Quick Review: Pellegrini Vineyards Cabernet Franc 2007

NY, Long Island, North Fork, Pellegrini Vineyads Cabernet Franc 2007
+ // Spicy // Blackberry, Cherry, Currant, Slate, Earth // Graphite, Black pepper, Hint of plum, Cinnamon // Full

Wishing for More Cab Franc

Why don't we see more Cabernet Franc? Anywhere you can get wine, you can find its more famous cousin, but Cabernet Franc is a nearly forgotten varietal. For us, that's a sad thing. It shows up in Bordeaux blends, but that doesn't show the true strength of the grape. Fortunately, winemakers--especially on the East Coast--are working with the grape.

Many wine-makers in New York work with Cabernet Franc, one of the few red grapes that thrives in cooler climates. It's seen frequently in the Finger Lakes, but some people feel that the temperatures are a bit too cool, and the wine can end up with the green vegetable flavors of an under-ripe grape. Long Island puts out some flavorful wines, so when we found a bottle from Pellegrini Vineyards at ABV on Manhattan's Upper East Side, we decided it was a safe bet.

We've found Cabernet Francs to be earthier wines, rounded out with a balance of red fruit and spice notes in the best cases. We find it a good wine for cold weather meals that are heavy on meat and root vegetables. With the restaurant's "Super Fries," the wine was a bit much, overpowering the complicated spices of the fries. With a short rib gnocchi, however, it was the perfect complement, bringing a blend of fruit, earth, and spice to the sweet and meaty sauce. On the other hand, the gnocchi with winter vegetables and mushrooms was obliterated by the wine. The Cabernet Franc definitely needed some bigger flavors to match up to it.

ABV was a good venue for us. It was a bit trendier and noisier than our usual haunts, but the waitstaff was friendly and helpful, and the wine and beer lists were interesting. Changing, seasonal, with an American bar food menu, it felt comfortable for a casual evening. We don't have much excuse to get to that neighborhood often, so we were glad when we had the chance. And it was a good excuse to order some Cabernet Franc.

Quick Review: Anthony Road Cabernet Franc/Lemberger 2012

US, NY, Finger Lakes, Anthony Road Cabernet Franc / Lemberger 2012
++ // Smooth // Leather, Mineral, Petrol, Blueberry // Blueberry, Smoke, Leather, Black pepper // Medium

Best of 2013: Reader's Favorite Red Wines

It's been a great year for exploring new and exciting wines. We've tried some red wines that you have been interested in.

Thanks to a quick trip to Philadelphia, we had a chance to try a wine from Pennsylvania, a Cabernet Franc from Blue Mountain.

Thanks to the New York City Wine and Food Fest, we had a chance to share a few Italian reds with you, and began exploring some on our own.

Quick Reviews: Blue Mountain Cabernet Franc 2010

US, PA, Lehigh Valley, Blue Mountain Cabernet Franc 2010

+ // Smooth // Chocolate, Cherry, Dried cranberry, Whole cloves // Dried cranberry, Pepper, Cloves // Medium

Quick Review: Fox Run Cabernet Franc 2010

US, Fingers Lakes, Fox Run Vineyards, Cabernet Franc 2010
++ // Earthy // Berry // Dried berry, chocolate, white pepper // Medium bodied

Quick Review: Vineland Estates Cabernet Franc 2010

Canada, Niagara, Vineland Estates Winery, Cabernet Franc, 2010

+ // Earthy // Petrol, Earth, Berry // Cherry, Earth, Stone, Spice // Light bodied

Curried Potatoes with Cabernet Franc

With all of our stories, it seems like we go out to eat often. But really, most nights we eat at home. And since having a bottle of wine at home with dinner is a less expensive endeavor, we are often willing to experiment a little more, both in the recipes with choose, and the wines we pair with them.

Of course, sometimes the recipes get a little complicated. Looking for a hearty meal one night, the ingredients started piling up. Potatoes as the base, but that seemed a bit too bland, so added some curry spices to liven up the sauce. Mushrooms, to give the meal a bit more body. And the sauce seemed a bit thin, so some Roquefort cheese to give it a bit of richness. That was an odd combination of flavor, with lots of earthy flavors, so we looked for a red wine to match. A bottle of Cabernet Franc seemed like a good idea; some earthiness to complement the mushrooms, some fruitiness to bring out the sweetness of the Roquefort, and maybe that hint of green vegetable to play with the curry.

Surprisingly, the dish ended up light in flavor. Maybe it needed a bit more time to stew, to allow the potatoes a chance to really absorb the flavors, but improvised recipes are always a learning experience. The flavors worked, but it turned out that the wine was a bit too powerful, and kind of overwhelmed the food. It seems like that can be a problem with Cabernet Franc. Very dependent on the vintage, it can be a light bodied wine with some delicate flavors, or a deep, powerful wine. It pays to know the details of the bottle you plan to open. Or you can just sit back and enjoy it, no matter what the outcome.

Quick Review: Fox Run Reserve Cabernet Franc 2010

US, Fingers Lakes, Fox Run Vineyards, Reserve Cabernet Franc, 2010
++ // Earthy-Spicy // Berry, white pepper, leather // Full bodied

2012 Quick Reviews - Red Wine Readers' Favorites

It seems like 2012 was the year of Pinot Noir. Here are the five most popular Quick Reviews (determined by pageview) for red wines in 2012.

5. Mark West Pinot Noir
4. Cardinal Point Reserve Cabernet Franc
3. Heart & Hands Pinot Noir Reserve
2. Three Californian Zinfandels
1. Viridian Pinot Noir

Wine Cheat Sheet: Cabernet Franc

Quick Review: Fox Run Cabernet Franc 2008

US, Fingers Lakes, Fox Run Vineyards, Cabernet Franc, 2008
+ // Earthy // Berry // Berry, Leather, Earth // Medium bodied

Did You Know? ... About Finger Lakes Cabernet Franc

While the Finger Lakes region of New York may be best know for its Riesling, the wineries there produce many other quality wines. For example at the 2012 Indy International Wine Competition, four New York wineries were awarded silver medals for their Cabernet Franc.

Quick Review: Ravines Cabernet Franc

US, NY, Finger Lakes, Ravines Cabernet Franc 2008
+ // Fruity // Blueberry, Strawberry // Strawberry, Earth, Spice, Grassy finish // Light

Lush, very ripe fruit.

Pot Roast Dinner

It's the holiday season again. Time for those homey, comforting dishes best shared with a large group of friends and family. I love cooking a complicated dish, but sometimes it's best to just prepare something simple and put it in the oven, to give yourself less time in the kitchen and more time with those you love.

Hence, I love pot roasts. A great way to cook a nice chunk of meat for a group, and an easy way to include some good veggies in the dish. Add some simple spices, and just let it sit in the oven for a few hours, and you have a wonderful blend of flavors. As winter sets in, it's a good way to cook up some root vegetables, and other hardy green stuff, like radish, carrots, and even some brussel sprouts (if you add them late in the process--avoid cooking them to long). 

All told, this is an easy dish to find a good wine pairing for. Something hearty and red, with earthiness to match the vegetables and some spice to complement the meat. Nothing too fruity and sweet, but just a hint of berries can add another layer of complexity to the meal, and help us remember that summer will come again. This time around, we selected a Finger Lakes Cabernet Franc from Ravines Wine Cellars. It was the perfect selection for what we were looking for, as it matched the flavor profile of the dish. It's good to know just enough about the wine styles of a specific varietal and/or region so that you have a good idea what to expect when you want an easy, delicious meal.

Quick Review: Cardinal Point Reserve Cabernet Franc

US, VA, Monticello, Cardinal Point Reserve, Cabernet Franc 2006
++ // Fruity // Cherry, Apple // Red Apple, Green Pepper, Oak // Full

This was an eminently drinkable wine. With deep fruit flavors balanced with a strong oak backbone, it was a great sipping wine. While winemakers consider it a flaw of the grape, it even had a hint of green pepper that we enjoy in Cabernet Franc, as a special character that sets it apart from other red wines.

Quick Reviews: Finger Lakes Round-Up--3 Red Wines

Of course we couldn't sample everything in the Finger Lakes, but from our visit to 6 wineries, our favorite 3 reds were:

US, New York, Finger Lakes, Heart & Hands, Pinot Noir, 2010
++ // Earthy // Earthy, Fruit (berry) // Pepper, tart cherry, currant, wood // Medium bodied

US, New York, Finger Lakes, Heron Hill Winery, Classic Cabernet Franc, 2010
++ // Earthy // Cherry // Dried cherries, chocolate, tobacco // Medium bodied

US, New York, Finger Lakes,  Anthony Road Wine Company, Cabernet Franc/Lemberger, 2010
++ // Smooth // Blueberry, Pepper, Earth // Blackberry, plum, cherry, vanilla, pepper, Medium bodied

Quick Review: Dr Konstantin Frank Cabernet Franc

US, New York, Finger Lakes, Dr. Konstantin Frank, Cabernet Franc, 2009
+ // Earthy // Berry, Green pepper // Green pepper // Medium

 

Did you know... About Cabernet Franc?

Cabernet Franc is a red grape, originally from France, and related to the Cabernet Sauvignon. This is no surprise that it comes from France, as Vitis Vinifera grapes (the ones that are used in wine, not grape juice) had to be imported from across the ocean. Cab Franc grows best in temperate climates, and can also be found in northern Italy. In the U.S. it’s commonly found in New York, Virginia, and Ontario (Niagara wine region). It is a major component of France’s Bordeaux wines and in New World Meritage blends. In the New World, it can be found on its own, and produces flavors ranging from earthy to fruity, although the latter is more rare.

Quick Review: Lamoreaux Landing Cabernet Franc

NY, Finger Lakes, Lamoreaux Landing, Cabernet Franc, 2005
+ // Earthy // Leather, Spice // Cherry, Pepper, Leather // Medium

We expected the earthy quality: Cabernet Franc wine typically has this flavor profile.