WBW French Cabernet Franc

WBW French Cabernet Franc – Episode #435

April 2, 2008

I am super honored to be hosting this months Wine Blogging Wednesday, I choose Cabernet Franc from France and so here we go! Please make sure you check out the link below and see ALL the wine Bloggers efforts!

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Comments on this episode(217) Leave a comment ›

“How come Mott doesn’t always link it up?…” by Ben118
“Hey Gary! GREAT SHOW! You’re the man when it comes to wine!…” by Siyoung
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Wines tasted in this episode:

2005 Gasnier Chinon Vieilles VignesChinon
2005 Domaine De La Butte Mi PenteBourgueil
1990 Olga Raffault Chinon Les PicassesChinon

Links mentioned in todays episode.

217 Responses

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April 3, 2008

DeltaS
I really don’t care for alcoholic drinks, not even if it’s a wine rated 97 by Gary. But I heard the mention of a root beer episode!! Please, please, please, Gary (or Mott), when you do a show that features local brand root beer, link up all the producers and retailers (preferrably with online stores) that carry them! Better yet, make a new domain “rootbeer.winelibrary.com”!
April 3, 2008

Sev
I don’t know too much about cabernet franc, but your Bourgueil tasting a few weeks back inspired me to do a Cab franc tasting. So far I have;
Pellegrini Vineyards Cab Franc (Long Island), Dr. Konstantin Cab Franc (Upstate NY), Rosenblum Cellars Cab Franc (Napa), Langlois Chinon and a Bourgueil which I forget the name of. Very excited…anyone have any other regions that need to be represented please send me an email.
April 3, 2008

DAVe A
Good show. I’ll try a Cab Franc – agree it normally has a manure smell… or is that taste? hmm.
April 3, 2008

David McDuff
Well blow me down. Here I thought few if any other people would feature one of the wines from Gasnier. Yet here one is, right in Gary’s lineup.

In any event, here’s my post:

http://mcduffwine.blogspot.com/2008/04/wbw-44-french-cabernet-franc.html

It features the 2003 Chinon “Cuvee Fabrice” from Gasnier and the 2005 Chinon “Beaumont” from Catherine & Pierre Breton.

cheers,
McDuff
April 3, 2008

Sam Paes
nÃ£o estou com vontade de deixar um comentÃ¡rio hoje…
mas uma curiosidade, o Brasil jÃ¡ teve a CF como a uva mais plantada, hoje ela Ã© plantada apenas para integrar o corte dos vinhos mais finos (Ãcones) das vinÃcolas.
April 3, 2008

The Corkdork
Here’s a link to my WBW entry, Gary. Thanks for hosting!
http://corkdork.typepad.com/corkdork/2008/04/wine-blogging-w.html
April 3, 2008

Chris
I love Cab Franc, and was just going to go pick one up after work tonight. Perfect timing Gary!
April 3, 2008

DaveyDonut
I LOVE root beer, and yes, Virgil’s root beer totally rules. One of my favorites!

QOTD: 2005 Damien Laureau Anjou Clos FrÃ©mur (which I guess is only 50% Cab Franc, but from the Loire:

2/13/2008 rated 83 points: Three hours open. Nose shows crushed red peppers, fresh bell peppers, model airplane glue, bubble gum, and some rosemary. Much more interesting than first opened; quite nice now, really. Light to medium bodied in the mouth showing cabbage on the palate, finishing with lots of fresh yellow bell peppers, brussels sprout, green beans, and actually quite a lot of metallic notes (like grinding nails down with your dremmel). Finish is actually quite short (under 10 seconds), and lacking complexity. This is a well made wine, and would do a lot better with food, but really just not my style right now (my mom should have made me eat more vegetables). Despite Spectator’s window, I think this will probably hold for a couple more years, and it will likely be that before I drink the last bottle.

David
April 3, 2008

DerekH
QOTD By pure chance popped the cork on a St Nicolas de Bourgueil Les Rouilleres 2005 by Frederic Mabilleau before opening this episode. It’s bringing the thunder!
April 3, 2008

Jordan M.
The Young Winos of LA

Check out our Cab Franc review http://www.youngwinosofla.com
April 3, 2008

Kristen
nice episode GV. You had me laughing in the airport!

QOTD: I’ve had a few, still need to get used to the earthy smells, but it goes very well with food!
April 3, 2008

JerseyGirl turned CNY vayniac
QOTD: really not sure. i’m sure it’s in my notes at home though

Great show today Gary!
April 3, 2008

Faramarz
Hey Gary! Great videos!! i just discovered the site and i’m starting fresh from the very beginning.

one thing i would ask of you, when and if possible is to mention the complimentary food or snack that would go with the presented wine. i think it’ll add a great element to an already informative show.

all the best from toronto

cheers
April 3, 2008

Jay
Poop is such a great descriptor. Everybody gets it.
April 3, 2008

Raphael S
Gary,

I noticed that when you were trying to compare the color with the Chinons, that it doesn’t easily come across on video. However, I can see it while you swirl the wine. Try swirling the wine in front of a light background. That way the color difference will be more obvious to your viewers.

Watching and lovin’ the show since episode 112!
April 3, 2008

Donna Marie
QOTD: The last one I had was the Olek-Mery, wasn’t totally thrilled with a lot of the flavor characteristics. I went back to it later in the day and felt the same way. I do appreciate vegetal, earthy, meat juice qualities–just not in this particular wine. It was “meh” for me—even though cab franc is one of my favorite varietals.
April 3, 2008

Victor Caballero
Gary – You are a wine and marketing rockstar!
April 3, 2008

wayno da wino
Grrreaaaaat Episode, Gee!!!! Mooochoo Thanx!!!!

QOTD: Might of had a French Cab Franc looooooog time ago, not sure.
Kinda got into a “zinfandel/pinot noir/syrah/chardonnay/gewurtztraminer/
sauv blanc/viognier rut”…………. Gonna have to seek some of those
French CB’s out…… Thanx for another interestin’ Episode!!!
April 3, 2008

Shawn
I don’t know what it is, but Cab Franc is just not popular in Denmark. I don’t think that I’ve actually ever seen it in a supermarket. I’ve actually only ever tasted it in blends, like Chateauneuf de Pape. But I must mention how stoked I am that you liked the Mitolo the other day. You’re aren’t what I would call an Australian wine fan, but Mitolo kicks ass. You should try some of their good shit. G.A.M. is good, but it’s not the flag ship.
April 3, 2008

Harry
My last Cab Franc moment was with the Gasnier Chinon, and I wasn’t so into it. It wasn’t so vegetal to us as it was a hollow sour cherry disappointment. It was a couple months ago, so my recollection is fuzz. Intense black fruits on the start with some funky rotten veggies on the bone dry finish. Then again, I’ve been growing to like veggies more and more in some Bordeaux’s I’m drinking, so maybe I’d feel differently now, but I think I have some other things to drink first.
April 3, 2008

JeffC
Pen Ink?? Have you really tasted pen ink? QOTD: I have had a couple Chinon’s this past year and will continue to seek them out. Thanks for another great show.
April 3, 2008

Colin
GV – great show. QOTD – The last major Loire/Cab Franc moment was the inaugural session of my wine club: (http://prentissstreet.blogspot.com/2006/12/loire-wines-session-date-december-2nd.html). I still consider it the best session – very few were familiar with Loire and many were surprised by the quality and price happening.
April 3, 2008

Lurker Guilt
Long time, first time. Never left a comment, so I thought I’d bring the thunder with a little haiku. That’s right, a code 5-7-5 up in your grill piece:

emerging lurker
delightfully good cab franc
expanding palette

Keep up the good work Gary, and keep calling out us lurkers…It works!
April 3, 2008

mcj
QOTD: An invitation?
April 3, 2008

Cephalopunk
Man, I love Cab Franc – it’s amazing how many places in NYC have started pouring Bourgeil and Chinon by the glass. I guess they’re ahead of the pack for the US, but Loire reds have long been the meat and potatoes of many Parisian bars. I can’t remember my last one, but this stuff is my go-to red these days – the Amirault Bourgeil killed it, and I’ve had the ‘90 Raffault “Les Picasses”, as well as the ‘89. The bottle of the 1990 I drank showed quite a bit of pencil shavings and a little muted wild strawberry in with the manure.