Robert Young Estate Winery
Big Rock Block Cabernet Franc
Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA
As the onslaught of wine arrivals show up, Mark and I decided to open up a fantastic Alexander Valley Cab Franc while at Classic.
This is one of those wines that opens your eyes to what air can do to a wine. At pop and pour, it was very tannic and had a nose and finish of gravel. At 30mins, it started to show some dark fruit, like blackberries as well as currant. At the hour mark, it strutted beautifully! Nose became floral, mainly lavender and violet, and the olive notes left to reveal a very masculine fruit finish. At around $50, this is the best Alexander Valley Cab Franc I’ve ever had, bar none.
As the onslaught of wine arrivals show up, Mark and I decided to open up a fantastic Alexander Valley Cab Franc while at Classic.
This is one of those wines that opens your eyes to what air can do to a wine. At pop and pour, it was very tannic and had a nose and finish of gravel. At 30mins, it started to show some dark fruit, like blackberries as well as currant. At the hour mark, it strutted beautifully! Nose became floral, mainly lavender and violet, and the olive notes left to reveal a very masculine fruit finish. At around $50, this is the best Alexander Valley Cab Franc I’ve ever had, bar none.
The best Cabernet Franc on the table. Although it really did not have much competition. This was the ONLY Cabernet Franc on the table! This one had lots of black cherry, graphite, cocoa, cola, and pie space to the front and middle. The finish still showed moderate astringency with a fair amount of oak, yet this was probably just about as approachable as I have ever seen a bottle of this Cabernet Franc. I would say this one is probably one to two years away from a pop and pour!
The best Cabernet Franc on the table. Although it really did not have much competition. This was the ONLY Cabernet Franc on the table! This one had lots of black cherry, graphite, cocoa, cola, and pie space to the front and middle. The finish still showed moderate astringency with a fair amount of oak, yet this was probably just about as approachable as I have ever seen a bottle of this Cabernet Franc. I would say this one is probably one to two years away from a pop and pour!
Jun 29th, 2019Really still not able to be rated right now but would be solid at 94 (previous rating given here). This wine is so young that it was finally starting to show its character after being open for an hour and a half....but overall, still locked up. Nose on this wine is hawthorne, rose petal, and red fruits. The wine is medium bodied, red fruit dense, medium acidity to the middle, and finishes with anise and red clay notes among a floral and youthful red berry backbone. The proper thing to do with this wine is cellar it for another 5 years. Considering that I've now consumed 9 of 12 bottles purchased, that's not going so well. Will go another 10 years with ease.
Really still not able to be rated right now but would be solid at 94 (previous rating given here). This wine is so young that it was finally starting to show its character after being open for an hour and a half....but overall, still locked up. Nose on this wine is hawthorne, rose petal, and red fruits. The wine is medium bodied, red fruit dense, medium acidity to the middle, and finishes with anise and red clay notes among a floral and youthful red berry backbone. The proper thing to do with this wine is cellar it for another 5 years. Considering that I've now consumed 9 of 12 bottles purchased, that's not going so well. Will go another 10 years with ease.
Dec 14th, 2018Out of 18 bottles purchased, three remain after this one. Guess that is what it takes to hold a wine like this for 6 years past vintage. I continue to be impressed by the Cabernet Franc offering by Robert Young Estate Winery. This wine is probably 5 years away from being a pop and pour. Which means it probably has another 10 to 15 years left. Nose of this one is dried wildflowers and nutmeg. The entry is black cherry and blackberry and still has quite a bit of youthful fruit. Middle is sweet tobacco and black cherry dominated. Finish is a bit dirty. Hint of chocolate. Hint of allspice. Fair amount of black pepper. QUITE a bit of youthful oak tannin. IMO this should be their current release.
Out of 18 bottles purchased, three remain after this one. Guess that is what it takes to hold a wine like this for 6 years past vintage. I continue to be impressed by the Cabernet Franc offering by Robert Young Estate Winery. This wine is probably 5 years away from being a pop and pour. Which means it probably has another 10 to 15 years left. Nose of this one is dried wildflowers and nutmeg. The entry is black cherry and blackberry and still has quite a bit of youthful fruit. Middle is sweet tobacco and black cherry dominated. Finish is a bit dirty. Hint of chocolate. Hint of allspice. Fair amount of black pepper. QUITE a bit of youthful oak tannin. IMO this should be their current release.
Dec 8th, 2018I reviewed the 2012 and thought this 2013 was going to be way too youthful. Well, in a way it is, and in a way it isn't. This wine pours a dark maroon, dark meniscus. Nose has a lot of hibiscus and black cherry. The entry has a black cherry backbone, a little bit sweet and showing youth. The middle actually shows and Italian sausage and Olive kind of note. No, I am pretty sure I wasn't craving a supreme pizza although it sounded delicious and that was my first thought about the perfect pairing to this wine. Finished with a youthful and rough tannin, black cherry, and very smooth! A 9.4 right out of the gate, and will only get better over the next 10 years. Sad thing is, I am sure I will screw this up and drink them all within a couple of years! :-)
I reviewed the 2012 and thought this 2013 was going to be way too youthful. Well, in a way it is, and in a way it isn't. This wine pours a dark maroon, dark meniscus. Nose has a lot of hibiscus and black cherry. The entry has a black cherry backbone, a little bit sweet and showing youth. The middle actually shows and Italian sausage and Olive kind of note. No, I am pretty sure I wasn't craving a supreme pizza although it sounded delicious and that was my first thought about the perfect pairing to this wine. Finished with a youthful and rough tannin, black cherry, and very smooth! A 9.4 right out of the gate, and will only get better over the next 10 years. Sad thing is, I am sure I will screw this up and drink them all within a couple of years! :-)
Apr 25th, 2018
Forest floor , cedar & cherry nose, body of rich cherry with considerable tannin. Needs time to evolve
Forest floor , cedar & cherry nose, body of rich cherry with considerable tannin. Needs time to evolve
Mar 25th, 2018After three hours decanting, this wine was just starting to show its true profile. Amazed at how locked up this wine still is. Yet, even when it matures in 2018-19 and it is closer to a pop and pour, this wine will probably still be "powerfully elegant." This wine is not a full bodied monster. Has a lot of floral perfume out of the glass. Hawthorne? Jasmine? Entry with a lot of acidity, good black cherry and terroir on the entry, with a smoother, more delicate middle that has an herbaceous component -- black licorice and a hint of cherries with Italian herbal notes. Stiff, very YOUNG tannin finish. Overall, very happy, and glad to be finally drinking on the case that I have in storage! Drink from 2019-2026
After three hours decanting, this wine was just starting to show its true profile. Amazed at how locked up this wine still is. Yet, even when it matures in 2018-19 and it is closer to a pop and pour, this wine will probably still be "powerfully elegant." This wine is not a full bodied monster. Has a lot of floral perfume out of the glass. Hawthorne? Jasmine? Entry with a lot of acidity, good black cherry and terroir on the entry, with a smoother, more delicate middle that has an herbaceous component -- black licorice and a hint of cherries with Italian herbal notes. Stiff, very YOUNG tannin finish. Overall, very happy, and glad to be finally drinking on the case that I have in storage! Drink from 2019-2026
Aug 20th, 2017Yum. We were recommended here because I love cab franc, and it certainly was fantastic. Loved the long finish and cloves.
Yum. We were recommended here because I love cab franc, and it certainly was fantastic. Loved the long finish and cloves.
Nov 21st, 2015As always, a great wine from Robert Young.
As always, a great wine from Robert Young.
Oct 17th, 2015