Cabernet Franc Dinner (featuring Clos Rougeard)

Thanks to Chris for organizing this dinner. It was great meeting everyone at dinner and I'm looking forward to our next dinner together.

• 2008 A. Margaine Champagne Blanc de Blancs Special Club 93 Points

  France, Champagne

  Paul was lauding th 2008 champagnes prior to me trying this and it really lived up to his billing. Great combination of zip and rich fruit which creates great balance. As the evening progressed, the glass I set aside filled out a bit. The florals became a bit more pungent, the pears and apples fleshed out a bit and a very nice lemon edge built.

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• 2006 Owen Roe Cabernet Franc Rosa Mystica 84 Points

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley

  A rather warm and round Cabernet Franc. I can see how this would certainly appeal to a lot of people as the flavors were dense and powerful, but stylistically it missed the mark for me. Not enough earthy/green notes...and from what I know about the 2006 vintage, that makes a lot of sense. The heat in the vineyard probably keeps this from being a bit leaner.

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• 2005 Wolf Family Vineyards Cabernet Franc 89 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  More charming than the Owen Roe Cabernet Franc drank alongside it. This was the first Wolf Family wine I had ever tried, and it had some nice earthy, smokey flavors. I think the oak influence turned off a couple people, but I felt it was a pretty nice package. A bit fleshier and riper than the traditional Loire cabernet franc...maybe a bit more (modern) BDX in nature?

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• 1996 Havens Wine Cellars Bourriquot 92 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  A really beautiful wine that was potentially the closest example to traditional Loire cabernet franc from the US that I've had lately. Wherever you looked there was funky red fruit, roses, and earth. Tannins were perfectly resolved, and the structure was in a great place.

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• 1996 Peter Michael Les Pavots 92 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Knights Valley

  Good to know that Peter Michael hasn't always been producing atrocious red wines. This was stellar and while drank alongside a 1996 Havens Cab Franc provided a great, albeit melancholy, view of how great traditionally styled california cabernet franc can be? Are producers still making stuff like this? I don't know...but you rarely hear about it. There was a nice crunchy red fruit edge to it, with beautiful florals, some tobacco and ash. Drinking in a great place, but can go longer.

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• 1995 Catherine et Pierre Breton Bourgueil Les Perrières 91 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Bourgueil

  I've always been a big fan of Breton's from the mid-90s and this was another fine example. Had a bit of a mean streak to it at first with some sour notes, but they seemed to move into the background then dissipate with time. Beautiful cherry and tobacco notes here with some pepper and earth too. Yum city.

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• 2006 Clos Rougeard (Foucault) Saumur-Champigny Les Poyeux 94 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur-Champigny

  My favorite bottle thus far. This had more going on and seemed to have begun coming out of its shell a bit. The cherry tones were more forward and when combined with peppers and earth produced a really killer, regal nose. Palate was edgy and refined with great fruits, florals and earth and nice acidity. Should be able to age effortlessly for years to come.

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• 2007 Clos Rougeard (Foucault) Saumur-Champigny Les Poyeux 92 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur-Champigny

  Pretty consistent with my previous bottles. Good amount of tobacco and pepper on the nose with elegant floral and cherry tones. This was drank alongside the 2006 Poyeux and where I think this fell a bit short was the mid-palate. Seemed a but thin in comparison to the 2006. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this very much. I'm bullish on 2007 Loire cabernet franc so my other bottles will be resting for a while now.

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• 2008 Clos Rougeard (Foucault) Saumur-Champigny Les Poyeux 90 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur-Champigny

  Didn't find this as engaging or charming as the other Poyeux's this night. Still a great wine, there's a lot to like here. While the 2005s, 2006s, 2007s rest in your cellar here's a great option to drink now. Seems to have a really ripe core of fruit. A bit less on the earth and tobacco and more on the florals and fruit. A delicious wine.

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• 2009 Clos Rougeard (Foucault) Saumur-Champigny Les Poyeux 90 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur-Champigny

  Opened about 6 hours before I tried it. VERY YOUNG (no one is surprised...). The fruit is big, round and powerful at this point. This should be a great vintage of Rougeard, and with time I think the candied character of this should fade a bit. Underneath the big cherry and pomegranate flavors are hints of forest floor, some mint, and tobacco. Could be a great bottle in 10+ years. 90 points on potential...

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• 2007 Clos Rougeard (Foucault) Saumur-Champigny Le Bourg 95 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur-Champigny

  Do what you can to find this (at reasonable prices...). Definitely a young Rougeard, and Le Bourg can certainly take the longest to come around...but this is already a beast. The nose is amazing, and took me back to the first Rougeard I tried with my DC friends (Tim, Faryan, Bob, Brett, Alyssa, & Isaac) a while back. This had intense earth, floral, and peppery notes on the notes with a core of elegant red fruits. The palate was still youthful and the tannins were dialed up a bit. Bottom line here is that this will be (more) epic with time. If you see a bottle of Rougeard with "2007" written on it....buy it.

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• 1976 Weingut Andre Ediger Elzhofberg Riesling Beerenauslese 90 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Tasted blind. I was WAY WAY WAY off. Thought this was a newish Alsatian late harvest pinot gris. Anyways, let's change subjects....
  
  Had a really interesting white floral note (which was giving me that Alsatian pinot gris idea) with lychee and pineapple on the nose. Still had nice acidity and charm.

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