Black Star Farms
Old Mission Peninsula
Suttons Bay, Michigan, USA
12% abv
$29.50 a bottle
When I was in Traverse City this summer I bought one bottle of this wine and took it back to the hotel to see if I really liked it. The wine seemed tasty when I sampled it, I really like Cabernet Franc on top of that, but sampling is different than sitting back with a full glass of wine.
Well, I was back at the Black Star store, located in the Village at Grand Traverse Commons, buying the few bottles they had left of this vintage. Yes, I really liked this one.
Appearance: garnet body with some ruby highlights. This looks like it is going to be a medium-full bodied Franc.
Aroma: blackberry, soil earthiness, little smoky. Overall, a nice little nose.
Flavors: tasty blackberry, spice, mineral soil, smoky with a hint of oak on the finish (toasted oak).
Mouthfeel: thick, close to the jammy side, tannins and acidity while present were under control, lingering dark berries that just coat the old teeth and gums.
My Strength Rating: 7.5 – the lingering notes and the ‘almost jammy’ style kicks it up a notch.
To the Point: This is my type of Cab Franc. Nice earthy tones, blackberry without being bitter, spice without being too peppery. If you want a good quality Franc find this in a store near you and give it a try. This is a very worthy wine to try. Don’t forget – Black Star Farms is out of it – the wine that is.
