A Napa Cabernet Franc tasting with the family today. The Detert and the Larkin were the favorites of the group; both had gorgeous black cherry and blueberry fruit with terrific aromatic intensity. The Gandona Meia and the Studio Seven-Fifty need more time. The Turnbull was slightly corked. โ 6 years ago
Inspired by @Peggy Hadley and her visit with @Tom Garrett - I had to open my favorite vintage of this wine so far. So incredibly delicious I canโt say enough good things. Silky mouthfeel, great red fruits, graphite, leather, medium acidity, soft tannins - just so incredible. Pop and pour goodness. โ 6 years ago
1/2 hour decant(some fine/cloudy sediment). A stunning dark magenta color. On the nose: wet forest floor, tobacco, some red fruit, herbaceous, pine. Taste: smooth, juicy, lean/light wine with some dark cherry, green vegi, earth, herbaceous and a black tea medium finish. Just OK for a tough year. โ 4 months ago
This 06 is drinking awsome!!the detert boys can make some wine. One more of this vintage left. Steak and scampi, yesss!! โ 6 years ago
Scenes from last nightโs dinner:
โ15 Accendo Sauvignon Blanc
โ13 Relic Ritual (not pictured)
โ12 Entre Nous Estate
โ12 Entre Nous Secret Acre
โ13 Entre Nous Secret Acre
โ12 Checkerboard Estate (Aurora)
โ12 Mithra Mt. Veeder
โ98 Chateau dโYquem
โ16 Brilliant Mistake Sauv Blanc
โ06 Detert Cab Sauv
Thank you @David L @Shawn R @Martin G Rivard @Joe Lucca - for coming to Brooklyn on a Sunday night!
โโโโ
This wine is super refined and elegant. The amount of acid was noticeable at this point - and the tannins are strong even after a four plus hour decant. This is one for the long haul. It was cool to taste this side by side with the โ12 vintage as well as next to the โ12 regular Estate. All so different yet all so good. Such wonderful wines itโs sad theyโre no longer making them. โ 6 years ago
Finally getting around to posting wines from my annual Napa trip from two weeks ago. Always goes by quick! Lots of fun new stops this year.
Here is the other wine that I claimed may have been the red wine of the trip, and also may have been one of the top winery visits of the trip! Loved tasting in the family home and hearing the connecting stories between them and the Macdonalds. Iโll forever be grateful that @Carl Fischer introduced me to Detert years ago, and he helped make an intro so that I could visit this time around.
Monster! This is like the normal cab franc but with everything turned up to 11. However, because itโs cab franc, the elevated profile isnโt overwhelmingly fruit forward...it just makes it so floral. Potpourri, violets, jasmine accompanied by herbal spice, black tea, mulberries, dark chocolate and cedar. Zero trace of green pepper. Very vineyard loyal. As old vine To Kalon cab franc, this has classic To Kalon power with currant, graphite, vibrant black cherries, clay/dirt, red, blue and black berries with skyscraper like structure and profile. Very fine grained tannins. This is an astounding cab franc. โ 4 years ago
Franc Friday continues. A completely different beast than the Detert. This is more restrained and less ripe but absolutely elegant and delicious. Medium bodied, with more floral than fruit notes, this still offers some fruit but skews more savory (yet lacks the green/olive flavors). Paired exceptionally well with food. โ 6 years ago
Tom Garland
From Mag
1.5 hour decant(little cloudy/fine sediment). A thrilling dark purplish magenta color. On the nose: black raspberry, licorice, mint, dried herbs, currants. Taste: plush mouthfeel, chalky, smooth, dry wine with black raspberry/red plum, bell pepper, graphite, rich soil, herbs, mocha and a nice medium plus finish. YUM! What a beautiful To Kalon vineyard cab franc wine. โ 3 months ago