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Wine Details
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Description:
Our 2002 example is from Fred Artz' on Red Mountain and Chandler Reach, just a stone's throw up the Yakima Valley. This wine showcases some of the reasons that Cabernet Franc is beginning to turn heads. Depth of color, flavor, mouth feel; raspberries, not black berries, high palate tones, not plums and cherries - these are marks of Cabernet Franc at its best and beautifully expressed in this vintage.
The 2002 was recognized as a "Wine of American Greatness" in the prestigious Jefferson Cup Invitational competition organized by Doug Frost. Doug is one of only three people in the world to hold both the Master of Wine and the Master Sommelier designations and we are honored to have earned this recognition for the winery and the state.
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Varietal Definition
Cabernet Franc:
Cabernet Franc is an accessible, spicy, herbal, dark blue grape variety that is often compared to Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Franc tends to be softer and has less tannin than Cabernet Sauvignon, although the two can be difficult to distinguish. Sometimes the French refer to Cabernets, which could mean either of the two grapes. Its typical aromas include an herbaceous and pronounced peppery nose, even in ripe fruit, and something eerily like tobacco. The Cabernet Franc ripens at an earlier stage, which gives it reason to exist in the Bordeaux area. In the Loire, where we find it a lot, it gives a clear red fresh and fruity wine.
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Cabernet Sauvignon:
Cabernet Sauvignon is the most widely planted and significant among the five dominant varieties in France’s Bordeaux region, as well as the most successful red wine produced in California. Though it was thought to be an ancient variety, recent genetic studies at U.C. Davis have determined that Cabernet Sauvignon is actually the hybrid offspring of Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc. Cabernet Sauvignon berries are small with black, thick and very tough skin. This toughness makes the grapes fairly resistant to disease and spoilage and able to withstand some autumn rains with little or no damage. It is a mid to late season ripener. These growth characteristics, along with its flavor appeal have made Cabernet Sauvignon one of the most popular red wine varieties worldwide.
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