Adam Shaylor

9.4

“Kek Bika” on my back label rather than the “Blaü-Ökör” here and on Vinous Obscura’s website, this mystery red nevertheless matches the descriptions in every other respect. It’s strong evidence supporting a thesis I have yet to sell on the wine makers in my family: the tyranny of the French clones is overrated; nature’s mutations are an abundance to be harvested instead of flaws to be weeded out; and the wine market is due for the same sort of revolution that hit eating apples a decade or so ago. This wine is light, acidic, and yet fresh and fruit forward, bringing to mind raspberries, sour cherries, English hedgerow fruits (like gooseberries or elderberries or something that I, being only an occasional visitor, can’t put my finger on) but without being cloying. It finishes with a peppery kick that rivals the best Syrahs. I still have a long way to go to sell my grand thesis, but my skeptical Francophile wife is at least sold on this particular wine. — 2 years ago

Adam Kincaid

9.1

Stunning cab franc that pleases this major (cab)francophile. All my favorite tobacco flavors with some touches of blueberry and earth with a gentle feel to boot. — 5 years ago

with Jillian

Adam Shaylor

9.4

Perfectly balanced. We enjoyed this immensely with some homemade pizza, though I suspect it to be much more versatile in pairings than that. A steal at $17. Even my Italo-suspicious, Francophile wife was impressed. — 6 years ago

W Box

9.1

Slightly green. Pinot noir. Great company! Beautiful city. 🍎. — 2 years ago

j a

8.9

so good it won a gold medal! okay, it was a sticker, but it was a g-o-l-d sticker! and it deserved it—dark, black fruit coats your mouth like a cozy sweater—without that nasty, cotton-y, dry mouth feeling. balanced, brooding, with a beautiful blueberry finish. enough to turn even a trump supporter into a francophile. — 5 years ago

Ron R

9.3

Nice follow-on from the whites. Very Francophile in its presentation. Huge spice-box nose and mineral driven. Sweet tobacco on the palette with rich red currants. Nice, plush finish. Great stuff! — 6 years ago

with David, Mike and 6 others

Ellen Clifford

8.9

And onwards with wines I don’t try enough. Ugh studying. I’ve decided blueberries are my “tell” for Syrah/Shiraz is and ripeness/caramel tells me it’s Australia. Plus tannins no matter where made. I remain a Francophile though Eight Arms Cellars makes some cool Syrah blends (the Tentacle not the octopod) but I can’t say I dig Shiraz. Tho I respect this. Could be good with chocolate covered caramel bites. But I have no werthers alas. — 6 years ago

Boxer Briefs

10

This will come as zero surprise to any Sommelier or Can Francophile. It’s a 10. Not sure how it could be better. Delectable shows $89 as a reasonable price. You might be able to find it for $60 right now based upon what I paid. Somebody rated it an 8.9...take me to your Cab Franc stash. Straight pencil shavings, green edge and unctuous fruit. I can’t stop muttering about how good it is. She thinks I’m crazy. — 4 years ago

Spencer Dodd

9.0

Tons of backbone, this could air in a decanter or age for a while. I really liked this. Elements of chalkiness at the end that reminded me of Chianti, but with a decidedly Francophile fruit element on the beginning. I would buy this again. — 5 years ago

with Daniel, Jen and 1 other

Sean Herriott

9.5

What a tremendous showing! I continue to find pleasure in 2015 Napa Valley Cabs!!!

This has waves of berry cobbler flavors along with a green olive salinity. Trust me it works. Judicious oak treatment frames all this delicious ripe fruit, and the finish sails on for over a minute.
The obvious choice would be to pair this with a juicy ribeye, but honestly this wine is so riveting ANY food you have with it will be sitting in coach.
I still am a Francophile when it comes to wines, but when Cali brings it....Jeeezzz! — 6 years ago