Hello Friends and Wine Lovers!

It’s that time once again! It’s time to prepare for the wondrous sensual journey through the world of wine with the Carpe Vinum Friday Tasting Announcement and Newsletter That Brings You Such Information and Much, Much More! For the tasting this week, we’re having a visit from seven fine examples of one of my favorite wines. It’s wines from around the world made with Cabernet Franc! This often overlooked grape plays a vital role in many of the wines we see every day, yet when featured alone can make a wine that can rock your socks off. Are you wearing socks? Well, then let’s rock!

“What is a Cabernet Franc?” You may ask. “I’ve heard of a Cabernet Sauvignon. Are the two somehow related?”

“Well,” I may respond, “That is a very good observation. Gold stars for everyone!”

“Huh?” You may inquire. “What the hell are you talking about? Who said anything about gold sta-”

“But wait!” I may interject, interrupting your very valid statement, “This is an awful fictional dialogue. Let’s get back to the point.”

Cabernet Franc is indeed related to the noble Cabernet Sauvignon. In fact, it’s dear-old-dad. And Cab Sauv’s mum is Sauvignon Blanc. That’s right. The white grape. All three play important roles in the French Bordeaux alongside Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and the mostly-forgotten Carmenere. This French Bordeaux is the model for many of the most highly-esteemed wines in the world. In Bordeaux the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot usually take on the most forward roles and our beloved Cabernet Franc takes more of a back seat in blending with many of these wines. Cabernet Franc does take a more forward role in several Bordeaux districts, the most notably Cheval Blanc.

In many wine regions the grape is grown primarily for the purpose in blending for Bordeaux-styled wines, as it adds a note of complexity and fragrance to the mix. However, due to the grape’s early blooming and early-ripening properties, it lends itself toward colder climates, such as in the inland French countryside in the Loire, and in our own Washington where it winters better than some varieties. Also because of this fact Cabernet Franc is the grape of choice in the Northeastern US wine regions, namely New York and Virginia. We wouldn’t know those wines out here, though, because of this country’s absurd wine shipping regulations. More about that another time.

So in my love affair with this grape, I’ve been sampling as many Cabernet Franc wines as I can, jumping at every opportunity, as those opportunities can be rare. We’ve been seeing quite a few really good examples coming out of Washington, and they remain some of my favorite. We see a few coming out of California, mostly as wine houses there bottle the Franc normally used to blend with their other wines. But when it comes to a wine region embracing this fine grape, no one does it like the French Loire. Cabernet Franc is the primary red grape of the region making up the wines of Chinon, Saumur-Champigny and Bourgueil, among others. Recent developments in the region have been allowing the grapes to more fully ripen than in previous vintages producing some spectacular results and several of my favorite wines.

So this is one of my favorite tasting themes. I find it a bit confounding why most of the Cabernet Franc in the world is just used to blend (usually overpriced) Bordeaux-styled wines when the Franc has so much going on by itself. It can have power, yet finesse. It can have fruit and earth and herbs and spices. It can softly caress the palate or reach out of the glass and punch you in the nose. (Not literally). And as I stated before, it can rock your socks off, or it can . . . uh . . . smooth-jazz your socks off.

So we’ve put together here a selection from around the world. One from Italy’s Friuli, two from California, two from the French Loire, one from Oregon and one from Washington. This is not one to be missed. Come enjoy The Franc!

So Friday, October 12th, between 4:30 and 9:00 PM it’s:

Cabernet Franc!!!
Dorigo 2005 Cabernet Franc, Friuli, Italy
Yorkville Cellars 2004 Cabernet Franc, Mendocino County, California *Organic!*
Grochau Cellars 2005 Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley, Washington
Cosentino 2005 The Franc, California
Domaines des Pentes 2004 Chinon, Loire, France

Franc . . . Cabernet Franc!!!
Domaine des Roches Neuves 2005 “Terres Chaudes” Saumur-Champigny, Loire, France
Spangler 2005 Cabernet Franc, Southern Oregon

A stellar deal at $10 for the First 5, $6 for the Extra 2 Premium Pours.

Hope to see you here!

Seize the Wine!

Next Friday tasting is Pinot Noir Shootout!

M