Cabernet Franc ~ tasty all on its own

Cabernet Franc is one of the most planted wine grapes in the world and is a key ingredient in many of the world’s best blended wines, but it is far less famous than other red wine varieties. Because Cab Franc is one of the parents of Cabernet Sauvignon, the two grapes have a lot of similarities, but there are some key differences.  Cab Franc has lighter pigments, stronger aromas, lighter tannins and lower acidity. When blended, it is these characteristics that take a harsh edge off of stronger wines.

While great when blended, with the right conditions (and winemaker) Cab Franc is a tasty guy all on his own.  Maybe it is the appreciation for what it takes to produce a great bottle of Cab Franc or just the hunt to find one, Cab Franc is one of my top favorite varietals.  Fortunately, on our recent trips to Santa Ynez and Napa Valley, we were lucky to taste quite a few!

SANTA YNEZ VALLEY

Foxen 7200  2009 Cabernet Franc – Rock Hollow Vineyard

100 % Cab Franc ~ Great deep berry taste at first sip, and stays throughout, heavier tannins and a light spicy finish.  While drinkable now, the heavy tannins indicate it will age quite nicely as well. Retail $42

Gainey Vineyards  2008 Limited Selection Cabernet Franc

75% Cab Franc, 23% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot ~ the nose has distinct notes of elderberry and herbs, bright red fruits throughout and the Merlot brings a musty finish to the party, tannins present but buried on the back end. Retail $42

Rusack 2008 Anacapa, Santa Barbara County

82% Cab Franc, 16% Petit Verdot, 2% Merlot ~ the nose has classic herbaceous qualities, flavors of raspberry and plum, solid tannins with a great spice finish.  The 2008 is low in quantity, but the ’09 is waiting in the wings for release – and hear it is equally as tasty, if not better! Retail $40

NAPA VALLEY REGION

Peju Winery  Cabernet Franc

Peju is known for their Cab Francs, consistently producing great ones year after year.  We had the opportunity to taste the ’05, ’09 and ’08 Reserve. The ’05 has classic pencil box smell, great mid-palate berry flavors, lighter tannins and more delicate.  The ’09 is blended with 12% Cab Sav, has a terrific herbaceous nose, bright red fruits and great tannins (will benefit from aging).  The ’08 Reserve received our prestigious ‘pfg’ rating (will let you figure that one out), well-structured wine, velvety palate, with tastes of black currants, dark cherries, and toasted wood with subtle hints of vanilla. ’05 and ’09 Retail $50, ’08 Reserve Retail $115

Miner Family Winery 2008 Napa Valley

100% Cab Franc ~ perfect herbaceous nose, bold plum and dark cherry flavors throughout the palate with heavy tannins.  Drink now along with a big, juicy grilled steak or age and let it mellow out a little.  This wine was also awarded our ‘pfg’ ranking, and double smiley faces! Retail $50

Clos Pegase Winery  2007 Napa Valley Cabernet Franc

100% Cab Franc ~ earthy nose, notes of cherries and currants, medium weight on the palate with a cocoa finish.  This is a well-balanced wine that would pair well with strong flavored cheese. Retail $28.50

Kuleto Estate  2008 Cabernet Franc

100% Cab Franc ~ smells like a vegetable garden, brighter fruits sitting forward on the palate, and heavier tannin finish for a cab franc.  When paired with strong cheese, the tannins mellowed allowing for the fruit to stand out more.  Definitely better with food. Retail $60

Wondering what to pair with a Cab Franc?  Enjoy it with roasted or grilled meat, lamb, duck or pork, and roasted vegetables, especially eggplant.  It will stand up to spicier dishes as well ~ add some Cajon spice to that steak, slice some eggplant and zucchini and grill away!

3 Days in Napa at our Top 10 Wineries

Every year since 2003, Sally and I have spent a few days in Napa discovering great wine, enjoying wonderful food, and relaxing. This year was our 10^th annual visit, so we decided to rehash all of our favorites. Wow – what an amazing trip!

Picking the top 10 was tough

We’ve visited a whole lotta Napa wineries, so picking our 10 favorites was very difficult. These wineries represent the 10 where we’ve consistently enjoyed the wine and the experience over the years. We’ll be the first to admit they aren't necessarily the best in all of Napa since we haven't been to them all. And, spoiler alert, our Top 10 list isn’t the same after this trip.

Day 1

Wind-swept at Kuleto EstateWe woke up from a restful sleep at the Napa River Inn and headed downstairs to Sweetie Pies for a light breakfast, which is included with the room. The town of Napa has a lot to offer, and the Inn’s luxurious accommodations and personal service make this a great home base to take it all in. Special bonus – you can walk to dinner at a lot of great local restaurants so you don’t have to worry about that extra glass of wine.

Today’s schedule included three wineries. Peju wowed us with their beautiful tasting rooms and their silky smooth Cabernet Francs, one of which earned the vaunted “P.F.G” designation. Miner Family was like a small party, where we laughed, swapped stories, and tasted incredible wine after incredible wine including a Merlot we really loved. The last stop of the day was way up on the mountain at Kuleto Estate, whose driveway alone is two miles long and whose wine is fairly exclusive and correspondingly pricey.

Dinner that night was at the Bounty Hunter Wine Bar & Smokin BBQ. They feature BBQ that hits the spot after a day of wine tasting and a crowded dining room that attracts the after work crowd. If you go, prepare to share a table with a few other folks which only adds to the fun.

Day 2

Overlooking the vineyards at CuvaisonWe visited another three wineries today. First up was Mayacamas Vineyards, an off-beat winery nestled in the hills of Mount Veeder that makes wine the really old fashioned way, including the use of some equipment that’s over 100 years-old. The next stop was Hess Collection, an amazing winery that makes a lot of incredible small production wines in addition to their consistently outstanding mass market vintages. The final winery of the day was Cuvaison Estate Wines. Full disclosure – we are wine club members – but nonetheless we spent 2 ½ hours relaxing in their Carneros tasting room sampling outstanding wine after outstanding wine.

This night we ate at Mustards Grill, which can best be described as offering delectable comfort food that hits the spot after a long day full of wine. Sally had their famous Mongolian Pork Chop and I had their off the bone lamb special. Both were outstanding and we had a great time in their bustling dining room.

Day 3

Beautiful view at CadeThe last day of wine tasting was a busy day with four planned stops. First up was Vincent Arroyo, which tastes most of their wines right out of the barrel and sells much of it as futures before its even bottled. The next stop was Clos Pegase, which has pretty good wine and a really good art collection. Curious note – we didn’t like their wine nearly as much as we remembered it, but then we learned that Cuvaison’s winemaker Steve Rogstad used to be the winemaker at Clos Pegase.

Our next stop was Frank Family Vineyards, which was the biggest disappointment of the trip. We remembered a fun, informal tasting experience that offered outstanding wine. Today’s Frank Family is limo city where they have the cheek to charge tasting fees up front and charge prices much higher than their wine is worth.

Every wine trip includes a bonus visit, and this time our bonus was Rombauer Vineyards. We had met Bob, the assistant manager at their tasting room, while he was drinking wine with us at Miner Family. Despite the large Saturday crowds, Bob showed us a great time and poured us some outstanding wine, including my favorite Chardonnay.

The final stop on the trip was Cade Estate. Set high up on Howell Mountain overlooking Napa Valley, they specialize in superb Cabernet Sauvignon. They also pour wine from their sister winery, PlumpJack, who also produces amazing Cabernet Sauvignon. Their relaxing, seated tasting was a wonderful way to close our Top 10.

Dinner on our last night in Napa was at Ristorante Allegria. They offer outstanding, reasonably-priced Italian food and a wine list that consistently yields good value. The restaurant is in an old bank building, so you are surrounded by character was you enjoy your meal. 

The final verdict

We’ll follow up with a few more posts to share additional details about our visit. For the time being, let’s just say we need to clear out some more room in our wine closet. And, we can’t wait to go back. 

How We're All Connected in 6 Degrees of Wine

Last Friday night, Sally and I enjoyed a bottle of 2006 Benzinger Stone Farm Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon while dining at our favorite local restaurant, Terra American Bistro. The wine and the meal were both fantastic, but the experience also reminded us how sharing wine creates so many fun and interesting connections. We did the calculations and realized that the Benzinger we were enjoying that night could be traced back to our love of wine in just six degrees of separation.

And no, Kevin Bacon is not involved.

Sally drinking Benzinger at Terra#1: Benziger

Benziger is a certified organic winery in the Sonoma wine region. They make a lot of fantastic wine, including the Cabernet Sauvignon we had at Terra. The 2006 Stone Farm Vineyards version had dark cherry and blackberry flavors with incredible tannins that started with the first taste and lasted all the way down. It was a wonderful match with Sally's bistro burger and my chipotle skirt steak. The only problem is we had purchased only one bottle, so this was a one and done experience. Boo.

#2: Lenore

My friend Lenore had recommended we try Benzinger when we were planning one of our wine adventures a few years ago. Friends are always a great source of ideas for trying new wines, and Lenore's suggestion didn't disappoint. Over the years, we've discovered many terrific new wines this way.  

A tasty glass of Matanzas Creek Merlot#3: Matanzas Creek Winery

Sally and I recently enjoyed a bottle of 2006 Matanzas Creek Merlot. How did we discover this wine? Lenore shared a bottle with me. Proving that shared bottles are the best bottles, this one was tremendous. We normally try to pair nice wine with a nicer meal, but this time we were in the mood for comfort food and opened it up with plain ol' spaghetti. The Merlot made the spaghetti seem gourmet and we continued to savor the wine long after the meal was finished. It had brighter fruit flavors than a typical Merlot, but was soft and delicate with wonderful tannins on the finish.

Jane Messick pouring wine at Mazzocco#4 Mazzocco Winery

Why did Lenore give us a bottle of wine from Matanzas Creek Winery? Besides being a very nice person, she remembered us talking about a winery I liked in Sonoma. Mazzocco and Mantanzas sound a lot a like, so it was a happy accident that Sally and I discovered a new winery in the process. We had visited Mazzocco in 2007 with our friend Heather and had a great time. Side note - we discovered Mazzocco thanks to our real estate agent, Pat Donovon, who gave us a bottle as a housewarming gift.

Jeff starting to get a little blurry at Hess#5 Artezin Wines

While tasting wine at Mazzocco, we met Jane Messick, who sells grapes used to make Artezin Zinfandel. We love Artezin!

#6 The Hess Collection

Artezin is made by Hess, one of our favorite wineries. Hess is the first wine that we both remember getting us excited about wine. And, it's probably our most shared.

Santa Ynez Valley Wine Adventure

Last June we made our first trip to the Santa Ynez Valley as part of our California Wine Adventure.  We only had a half day to explore the region, so we knew a return trip was a must. This weekend, we made finally made it back, extending our time and travelling with family (Jeff’s parents, Kathy & Bob) ~ both making it an even better trip than the last!    

In planning our adventure, each couple chose three wineries to visit. Selections were based on recommendations from friends, wines that had been tried before and wanted to learn more about, as well as old favorites.  This gave us a wide variety of wines, and tasting experiences ~ here’s a recap of our discoveries:

Firestone Winery

We opted for the reserve flight, which included a tasting of 6 wines, and one bonus pour.  They served a mix of white and reds, all from their reserve and Chairman Series. The tasting room has great views of the valley. Overall, the wines had muted flavors and heavy tannins, and were generally not to our liking.  But, we were glad we gave it a try. 

Andrew Murray

We first discovered their tasting room in Los Olivos on our first trip.  We enjoyed the experience and the wine so much that we wanted to introduce it to Kathy & Bob.  Once again, the crew, and wine, at Andrew Murray did not disappoint!  We had a wonderful time with Stephanie and Tracy, tasting wines from the Eleven series, as well as a number of their great Syrah wines produced under the Andrew Murray label.  We all left with smiles on our faces (and purple teeth)!

Gainey Vineyard

This winery was a recommendation of our friends, Sarah and David.  The winery grounds were beautiful, and the tasting room setting was great ~ located just off the barrel room, and among walls of strategically placed bottles.  The atmosphere added to the fun, and all the wines we tasted were really good.  Drew navigated us through a couple of whites, and select reds for the Gainey Vineyard and Even’s Ranch.  I was excited to see a Cab Franc!

Cambria

Located in the Santa Maria Bench, Cambria specializes in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.  During our visit, we tasted a number of their Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, as well as a Pinot Gris, Syrah, and a Late Harvest Viognier.  All wines were quite good, but with their slightly higher than average prices, we left empty handed.  A number of the wines are well distributed, and we will keep an eye out for special deals in our local wine shops. 

Foxen – Foxen 7200

This was a unique experience, as they have two wine tasting rooms ~ Foxen is served at a more modern tasting room located just slightly up the road from the original shack where they serve up Foxen 7200.  We sampled several great Pinot Noirs, a tasty Sangiovese, and another excellent Cab Franc!

Zaca Mesa

This tasting room was more commercial than the others, bringing in higher crowds than the others we had visited on the trip.  With that said, the staff was very helpful in securing us a spot, and were very attentive during the tasting.  We had the chance to sip a few different varieties than we had been tasting around the valley, including a granache, a roussanne, and several tasty syrahs.  All the wines would be great with food, but few stood out to enjoy on their own.

Rusack

Even with the heavy clouds and rain rolling in, the views from the winery were still stunning.  The wines had big flavors, and were quite enjoyable.  A number of them are distributed at BevMo and our favorite wine shop, San Diego Wine Company.  We still walked out with a couple of bottles of ones with limited distribution or hard to find. 

Wineries in the Santa Ynez Valley are producing some tasty treats!  If you come across one, especially Pinot Noir or Syrah, give it a try!

Why you should always buy two bottles

Sally and I recently brought a bottle of 2007 Laird Suscol Ranch Syrah with us on a trip to Phoenix with my parents and Sally's Mom. We shared the bottle one night before dinner, but local laws prevented us from bringing another bottle to the restaurant. That was a real shame since the wine was outstanding, but would have been even better with food.

Good thing we had a second bottle!

Sally and I enjoyed bottle number two over dinner a few nights ago. The Syrah paired well with Sally's beer braised short rib and my pappardelle ragu. It had dark fruit flavors, like blackberry pie filling, and a silky smooth finish. As you can tell from the picture, we also picked a very nice setting for our meal.