Grap Gr apev ap vin ine e |
Mark Friszolowski,Childress Vineyards’ winemaker, prepares to taste his favorite libation.
C
stor st o y by Tre or r vo v r Burt Burtton Bu
abernet Franc is a grape that lives in the shadows. If the wine world had a Rodney Dangerfield (“I don’t get no respect!”), this would be it. That’s a shame because Cabernet Franc is high on my list. And here’s the good part. Because it’s not an “in” wine, it doesn’t command prices bordering on ridiculous. A great wine and a great value. A second piece of good news; Cabernet Franc has found a home here in North Carolina. Several winegrowers have it in their portfolio. The one that tickles my palette is made by Childress Vineyards in Lexington. I’ll get back to that particular wine a li ttle later. First, let’s take a mo re general look at Cabernet Franc wines.
Dark Horse in the Running Lake L ake e No orman or man n Cu urr urr rrent ents en nts | Mar March Marc h 20 2009 9
Being totally Franc can be quite tasty
Cool and Collected Cabernet Franc has a lig hter color and is less tannic than its big brother, Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s typically light to medium bodied. You get a dose of fruit flavors — cherries and berries. But the thing that grabs my attention and loyalty is the whiff of herbs, spices and a nice dash of leathery stuff. I had a g lass of Cabernet Franc from northeastern Italy at a wine dinner put on by Positano Osteria in Birkdale to celebrate its one-year anniversary. At first the wine tasted a little rough and rustic, but after a few minutes it opened up and softened out. It was a g orgeous wine t hat had a finish reminding me of nice, strong coffee. Simific. ply terrifi Cabern Cabernet Franc is used as a blending grape to create the great g wines of Bordeaux. It’s also used in the Borde deaux-st blends called Meritage that Bordeaux-style you find in C Califor California. It plays third fiddle behind raape, the ma in ggra pe, C abernet Sa uvignon, a nd t he ing gr second blendin blending grape, Merlot. Maybe that’s why it doesn’t get su such uch ggreat billing. That’s only fair beall amount a cause just a sma small is added to the mix for purposses and to help make the wines a aromatic purposes little less stern n than they would otherwise be. Herr s a little wine trivia. You may Here’ haav seen the movie, “Sideways.” have
40
LNC 0309 2.indd 40
2/18/09 2:45 PM