Robert Young Estate Winery
Big Rock Block Cabernet Franc
Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA
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, 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