Let me be Franc

I love love LOVE Cabernet Franc! I love when they blend it and I love it when they don’t.  Did you know Cabernet Franc is kinda a Dad? Yep! He married Sauvignon Blanc and they both created Cabernet Sauvignon (hence its name). Well somewhat silly and there is more to the story but you get the idea…Cabernet Franc is lighter than the almighty Cabernet Sauvignon and generally has more finesse which makes it an excellent blending grape to more robust grapes.

I sampled the Terre Magre Cabernet Franc, 2012 from D.O.C. Friuli Grave, Northeast Italy towards Slovenia and Croatia. The area includes the gravelly, sandy, mineral-rich soil between Livenza and Tagliamento rivers.

Terre Magre Cabernet Franc, 2012 is a super fun, very interesting, and incredibly easy-going. In fact, this wine & I have a lot in common – I can utilize the same description for myself. The color is of medium deep ruby with a pretty violet reflection. It has aromas of herbs, black spice, and hints of pencil shavings. The Franc’s flavors were interesting with herbal notes showing through, black peppercorn, and ink. It almost reminded me of a Zinfandel with less strength. Good structure, smooth, and pretty delicious. Although this wine is difficult to find simply ask your wine retail store and let them know it’s from AlpentAl distributor. It retails for about $15 so it’s pretty darn affordable!

Sláinte! TCW