WBW #44 French Cabernet Franc

Olek-Mery
2004 Chinon Cuvée des Tireaux
12.5%
First of all, shout-out to the Wine Library where I bought this wine. Now that WLTV is so hot, being from North Jersey is something to brag about. But onto the wine.
Being a newbie to Cab Franc, I can better describe what this wine isn’t than what it is. It isn’t dark. It isn’t heavy. It doesn’t smell like jam. I drink a lot of French wine and this is a different animal than the Bordeaux/Burgundy/Côtes de Rhône/Beaujolais/Chateauneuf du Pape I’ve had. It seems to have a mineral quality I’m much more accustomed to in white wine. It’s a light-colored red, light bodied as well. It slips over the tongue without packing a wallop of fruit and tannin, unlike many Cabernet Sauvignons (which, by the way, I often enjoy). On the nose, I’m probably picking up something slightly vegetal, as is said about the varietal. I quite enjoyed this wine. There was a nice amount of acid, good balance, and nothing overpowering—very food friendly. I’ll be back to try more.