Cabernet Franc – Cristaldi & Co

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2010

Millbrook Winery

Block Three East Cabernet Franc Reserve

This is absolutely spectacular. At 15 years of age, the wine is riveting—showing the kind of secondary complexity you might wait 25 years to see in Bordeaux or Napa. Here, Cabernet Franc has evolved into a deeply expressive, medium- to full-bodied wine with layered cassis and red currant fruit, loamy earth, and dried eucalyptus. Notes of bay laurel, orange zest, and a hint of vanilla lift the finish, which is long, earthy, and energized by zesty acidity.

Red

2010

Paumanok Vineyards

Grand Vintage Cabernet Franc

The 2010, which winemaker Kareem Massoud opened, was seriously impressive—showing pure berry fruit, currants, and warm brown spices. Juicy acidity lifts the mid-palate, while pressed floral notes and firm, expressive tannins guide the wine toward a long, mineral-driven finish.

Red

2010

The Red Hook Winery

Cabernet Franc Legacy Series Lot #305

From Mark Snyder’s Red Hook Winery comes this Reserve, crafted by Christopher Nicolson with consulting from Abe Schoener. At 15 years of age, it’s remarkably enjoyable—downright enviable. The wine has developed an almost sherry-like character, with ripe cassis evolving into dark, sweet currants layered with baking spices and maple-honey tannins. Rich tones of dark loamy earth and black tea deepen the complexity, while the long, lingering finish echoes with salted crushed almonds, dried dates, and apricot.

Red

2017

Element Winery

Equilibrium Wine Farm

2017 marked the first year that partners Christopher P. Bates MS, and Robert W. Bates began farming this estate, managing to coax just under a ton per acre from the vineyard. Sourced from their Sunspot and Underdog blocks, the fruit was destemmed, spontaneously fermented with ambient yeasts, then basket-pressed and aged in old neutral French oak. Bottled unfined and unfiltered, the wine strikes a nice balance between fruit density and rustic earthiness, lending real complexity. Dark cherry fruit and cocoa powder tannins create a chewy, textured palate, lifted by tangy acid tension. The low yields undoubtedly contribute to the wine’s depth and concentration. Now, eight years on, this wine still has a promising future ahead!

Red

2017

The Red Hook Winery

Cabernet Franc Reserve

From Mark Snyder’s Red Hook Winery comes this Reserve bottling, crafted by Christopher Nicolson with consulting by Napa Valley legend Robert Foley. A standout in the lineup I tasted on a Sunday in early June, this wine is rich, satiny, velvety, and plush. I first met Snyder years ago on the bottling line at Foley’s Howell Mountain winery. The wine shows real skill in coaxing supple fruit energy and layered charm from Seneca Lake-grown grapes. There’s plenty of power and length here, with firm tannins to support further aging. Black pepper, tobacco, loamy earth, and emerging black tea notes add nuance to the dark fruit core. It’s drinking beautifully now, but its structure promises even greater complexity with time.

Red

2018

Kalasi Cellars

Kanchi Red Wine

This Bordeaux blend features Cabernet Sauvignon Clone 685, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Carménère, aged for an impressive 48 months in neutral French oak. Named “Kanchi,” after a village in South India renowned for its wedding saris, the name evokes a sense of rich history and elegance—qualities reflected in the wine itself. The wine is both elegant and intense, offering high-toned red berry fruit and warm spices. Full-bodied, it boasts plump, velvety tannins with layers of mocha, brown spices like cardamom and coriander, and intriguing notes of grapefruit zest and orange peel. The finish is long and deeply satisfying, marking this wine as a standout.

Red

2018

Whitecliff

Cabernet Franc

This Pineau de Charentes–style wine is made from Cabernet Franc, originally fermented as a rosé before being fortified with grape brandy and aged in neutral American oak for seven years. The result is reminiscent of a Tawny Port, with bright hazelnut and red cherry notes, lifted by a vivid spine of acidity. Lush and complex, it also shows layers of bruised and baked apples, apricots, and honeycomb. Delcious—and rather exceiting.

Orange

2019

Becker Vineyards

Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2019 Becker Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, sourced from the Wilmeth Vineyard (also known as Diamante Doble) in the Texas High Plains, is a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 1.6% Petit Verdot, and 1.4% Cabernet Franc. Aged for 30 months in a combination of 70% American oak (35% new) and 30% French oak (20% new), this wine is juicy, approachable, and easy to drink. It features satiny, silky tannins and rich dark berry flavors, accented by ample brown baking spices. The palate carries a welcome lean elegance, leading to a long finish with fantastic slate and iron minerality and a touch of wild herbs. During the tasting, I also sampled a 2016 vintage, which showed remarkable evolution—fuller, richer, and with more intense tannins. Its truffle notes and loamy earth character were reminiscent of aged California Cabernet or Bordeaux Supérieur. Both vintages exemplify the vineyard’s exceptional potential and craftsmanship.

Red

2019

The Red Hook Winery

Black and Blue Reserve

From Mark Snyder’s Red Hook Winery comes this Reserve red—a full-bodied, bold expression of Cabernet Franc crafted by Christopher Nicolson with consulting by Napa Valley luminary Robert Foley. Dark black and blue fruits lead the charge, framed by rich loamy earth, savory black olive, and dried violet notes. The tannins are textured and powerful, reminiscent of cinnamon-dusted cocoa powder, resolving in an earthy, lingering finish.

Red

2019

The Red Hook Winery

Jamesport Vineyard Cabernet Franc

From Mark Snyder’s Red Hook Winery comes this single-vineyard Cabernet Franc, bursting with red cherry and raspberry fruit, rose petal florals, and savory tobacco nuances. The medium- to full-bodied palate layers in smoked paprika, blood orange acidity, and a touch of tangy grapefruit zest. Firm, mineral-laced tannins provide structure and length, ushering in a finish that’s both darkly earthy and brightly mineral. Produced and bottled at Red Hook Winery by Christopher Nicolson with consulting by Robert Foley.

Red

2020

Element Winery

Cabernet Franc

2020 was a blockbuster vintage for the region—ripe, opulent, and particularly favorable for red wines, though the winery tragically lost much of its crop to frost. Thanks to expert farming by the team at Hermann J. Wiemer, this Cabernet Franc—sourced from Serenity Vineyard—was hand-picked, meticulously sorted, and fermented naturally before resting for 18 months in a single 600L neutral French oak puncheon. Bottled unfined and unfiltered, it’s a blockbuster in style: a bold and expressive wine, showing medium to full-bodied intensity with layers of dark berry fruit, cassis, and currant. A woodsy, earthy richness carries through on the palate, framed by towering, sappy tannins that structure the juicy kirsch and spice-laden core. Notes of green tobacco and bay laurel add complexity. Drink now or cellar for the next 3–5 years.

Red

2020

Lakewood Vineyards

Reserve Cabernet Franc

Fruit was sourced from Miles Vineyards, located 15 miles north of Lakewood on the west side of Seneca Lake. Fermented on the skins for 14 days with partial malolactic conversion, the wine was aged on moderate lees in 60-gallon French oak barrels for 24 months. Fragrant cherry fruit mingles with sandalwood nuances, a kiss of cinnamon, and smoky clove. Medium-bodied, with a spicy smoked paprika intensity and fine, firm tannins that carry notes of green tobacco and black tea. Saline-driven acidity fuels the juicy finish.

Red

2021

Adirondack Winery

Autumn in the Park Cabernet Franc

Sourced from Doyle Vineyard Management in New York’s Finger Lakes region—renowned for cultivating native grapes, hybrids, and vinifera for wineries across the state—this red was crafted from vinifera grapes cold-soaked for 24 hours, fermented whole berry for six days, then aged 10 months in a mix of French and American oak. This is a truly intriguing wine that lures you in with expressive red berry fruit, spiced with cinnamon and underscored by espresso bean and thick, maple-cured bacon notes. The medium-bodied to medium-full palate delivers baked cherry fruit and cherry pit nuances that linger on a long, salty mineral finish.

Red

2021

Airy Acres Vineyard

Cabernet Franc

Airy Acres Vineyard is a 21-acre certified sustainable estate vineyard on the west side of Cayuga Lake in New York’s Finger Lakes region. This 2021 Cabernet Franc was fermented on the skins for approximately 14 days in bins, then pressed and aged for 12 months in French oak barrels that were at least two years old. Pale in color—almost rosé-like—it opens with a subtle lift of high-toned acidity on the nose before revealing a supple, red-berry palate layered with spice and espresso bean nuances. Serve well-chilled alongside hard, salty cheeses for maximum enjoyment.

Red

2021

Brennan Vineyards

Cabernet Franc

This Cabernet Franc from the Blackwater Draw Vineyard in the Texas High Plains is a heady, floral-scented red with vibrant red fruit flavors. The wine is framed by blood orange acidity and crunchy apple skin tannins, which build on the finish and culminate in a burst of sweet Indian spices.

Red

2021

Jenblossom Cellars

Cabernet Franc

This wine shows a dark-fruited nose with loamy earth and blue fruit so characteristic of this area. Wonderful dark forest and savory tones mingle with dark chocolate notes, while firm, fine-grained tannins build through the full-bodied finish. Winemaker Jason Englert oversees an 80,000 case production across all Heath Family Brands (Grape Creek Vineyards, Heath Sparkling Wines, Jenblossom Cellars and Invention Vineyards).

Red

2021

JMC Cellars

The Blind Pig

Cofermented from all five traditional Bordeaux varieties, this blend comes from a field planting of less than an acre in the Davis Vineyard. Intensely savory and deeply expressive, it opens with bold aromas of blackcurrant, licorice, dried herbs, oak, and a touch of vanilla extract. The palate is supple and rich, continuing the savory thread with ripe, plummy dark fruit, impressive concentration, and a lift of blood orange acidity. -JR

Red

2021

Millbrook Winery

Proprietor's Special Reserve Cabernet Franc

A six-barrel selection aged in two-year-old barrels. Hand-picked, destemmed, and fermented in open-top tanks with punchdowns and pumpovers, then drained to barrel with primary lees and aged for approximately 15 months. The wine shows a bright, richly spiced character layered with red berry fruit, brown spices, black olive, licorice, and hints of leather. Robust tannins and juicy, grippy acidity are framed by aromatic Christmas spice, giving the wine both power and lift.

Red

2021

Paumanok Vineyards

Grand Vintage Cabernet Franc

Fermented in neutral oak with 50% whole berries, the result is savoury and red-fruited, with dusty mineral tones, subtle currant and fig notes on a lovely nose. Medium-bodied on the palate with juicy, spiced plum fruit, layered with brown spices, green olive, cherry wood, and mahogany. Supple yet robust tannins frame the wine, leading to a crunchy, acid-driven finish.

Red

2021

Paumanok Vineyards

minimalist Cabernet Franc

Native fermented on skins in stainless steel for two months with délestage before pressing, followed by malolactic fermentation and 12 months in puncheons, then filtered prior to bottling. The wine opens with pure red fruit, floral lift, and rose stem aromatics, leading to a creamy, medium-bodied palate with fine-grained tannins. Pretty notes of pressed flowers and wet slate minerality carry through the long, elegant finish, all framed by bright, juicy red-fruit acidity.

Red

2021

Roblar Winery & Vineyards

Estate Cabernet Franc (Gold Collection)

This is a rich, robust, and powerful expression of Cabernet Franc from the Santa Ynez Valley, offering heady aromas of tobacco leaf, dried sage, and ripe cassis, with subtle hints of lavender and black sage adding lift and complexity. Full-bodied on the palate, the wine is framed by muscular tannins that build steadily, driving toward a long, fragrant finish laced with stony minerality and savory depth.

Red

2022

Ab Astris Winery

Cabernet Franc

Aged for 36 months in 33% new French oak, this wine comes from Newsom Vineyards in Plains, Texas, located due west of Lubbock and just seven miles from the Texas–New Mexico border. It’s a well-built wine showing ripe currant and spiced plum fruit with cocoa powder notes on the nose, complemented by bright baking spice, sagebrush, Hatch pepper, and a meaty undertone. Medium-bodied on the palate, it reveals more spice character and a pleasant loamy earth minerality on the finish. Balanced and polished, with a lush texture. Ab Astris is a boutique, family-owned winery founded by Erin and Tony Smith, with Mike Nelson heading up winemaking. Their 12-acre estate, planted between 2018 and 2019, grows a range of varieties including Tannat, Souzão, Clairette Blanche, Petite Sirah, and Montepulciano.

Red

2022

Airy Acres Vineyard

Cabernet Franc

Airy Acres Vineyard is a 21-acre certified sustainable estate site on the west side of Cayuga Lake in New York’s Finger Lakes region, which sources this 2022 Cabernet Franc. Fermented on the skins for 11 days in bins, then pressed and aged for 10 months in a mix of seasoned French oak barrels and one new French oak barrel, this is a light, bright, fruit-forward expression with juicy plum fruit on the medium- to full-bodied palate, velvety tannins, and a dusting of cedarwood spice on the earthy, well-framed finish.

Red

2022

Anthony Road Wine Company

Cabernet Franc

Sourced from Martini Family Vineyard and Nutt Road Vineyard, this Cabernet Franc was aged for approximately 12 months in neutral French and American oak barrels. Dark, crunchy red fruit interlaces with cedarwood spice and the classic herbal character of the variety, lending a woodsy, aromatic quality. Firm, structured tannins frame the palate, with notes of tobacco on a saline-mineral finish.

Red

2022

Channing Daughters Winery

Cabernet Franc

A blend of 75% Cabernet Franc and 25% Syrah, this is an electric, vividly expressive wine bursting with cassis, strawberry, and black cherry fruit. Brown spices weave through a medium-bodied palate framed by fine, sinewy tannins and a distinct granularity. A salty-chalky mineral core and a spine of juicy, electric acidity give the wine structure and tension. Like most of James Christopher Tracy’s wines, it’s built for the table—food is not optional.

Red

2022

Dr. Konstantin Frank

Cabernet Franc

Fred Frank says the challenge for their Cabernet Franc lies in keeping yields to around three tons per acre, with careful leaf cropping and aging in French oak. This is a beautifully balanced, expressive example of Cabernet Franc—arguably one of the most structured and refined I tasted from the region. Red berry fruit mingles with elegant cedarwood spice and a fragrant pomegranate seed freshness. Medium-bodied with gorgeously firm, velvety tannins that anchor a core of crunchy red fruit, the palate is laced with refined baking spices and a touch of classic Cabernet Franc spice. The finish is mineral-driven, taut with acidity, and bursting with coiled energy. A wine to enjoy now and over the next 15–20+ years.

Red

2022

Eden Hill

Good Texan Red Wine

Eden Hill’s 2022 “Good Texan” is a blend of 75% Tempranillo, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. This straightforward red wine showcases vibrant strawberry fruit, complemented by dusty mineral notes and the scent of pressed violets. Medium-bodied with robust tannins, it finishes with a loamy earth character and emerging hints of strawberry fruit leather.

Red

2022

Hermann J Wiemer Vineyard

Cabernet Franc

This wine offers terrific texture, framed by apple skin tannins and pomegranate seed notes alongside vibrant cherry and apricot fruit. There’s excellent mid-palate depth, with a savory edge of olive tapenade adding complexity. Aged in a 50/50 split of stainless steel and neutral oak, it delivers both freshness and presence.

Red

2022

Hosmer Winery

Hosmer Winery Cabernet Franc

Made from 100% Cabernet Franc sourced from Patrician Verona Vineyards—a 70-acre, sustainably certified estate in the Cayuga Lake AVA—this is a pretty and complex wine. The fruit was racked into a mix of neutral French and American oak barrels, and aged for eight months. With source vines dating back to 1990 and the youngest planted in 2017, the resulting wine showcases elegant red berry fruit layered with brown baking spices, earth, and rose petal nuances. Juicy notes of blood orange and cranberry brighten the mid-palate, while lithe, sinewy tannins frame the supple texture of this medium-bodied expression.

Red

2022

Lamoreaux Landing

T23 Unoaked Cabernet Franc

Brambly red berry fruit mingles with cedarwood, brown baking spices, vanilla-coriander cream, and espresso bean aromatics. The palate echoes these notes, with juicy red fruit layered against a frame of elongated, beam-like tannins that lend structure and focus. A firm streak of racy acidity provides lift and tension through the long finish. Sourced from Clone #1 vines in the MJW Vineyard—a 23-acre sustainably certified estate site in the Seneca Lake AVA—utilizing whole-berry, semi-carbonic fermentation.