Darioush
Napa Valley Cabernet Franc
Napa Valley, California, USA
Inky in color with a short reddish rim.
Strong nose of black fruits with cedar, vanilla, spices, espresso, cola, light herbs, earth, chocolates and peppercorn.
Full-bodied and elegant with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate and fruit forward with blackberries, black currants, plums, cedar, licorice, light vanilla, light earth, herbs, spices, peppercorn and tobacco leaf.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.
This young Cabernet Franc from Napa Valley is drinking beautifully now, but needs a few years in the bottle to mature properly. Feels like a Napa Cabernet Sauvignon.
Nicely balanced with a nice mouthfeel. Smooth and elegant.
Rich and fruit forward. The high alcohol is not too noticeable.
Will continue to age nicely in the next 15 years. Showing good potential to become a 94 point wine.
Needs 5 hours to open up properly, so be patient.
Wine Enthusiasts 92 points.
Good by itself as a sipping wine, or with food.
Grapes were handpicked, and aged in (75% new) French Oak barrels for 22 months.
15.6% alcohol by volume.
92 points.
$85.
Inky in color with a short reddish rim.
Strong nose of black fruits with cedar, vanilla, spices, espresso, cola, light herbs, earth, chocolates and peppercorn.
Full-bodied and elegant with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate and fruit forward with blackberries, black currants, plums, cedar, licorice, light vanilla, light earth, herbs, spices, peppercorn and tobacco leaf.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.
This young Cabernet Franc from Napa Valley is drinking beautifully now, but needs a few years in the bottle to mature properly. Feels like a Napa Cabernet Sauvignon.
Nicely balanced with a nice mouthfeel. Smooth and elegant.
Rich and fruit forward. The high alcohol is not too noticeable.
Will continue to age nicely in the next 15 years. Showing good potential to become a 94 point wine.
Needs 5 hours to open up properly, so be patient.
Wine Enthusiasts 92 points.
Good by itself as a sipping wine, or with food.
Grapes were handpicked, and aged in (75% new) French Oak barrels for 22 months.
15.6% alcohol by volume.
92 points.
$85.
I’d been warned this was going to be an oak bomb and...nope. There’s oak but it isn’t, say, Guigal levels. And if there were a human oak detector equivalent of, well, bomb-sniffing dogs, that’s me. There are pleasant vanilla things going on with this. It tastes like expensive winemaking—focused voluptuous tannins, ripe fruit in a myriad of colors, earth that certain was trod by royalty and CEOs and...this is luxurious cab franc I would not know was in fact cab f but...do I care? Not right now, no. I’m enjoying my wine that is not an oak bomb. It simply is bomb.
I’d been warned this was going to be an oak bomb and...nope. There’s oak but it isn’t, say, Guigal levels. And if there were a human oak detector equivalent of, well, bomb-sniffing dogs, that’s me. There are pleasant vanilla things going on with this. It tastes like expensive winemaking—focused voluptuous tannins, ripe fruit in a myriad of colors, earth that certain was trod by royalty and CEOs and...this is luxurious cab franc I would not know was in fact cab f but...do I care? Not right now, no. I’m enjoying my wine that is not an oak bomb. It simply is bomb.
Aug 19th, 2019
The 2015 Darioush Cabernet Franc includes 10% Cabernet Sauvignon 4% Merlot, and 2% Malbec which was aged in nearly all new French oak prior to bottling. The herbal edge on the nose is tremendous with red and dark fruits and dusty earth mingling with cocoa powder. The palate shows serious viscosity and richness, with red bell pepper, red currant jelly and milk chocolate flavors layering the palate and persisting through to the long finish. This is a mere infant at this stage so try to resist this gorgeous bottling for at least another year. Drink 2020-2035- 95
The 2015 Darioush Cabernet Franc includes 10% Cabernet Sauvignon 4% Merlot, and 2% Malbec which was aged in nearly all new French oak prior to bottling. The herbal edge on the nose is tremendous with red and dark fruits and dusty earth mingling with cocoa powder. The palate shows serious viscosity and richness, with red bell pepper, red currant jelly and milk chocolate flavors layering the palate and persisting through to the long finish. This is a mere infant at this stage so try to resist this gorgeous bottling for at least another year. Drink 2020-2035- 95
Mar 27th, 2019
Simply fantastic! Spicy, dark fruit and baking spices give an incredible drinking experience. Despite being a ‘13, the wine is not over the top but instantly pleasing. Drink ‘em if you got ‘em!
Simply fantastic! Spicy, dark fruit and baking spices give an incredible drinking experience. Despite being a ‘13, the wine is not over the top but instantly pleasing. Drink ‘em if you got ‘em!
Jul 23rd, 2018
Wow! Lush blueberries, black cherries and a pop of raspberry. Dark chocolate, and a hint of freshly potted garden mint. Tannins are velvet and the acidity pops nicely. It has a slightly austere finish which begs you for another sip. Well don't mind if I do!
Wow! Lush blueberries, black cherries and a pop of raspberry. Dark chocolate, and a hint of freshly potted garden mint. Tannins are velvet and the acidity pops nicely. It has a slightly austere finish which begs you for another sip. Well don't mind if I do!
Sep 29th, 2016
Deep ruby. Black fruit. Jammy. M acid. M body and M front tannin. Good structure. Balanced.
Deep ruby. Black fruit. Jammy. M acid. M body and M front tannin. Good structure. Balanced.
Aug 13th, 20162011 cab franc. Dark cherry truffle chocolate and cedar w a bit of mint or eucalyptus. Beautiful ruby red color. Could be aged for many more years but tasting delish already!
2011 cab franc. Dark cherry truffle chocolate and cedar w a bit of mint or eucalyptus. Beautiful ruby red color. Could be aged for many more years but tasting delish already!
Jan 15th, 2016
Big wine. Huge flavors. Needed more of a decant but drank it too quickly :-)
Big wine. Huge flavors. Needed more of a decant but drank it too quickly :-)
Oct 24th, 2015