Gary,
great episode! Your enthusiasm makes me want to try a Loire valley cab franc again. Previous times it didn’t impress me, but i’ll give it another try. It would be great if you could put one in free shipping.
Have a good weekend!

Loire reds, always a big hit in this house especially Chinon. Don’t forget all of the great whites of Loire either, the are some of the tastiest of all.

Still can’t figure out why so many American producers of Cab Franc do such a bad job and they sure seem to.

We went out and got one for this weekend. Our friendly local wine shop owner recommended it (we didn’t go to Total Wine, which makes me feel good). It turns out you actually reviewed it and liked it. I’ll let you know what we think.

2005 Frederic Mabileau Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil Les Rouilleres

GV-So we are back to report on our Cab Franc tasting. We made a valentines dinner at home and had it with a bottle from Bourgueill 2005 from Yannick Amirault. It was great. It was a little challenged on the nose but it tasted great. What was so amazing was that we loved it more as we kept drinking it. Either it was opening up more or we were “opening” up more. We fought over the last pour but I gave in since it was Valentines Day. Thanks for the recommendation and we will be sure to try more of these wines. In addition we bought a 2005 Cab Franc from California called Franc from M. Cosentino that we are going to try this weekend to do a little old world vs new world.

I just tasted my first 100% Cab Franc at a local winery (La Grange) today. Excellent! Very similar to what you describe when tasting the Bourguiel. Dirty dirty veggies and funk. Loved it.

GV, must say that I am more a New World kind of drinker, but that could change as I listen to you and try wines from areas like the Loire. Will be searching for one of these on my next trip, and see if my pal can deal with the “funky-funk”. Not an Oak Monster fan, but a little oak is not so bad, for me. Love your excitement and passion. It is contagious. Keep up the good work, you are the leader of the Vayniac nation.

Try CONIGLIO C/F Napa THIS ROCKS!

GREAT episode GV! Go back to the New Year’s resolutions and you will se that mine was to try more Loire reds. This weekend had Sauvion Chinon at about $13. Got some of that tomato,celery and prune/plum action. Have at St Nicholas de Bourgeil up next. I have definitely found these wines interesting, stretching my normal list of descriptors, and definitely not favored by the less enthusiatic wine drinkers in the house

Great show, GV. Can’t grab the cab franc this weekend. BUT-I’m heading out to your neck of the woods on 3/1 (first birthday party for my pain in the a$$ brother-in-law’s niece – she’s great-he’s the pain in the a$$), so I’ll definitely be hitting W.L. before heading back to NYC. I’m gonna cut a swath through your Portugal and Loire Valley sections – can’t wait.

I have been on the hunt for a good Cab Franc for the past week after watching this episode. Who would have thought finding one under $50 would be so difficult in central Indiana. I’m a big fan of funky wines, so it sounds like some of these wines would be perfect for me.

Finally!!
A Cab Franc episode. I have to admit I’ve been deleting the feedblitz e-mails cause I have been too busy to watch lately, 110 hrs a week at work. But I am glad I saved this one. One question, what is the deal with the pouring out one for your Homies from the first pour from the first bottle (removing dust, dish detergent???)
The Cab Franc from Virginia wineries noteably Ingleside are excellent, though kinda expensive. I think global warming is improving the terrior in VA (drier). Oh well, sucks for the French. I think I’ll buy some beachfront property in Iceland, Schkoll!!

I didn’t promise to seek out the Loire Valley CF but as luck would have it, we sampled one on Saturday night (my first) at my 30th birthday party. A very good friend of mine (who happens to be a lurker), Zac, flew back home to MN from NYC to help celebrate. While at dinner at a very nice wine bar he suggested ordering up a bottle of a ’99 Saumur-Champigny specifically because of this episode and many of the 12 at the table had a taste. It wasn’t for everyone (my dad hated it) but he and I agreed it was our wine of the night. Well made, medium body, lots of veggies. A very enjoyable experience. Thanks for bringing the thunder to my birthday, Gary!

ok just tried a a 2005 Sauvion Chinon. 100% cab franc. only like a $10 bottle at the local total wine. distinct green pepper on the nose and even some campfire type smell. noticed the green pepper on the palate along with some minerality maybe. interesting nose and flavor profile. glad i tried and i’d like to try a couple more examples of these but overall im not sure if i like this or not right now.

Sought out a bottle of Loire Valley Amirault Bourgueil La Coudraye 2004. What I enjoyed most about this bottle of wine, besides the nice balance of acidity and tannins, the woodsy, licorice, green veggie taste, and the lingering and surprising minerality; much like the whites I love from Loire, was seeing the surprise on my friend’s face, as he tried to describe the many ways it was different than what he normally drinks. Previously, he would would never shell out $20 dollars a single bottle, but with curiosity he kept asking me where it was from.

I won’t get another one since I have several in the cellar and drink them regularly – not frequently, but on a regular basis. I have some Chinon and Bourgeuil (watch that spelling) and well as a couple from Blackjack Ranch.

Great show, BTW.

cool task,

am finally off tomorrow (weds) so am out shopping

will let you know

chris the greek

bought 4 bottles of the yannick amirault cab franc, wish i would have bought a case. awesome juice! no question there’s more loire cab francs on their way to my house.

Cab Franc from the US is no comparision to France. Va is the best in the US.

QOTD: Tried one…..you have to give me some credit for trying! Really, cabs are not my thing I’m glad I expanded my palate and added another dimension to it. However, I will try another one or two to make sure 😉

I had my first Cab Franc last night Рa Charles Joguet 2005 Cuv̩e Terroir Chinon, and it knocked my socks off. Very funky/leafy and inky/dark, and pretty high alchohol (14%) but not in the least bit hot. Excellent wine. Fantastic even!

It brought the funk-da-funk and I loved it (I’m thinking my palate is going way Old World on me – either that, or I need to listen to some more Herbie Hancock). Thanks for turning me onto CF GV!

Only had a few straight cab francs, need to try more. GV I love your honestly, I could tell you were having trouble with what to say about the Larkin and then you stuck with your true feelings. That is why WLTV rocks so hard!! Great show GV!

I tried the yannick amirault last weekend and I loved it! I’m going back for more today. Thanks GV for turning me on to the loire!

GV – I am a big fan of the Loire Valley Cab Francs. Even though I am catching up on some old episodes, I am not going to pop one open this weekend because, frankly, I am already sold on these wines.

I have Chinon, Saumur, and Anjou in my cellar taking a rest for a few years before I attack them again.

I love the funky funk. My pal has changed from the Big Bold, New World flavors to the love for the complexity of the wine.

Recently has a Carr Cabernet Franc that ROCKED – can’t remember if it was the ’04 or ’05 though. Definitely would like to have more of that around.

I totally agree with you to said that Cab Franc is not for everybody.

Usually the first wines we like is more like kid’s flavours (sugar, vanilla, candy)…and with time we prefer aduld’s flavours in the wines…that’s wath happens to a lot of wine drinker’s. Thats my opinion.

And for the QOTD, I love Cab Franc and just open monday a nice bottle of Domaine Philippe Alliet, Chinon “vieilles vignes” 2005…SUPERB !