2003 Carr cabernet franc. Santa Ynez Valley. 14%Alc

As a big fan of 100% cab francs, I thought I knew what to expect. That dry crispness, explosion of berries and an inner belief my bad cholesterol will be cleansed forever. I'd open a bottle one or two days in advance knowing this beauty needs air and lots of it. Lamb and cab franc the ideal pairing, a meal made for this wine. That familiar dusty nose like grannies attic, real fall fruits without the genetically enhanced interference, the dark opacity you don't find in sangiovese or pinot. Not any more. Ryan has just pulled me from that comfort blanket and shown me a new room filled with cab franc that I didn't know existed. Step this profile up a notch or two. I want to drink this all the time. Cab franc to me is understated and delicious anyway, a stand alone, too psychologically advanced to be in the company of cab sauv in most circumstances except for the successive Bouchet from Fred Brander or an accompaniment for super-Tuscans. This '03 has none of it and more. 96 cases of this, I'm tempted to buy his stash. The fruit was picked obviously on the day they were ready not one day before or after. The juice was put into bottles on the day it too was ready. The result, incredible or in the words of those present "fucking incredible". Unexpected, delicious, ripe, clean, yet almost immediately ready to drink and not share. Fifteen minutes of oxidation and I expected a fight over this, determined to win at all costs. The finish, or at least a respite for half an hour or so left my palate sensing a flavour that reminded me of drinking fresh Canadian water drawn from a melting glacier. The soft mouth feel, no chewy tanins, a completely approachable wine from start to finish.
Ryan to my surprise had recommended drinking this with pasta dishes, pizza, tomato based foods. I raised an eyebrow, who wouldn't ? I didn't take up the challenge but wanted to see what it was like with tonight's' offerings of cheese, chicken, olives, etc. The Stilton and Raclette won hands down but the chicken - whole roasted and served cold, the brie the lightest of cheeses on the plate and the prosciutto came to it's defense. And how. Fruitiness without being a fruit bomb, balanced but softer than any cab franc to date. To say overwhelming might appear biased so I won't but to be sure as you can tell from the notes above, definitely one to get hold of soon.

January 15, 2006

Cheers