Quick Sip: Substance 2009 Cabernet Franc
Today’s “Quick Sip” is the Substance 2009 Cabernet Franc. Substance is the result of a joint venture in Walla Walla, WA, between Waters Winery and Gramercy Cellars, with the objective of producing good quality, affordable wines that showcase the regional character of Washington State. The Substance 2009 Cabernet Franc was crafted from fruit grown in the Walla Walla Valley AVA (American Viticultural AVA). The Walla Walla Valley AVA is a sub-appellation of the larger Columbia Valley AVA and extends partly into the northeastern corner of Oregon. This up-and-coming wine region has earned a well-deserved reputation for producing high quality red wines, especially Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
Substance 2009 Cabernet Franc
The Substance 2009 Cabernet Franc comes from an area in the Walla Walla Valley AVA known as the “Rocks,” which is gaining a name for itself for producing distinctive terroir-driven wines. What is interesting is that the “Rocks” is on the Oregon side of the state line. Despite what side of the state line the fruit comes from, this is a pretty tasty Walla Walla Valley Cabernet Franc wine. The Cabernet Franc leans heavily towards an Old World style with subtle cherry and raspberry fruit aromas that co-mingle with herbal and mineral overtones. The palate is medium-bodied and balanced with tart berry and subtle earthy flavors and a smidgen of leafy and mild mocha notes with a medium-length finish. The good folks at Substance characterize this Cabernet Franc as a “restrained’ wine and they are right on the money - it’s supple, balanced, and all about moderation. The Substance 2009 Cabernet Franc retails for $20, has a real cork enclosure, and clocks in at 13.5% ABV. This wine sips nicely on its own and will pair well with a wide variety of foods ranging from pork and roasted lamb to veggie pizza.
** Local Twist ** Cabernet Franc is in the top three in grape production and acreage in Virginia, and is as important a varietal wine as it is a blending variety. Some of the best local examples are easy drinking and bright with red berry fruit, violets, and herbal nuances both on the nose and on the palate. Style and quality differ from tasting room to tasting room, but if you haven’t tried a Virginia Cabernet Franc yet, then get out and enjoy a few.
Have a question about this post, friends? Feel free to leave a comment or send me an e-mail at myvinespot@yahoo.com, and as always, Happy Sipping! Stay tuned ...more to come!
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2 Comments:
Walla Walla is also pounding out some killer Syrah. Where can I find this wine? I love a lot of the Gramercy Cellars stuff. It is a pretty exciting time for WA State since the 2007's and 2008's are the best vintage they have had. Some great Juice.
As for the local Cab Franc, do you think it will stay this way? I think that in time Cab Franc will get knocked off by some other reds that have more consistency vintage to vintage in Virginia, like Petit Verdot, Tannat, or even in my case Syrah.
Jordan Harris - Tarara Winery
Hey Jordan,
I’m trying to get my hands on some Walla Walla Syrah as I type this reply. As for this wine, I met the producer via social media channels and the best way to get their wine is from the winery. I also have a Substance Merlot that I don’t mind sharing :-) Also, I’m trying to put a small Leonetti Cellars tasting together with a good friend who has quite a bit of their wines cellared – you should try to make that one!
To be frank about the local Franc, I think it keep its crown for a while since it’s so much of it planted and bottled. I’ve definitely tasted some good examples of Tannat and Syrah, but those bottles are few – just not enough of that stuff for producers to popularize and gain consumer recognition as was done with Cabernet Franc. The industry, not the consumer, made Cabernet Franc a household name. I think Petit Verdot has good potential – but more needs to be planted, more needs to be made, then there has to be some sort of consistency in both quality and style. I think a lot of the early buzz about Petit Verdot is because it’s fairly new and one of the wines VA can produce that has the potential to have some size/structure --- red meat wine. Thanks for the comment and look forward to visiting soon, bro.
Cheers!
Dezel
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