel was made with grapes primarily from the Mt. Juliet Vineyards, one of Virginia's top growers, in the Charlottesville area. It is a generous fruit forward wine with aromas of dark cherries, mocha, green tea, and mulberry. On the palate, it is soft and well balanced with good fruit and oak integration. It also has adequate acidity and a nice lingering finish. A most enjoyable wine at a good price.

Rappahannock Cellars Cabernet Franc Reserve 2002 ( $24) 88
The Rappahannock Cellars' winemaking team, under the direction of owner John Delmare, has produced a lovely medium-weight wine that is among the better Cabernet Francs of the vintage. The wine has that distinct Virginia cinnamon stick nose, combined with cherry fruit flavors, oak, spice and leafy accents. On the palate, the sweet vanillan of oak overrides much of the fruit and there is a good deal of acid. Nonetheless, the wine is beautifully balanced and easy to drink, which accounts for its relatively high score.

Domaine Wilfrid Rousse, Cuvee Vieilles Vignes ( $18 ) 88
This well made medium-bodied Chinon was vinified from 90-year old vines yielding a little over 2 tons per acre. The wine is aged in neutral oak barrels, displays aromas of cherries and red currants with some leafy accents.. On the palate, it exhibits flavorful fruit with a somewhat short, slightly astringent finish.

87 Points

Beatrice et Pascal Lambert Cuvee Dane ( $26 ) 87
This estate bottled Chinon is made from hand harvested grapes organically farmed by traditional small producers. It is purple garnet in color, with a light vegetal and barnyard nose and a hint of blackberry. It has a medium-bodied palate, elegant yet tannic, with black currant fruit and notes of violets, black olive, and pencil shavings. Pleasant, cleanly made, and nicely balanced on the finish.

Hahn Estates, Saint Lucia Highlands Cabernet Franc 2001 ( $9 ) 87
A dark garnet, super ripe wine from California's Central Coast, revealing a lovely rich spicy nose of plum-like fruit, black olives, and herbs. The palate is soft and generous with loads of cassis and oak and hints of violets and black tea. Some might consider this wine's flavor profile on the edge of Cabernet Franc, but it is tasty and great value for money.

Charles Joguet, Clos de la Cure 2002 ( $30) 87
While not as successful as Joguet's Chene Verte and Les Varennes du Gran Clos, the 2002 Clos de la Cure is a lovely Chinon wine. It is dark crimson in color with more herbaceous, earthy and barnyardy aromas. It shows good concentration of tangy fruit flavors, with mushroom, leather and olive notes. The mid-palate lacks substance, but the wine has a good, if somewhat astringent finish.

Frederic Mabileau St. Nicolas de Bourgueil Eclipse 2002 ( $30 ) 87
This young winemaker from the Loire Valley has produced a lovely wine from 40-year old vines yielding under 2 tons of fruit per acre. The wine reveals a dark ruby garnet color, raspberry and cherry aromas, with vanilla. On the palate, it exhibits beautiful clean fruit flavors, moderate concentration, with slight astringency on the finish.

Pearmund Cellars Cabernet Franc 2002 ($19 ) 87
Earth, leather, spicy tea, and green peppercorn are offered by this dark ruby colored wine from a relatively new and highly successful Virginia winery. In the mouth there is good concentration of cherry fruit flavors, spice and underbrush, with a long elegant finish. A better showing for this wine since it was lasted tasted by the Virginia Wine Guide tasting panel.

Raats Cabernet Franc 2002 ( $26 ) 88
A big and tasty wine from Stellenbosch (South Africa), with a dark ruby color, and aromas of dark cherries, meat, leather and spice. It has a densely packed palate with good ripeness of blackberry fruit from French Bordeaux clones, black olive, moderate tannins, and a hint of oak sweetness Sed, possessing moderate tannin andon the finish. Good acidity, good balance, clean winemaking. A first-class wine and the only Cabernet Franc we know from South Africa.

Ravenswood Cabernet Franc 2001 ($ 20 ) 87
The 2001 Ravenswood Cabernet Franc exhibits black cherry fruit, black olive, spices, and cedary notes, on the nose. On the palate it offers ripe red fruit with oak highlights, some bruising tannins, and a long lingering finish. A well made wine that is still young and could improve with more time in the bottle.

Reverie Cabernet Franc 2001 ($38 ) 87
A powerful deep garnet-colored wine revealing herbal and spicy aromas of green olives, black tea, and anise. Medium bodied, and chunky with ripe bing cherry and red currant fruit and lots of sweet oak, firm ripe tannins and a short finish.

Villa Martina Cabernet Franc 2001 ( $16 ) 87
The 2001 Villa Martina was one of two excellent Italian Cabernet Francs in the tasting. Made in Friuli in Northern Italy from Bordeaux clones, it is dark garnet in color and exhibits an earthy herbaceouness with powerful aromas of green peppercorn, wild underbrush, mushrooms and oak notes. On the palate it offers dried and ripe cherry fruit flavors, with olive, wood pencil shavings and minerals. It is a beautifully balanced wine that is a pleasure to drink now.

86 Points

Domaine du BelAir, Gran-Mont 2000 ($40) 86
Pierre Gautieri's Gran-Mont is a young, tightly wound and earthy wine from Bourgueil, showing mushrooms, herbs, and toasty oak on the attack. On the palate, there is some cherry and raspberry fruit, but it is dominated presently by leather and meaty animal flavors. The wine shows some wood tannins and astringency on the finish, probably from spending 18 months in new oak. This is a wine with great promise that will likely improve with age and garner a higher rating.

Crispen Chinon, Le Arlequin 2002 ($22 ) 86
The 2002 Le Arlequin, produced by winemaker, Jean-Pierre Crespin , is medium bodied with a dark ruby color and exhibits a combination of herbaceous, and earthy aromas, black tea, and spices that is often found in Chinon wines. On the palate it reveals moderate cherry fruit with leather, earth, and mineral highlights. It has finely wrought ripe tannins, good underlying acidity, and a lingering finish. A well made wine by one of the new generation of winemakers in the Loire.

Charles Joguet Les Varennes du Gran Clos 2000 ($ 25 ) 86
A medium-bodied wine by one of the top Chinon producers. Although Joguet no longer makes the wine, it remains one of the classic Chinons. Ruby garnet in color, the wine exhibits powerful aromas of earth, mushrooms, wood spice, and gamy notes. On the elegant palate there is good red fruit, with substantial alcohol, soft tannins, and a long pleasant finish showing good acidity. There is an uncompromising, old world style to this wine.

Fincastle Cabernet Franc 2002 ( $12 ) 86
This tiny winery located near Roanoke, VA, has produced a big wine. It is dark purple and opaque-colored, fruit-driven, with black currant and blackberry fruit flavors combined with vanillan, and spicy notes of black tea and green olives. On the palate the fruit is very ripe, highly extracted with caramel, coffee, and earth nuances. There are also lots of tannins here for aging, and the wine has a soft plump finish.

Domaine Roches Neuves, Nueves Terres Chaudes ($19 ) 86
Winemaker Thierry Germain has produced a rustic wine from Saumur Champigny that exhibits barnyard aromas, animal fur, mushrooms, earth, and leather. On the palate, it offers cherry fruit flavors combined with oak, leather, and meat. This is also a young wine with a substantial amount of tannins that need time in and out of the bottle to soften. Decanting will help burn off some of the off aromas and earthy flavors, but the wine is decidedly primitive and will only charm the few and the hearty.

Veritas CabSed, possessing moderate tannin andernet Franc Reserve 2002 ($21 ) 86
A wine that reveals lovely aromas of black cherry, mocha, and vanilla followed by a palate of fresh youthful fruit flavors, herbs, coffee, and caramel. Elegant with good balance and focus, the wine provides a nice finish, although somewhat soft and lacking grip.

85-84 Points

Bernard Baudry Les Granges 2002 ( $15 ) 85
A quintessential Chinon, light to medium in weight, with bright cherry and raspberry aromas and notes of black tea. On the palate, it exhibits lightly extracted raspberry and cherry fruit, high acidity, and a rather thin mouth feel. The wine is well made, nicely balanced, and shows ample tannins with a somewhat astringent finish.

Domaine Corbillieres 2002 ( $12) 85
The clean, well made wine reveals lovely aromas of blackberry, anise, and dill. It is silky smooth with nicely focused flavors and is well balanced with a long finish.

Ironstone Cabernet Franc 2001 ($8 ) 85
This medium bodied wine exhibits lovely aromas of black currant fruit, herbs, spice and oak. It offers nicely extracted sweet fruit on the palate with lead pencil and oak notes. The wine has good balance and a long finish. Excellent value.

Domaine des Clos Maurice 2002 ($ 12 ) 85
A nicely crafted dark ruby colored wine exhibiting aromas of raspberry and cranberry fruit with peppery notes. On the palate is reveals nicely extracted light fruit flavors, lots of oak, and high acidity through to the short dry finish. A delicious Chinon.

Chateau Morrisette Cabernet Franc 2001 ($ 19) 85
This Virginia wine did not measure up to the highly positive assessment of an earlier review by the Virginia Wine Guide tasting panel, which awarded it 88 points. At this later tasting, the wine exhibited the Virginia cinnamon stick aroma found in some other Virginia wines along with animal fur and leafy aromas. On the palate it showed bright berry fruit and vanilla but is on the thin side, with a chunky tannic structure and slight astringency on the finish.

Odfjell Vineyards Orzada Cabernet Franc 2001 ( $20) 85
This highly extracted Chilean wine, almost opaque garnet in color, exhibits a combination of pronounced herbal aromas, sweet oak, and spices on the nose. The big and burly style carries over onto a palate which reveals restrained cherry fruit flavors, more oak, and big mouth puckering tannins. Lacking ripe fruit, the wine is not helped by the heavy use of oak.

Michael Shaps Cabernet Franc 2003 ($23 ) 85
The Michael Shaps 2003 Cabernet Franc is crimson ruby in color and reveals aromas of black cherry, earth, and leather, along with some leafy green undergrowth notes. There is quality fruit here, but the wine possesses a certain reductive and medicinal character that detracts from its overall appeal. On the palate it shows good black currant and cherry fruit, new oak, ripe tannins, and a long elegant finish. This wine, which was previously rated 90 points by the Virginia Wine Guide Tasting Panel, may be in a dumb stage.

Bridgeman Cabernet Franc 2001 ($ 13 ) 84
The 2001 Bridgeman combines fruit and oak, much of it in the form of sweet vanilla. On the palate it reveals good acidity with strong tannins in need of softening, and a short but adequate finish.

Sauvion 2003 ($13) 84
A dark garnet colored medium-bodied wine from Saumur-Champigny revealing red raspberry fruit and oak aromas that are nicely integrated with leafy spicy notes extending on to the palate. The finish is short with some astringency.

Sinskey Cabernet Franc 2001 ($36 ) 84
This super ripe highly extracted California Cabernet Franc exhibits black currants, wood spice, and earth aromas on the attack. The fruit-forward palate displays a touch of anise, lots of oak, and a round mouth feel from malolactic fermentation. Big flavors and lots of grip.

83-82 Points

DSed, possessing moderate tannin andomaine de la Semellerie 2002 ($11) 83
A light ruby-colored wine exhibiting a bouquet of fruit and herbs, followed by tart cherry and raspberry flavors on a light mid-palate, good acidity, and a pleasant finish.

Savannah Chanelle Cabernet Franc 2000 ($ 27 ) 82
A dark ruby, oak-laden wine from California's Central Coast that gives off aromas of wood varnish or shellac on the nose. On the palate, the wine reveals somewhat more pleasant flavors of strawberry and sweet raspberry jam, vanilla beans and oriental spices accented with tobacco and tar notes. Oak and malolactic fermentation appear to have run amuck in this wine.

No Score

G.A.E. C. Foucault Clos Rougeard 2002 (no score)
This wine legend of Saumur Champigny reveled a musty, weedy/herbal nose with a palate lacking extract and concentration. Lean and displaying dry, bitter wood tannins, the wine was hollow with an odd aftertaste. Possibly a bad bottle, but for now, very disappointing. (no score)