Blueline Estate Cabernet Franc

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.

We returned to Hourglass after our visit in 2018 as the wines are just so enjoyable, but the tasting cave may be one of the coolest spots to enjoy a glass of wine.

Tied for my favorite of the lineup. I’ve never gotten as much smoked meat on a cab franc as I have here. Loved it! Not vegetal or green at all. More spice and lift to it than the cabs or merlot, but the flavor profile was similar. Dark berries, espresso, graphite and high percentage dark chocolate. Big structure. Delicious!

Huge. Serious. Extracted without being Napa-balanceless-dense. Pure Dark red fruit as if macerated in a blender.

I’ve always loved Hourglass for their merlot, so it was a real treat to try their cab franc. This is super young and would benefit from a few years sleep - but it is also super good right now. Decanted for about an hour, this exhibited flavors of dark black fruit, brown sugar, tobacco and some gravel. There was a touch of herbal, but nothing extreme. This was medium-full bodied with silky tannins, prominent acidity and a long finish. It is really good - I can’t thank you enough @Joe Lucca for this.

Side by side 2008 and 2014. This 2008 is all about the nose. Smoke, camphor, and deep red fruit. Gorgeous nose, great front palate. Drops off a cliff mid palate; flat finish.

Molasses, sweet black fruit, unctuous. Gun powder, green vegetal fruit. Needs a decade.

Blue fruits, black plum, blackberries, dark cherries, spice-box, violets, tough leather, big baking spices, caramel & chocolate, crushed dry rocks, black dry earth. It's only been in bottle 8 month and still very fresh. Pronounced tannins at this stage. Needs another 5 years in bottle and enjoy it from that point on another 7-10 years.

It's big dark and rich blackberries, dark plum, blueberries, big tannins, a tarry character, huge leather, big spice-box, sawdust, loads of baking spice, caramel, milk chocolate, touch of jalapeno pepper, dark dry earth, crushed rocks, fresh violets, dry floral bouquets, nice acidity, length, big tension balance of fruit & earth.

Plum, red cherry, damp earth, baking spices, rose petals, vanilla, chocolate covered cherry. M- acid, m+ body and chalky tannin. Tart cranberry and cherry, cocoa. Balanced, long finish. Needs time.

Hmmm… this is complex, rich, layered, dark color, and oh so luscious. Like Muddy Waters said, Big leg women sure got something good, People, they's crying about it in the neighborhood. @PaddockClub Elkhart Lake WI

4/2022. Has it all. Color, flavor and nice on the palate. Paired well with the duck at Hall’s Chophouse.