Blue Rock Best Barrels Cabernet Franc 2016
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Tasting
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James
Suckling
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
A pristine medium-ruby color, the nose offers a beautiful example of Cab Franc’s savory, earthy dried herbs, roasted red pepper and graphite on top of bright red fruits.The palate reveals a medium-full body that dances between all the spicy aromas andfresh strawberry and red raspberry, celebrating California’s famous fruit all deftly heldby lively acidity and gentle tannins.
Blend: 95% Cabernet Franc, 3% Merlot, & 2% addition of Cabernet Sauvignon.
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
With 5% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon added in, this deep and inky red channels charred violets on the nose and palate: Unctuous and pungent, it’s threaded with dried rosemary and tarragon. Sweet, weighty notes of blueberry lean up against drying tannins as black pepper spikes the fruit and fine acidity keeps things fresh.
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James Suckling
This has plenty of berry and leaf aromas and delivers a crisp, succulent and juicy feel with ample, dark-fruit flavor. Drink now.
Blue Rock is a historic, private destination in the heart of the Sonoma/Napa wine country. The winery, vineyard, and gardens were established in the 1880s by Italian immigrants. Originally named Villa Maria, the winery did not survive Prohibition. Other families attempted to farm the property, but it fell into foreclosure in the late 1980s.
Kenny and Cheryl Kahn came upon the rundown estate in 1987 and promptly fell in love with the beauty of the hillside location and the bucolic Alexander Valley. The estate suffered from years of neglect, and the derelict vineyard needed replanting. Kenny and Cheryl have spent 32 years renovating the original winery and estate cottage, as well as establishing winemaking and production facilities. The Winery, guesthouse, and gardens have now been upgraded to a true \ luxury standard and with the singular vision of creating a world-class wine estate in the European tradition.
Blue Rock is family-owned, family-farmed and certified sustainable. The name originates from the soil studded with blue pebbles, rocks, and boulders of serpentine. The serpentine rock contributes to the unique flavor and aromatic profile of the wines deriving from the vineyard. Comprised of 40 acres, the certified sustainable vineyard is planted to the five Bordeaux varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Merlot, Malbec, and Syrah. Vineyard work and harvest are done by hand, with attention to detail and process. Our workers are full-time and enjoy a year-round relationship with the vines which makes for better quality.
Cabernet Franc, a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon, is the subtler and more delicate of the Cabernets. Today Cabernet Franc produces outstanding single varietal wines across the wine-producing world. Somm Secret—One of California's best-kept secrets is the Happy Canyon appellation of Santa Barbara. Here Cabernet Franc shines as a single varietal wine or in blends, expressing sumptuous fruit, savory aromas and polished tannins.
Nearly a northern extension of Napa Valley, Alexander Valley starts just north of the small, Knights Valley, and is just a few minutes drive from the Napa town of Calistoga. It is Sonoma County’s hottest AVA. But the Russian River, which runs through the valley, creates cooler pockets and its soft, alluvial soil is ideal for grape growing, especially Cabernet Sauvignon. In fact, some believe that Alexander Valley Cabernets truly rival the best from Napa Valley and many of the heavy-hitter producers have largely invested here.
In addition to Cabernet Sauvignon, which makes up over 50% of plantings, Merlot and old vine Zinfandel thrive here. Ample, fleshy Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc dominate white wine production. Some old-vine plantings of Grenache have also been discovered and more recent experiments with Sangiovese and Barbera show great promise.