Wine: Cabernet Franc Reserve
Winemaker: Barboursville
Vintage: 2013
Variety: Cabernet Franc
Price: £30
Buy Now: From GP Brands
Virginian Wine is certainly not something we come across often in the UK, in fact very few people even know that Virginia produces wine - but they should. It may not have the gleaming trophy name of Sonoma and Napa, but the various wine regions throughout Virginia are producing some outstanding wines, take this beauty for example.
The nose is flooding and oozing with dark berry brambles. There’s blackcurrant, dark cherry and ripe black plum bound together with a sweet freshness on the nose, a little fresh grass and a slight toffee. Top marks for expressing some key characteristics on the smell which continue to evolve as the wine opens up.
Upon taste you’re presented with a plethora of fresh meadow berries, ripe for picking with a lovely finesse. Dark brambles, black cherry and a fresh blackberry licorice hit the mid-palate with slight tannins reaching the back of the tongue. There’s a little cedar oak element that works well alongside the freshness to cover the entirety of the palate. The tannins kick in briefly at the very end, a slight coating on the tongue as the finale of the experience.
In summary, there’s a lot to be said for Virginian wines and more effort should be made to locate and explore them. Make it your mission in 2017 to try something you’d never otherwise have thought to experience.
