Wednesday came just in time.
#winewednesday feels
REVIEW OF:
Lazy Bones Cabernet Franc, 2014
Paso Robles, CA
$7.99 at Trader Joe’s
This is probably a good time to remind you that I’m not being paid to do this, because I am about to sing some serious praises to Trader Joe’s. God how I love fucking Trader Joe’s. Let me count the ways:
… mostly it’s the good, cheap wine.
But also the awesome, talkative associates, one of whom instructed me on how to make what is now one of my favorite snacks: marinated mozzarella balls skewered with grape tomatoes on a toothpick, drizzled with balsamic glaze. Insert heart-eyes emoji here.
But also I found this bottle of cabernet franc — out of Robles! — for eight bucks.
I love Trader Joe’s.
Cabernet Franc
If this varietal sounds familiar but not, that’s for good reason: you may be thinking of cabernet sauvignon, the popular red of Bordeaux, Napa, and fancy steakhouses everywhere.
Cab franc is just as old (actually, older) and a little different — it’s lighter, more fruit-forward, and better drunk young. It doesn’t have the same acid and tannin structure that lend cabernet sauvignon so well to wood aging.
Fun fact: Cabernet franc is actually cabernet sauvignon’s daddy! It was crossed with sauvignon blanc to produce the mega-popular red grape that is now grown all over the world.
Another fun fact: cabernet franc and sauvignon blanc may be my favorite red and white varietals on the Earth’s surface.
Because it’s lighter and a little flabbier (i.e. lacks the structural components that are required to create solid tertiary flavors) than other reds, cab franc is traditionally used as a blending grape to soften more aggressive varietals, especially in Bordeaux. But vintners are increasingly letting this lovely red grape stand alone, and I, for one, am really happy about it.
I remember the first time I had a taste of cab franc on its own. I was in Napa at a (really cool) wine bar called Bounty Hunter. They find and sell rare wines by the taste, glass, and retail — and it’s also a barbecue joint. Like, can I live there?
Anyway, I ordered a 2-ounce pour of this bottle (that pour alone cost me $6, markups are a bitch), and I was blown to pieces. So much rich fruit! A balance of dark and bright red flavors, all with an undercurrent of something earthy and floral, and with that big, round mouthfeel you’d expect from anything with “cabernet” in the name. I was completely sold.
Lazy Bones
This whole bottle cost me only a little bit more than that first pour, and I am so, so glad I made the investment.
As soon as I popped the cork, I literally sighed aloud to no one, “Beautiful.” I might be crazy, though.
This guy’s first flavor is bright, hit-you-in-the-face red cherry — but it’s undercut with sage and tobacco leaf. The tannins are there, and they’re smoother and more velvety than I’ve ever experienced in a sub-$10 wine.
I’m clearly going to have to stop being so complimentary to every bottle I try, because I want to emphasize: this is the best “cheap” wine I’ve had in a long, long time.
If you give it a try, let me know what you think in the comments!
P.S. This wine is PURPLE. It’s so pretty in the glass. I love you, hump day. Goodnight.