Every year we put time and effort into finding a commercial comparison for the upcoming LE wine release. While this will never be exactly the same as what you can expect from your wine, it does serve to give you an idea of what you may expect. If you are interested and want to try this wine in advance, or pick it up to try against your home crafted wine later, here’s the pick for the LE16 Cabernet Franc from the Yakima Valley in Washington.
Lady Hill Cabernet Franc 2013 – Columbia Valley. We found this wine at Craft Cellar, and it retails in the $56 range. The nose on this wine was big and bold – very aromatic! It led with spice and oak, leading into raspberry and currant, finishing with leather and oak with a hint of mint. Taste was spice forward leading into raspberry (tart, not sweet) into spice/pepper, currant . Finish changed to mouth watering then lingered with leather/oak. Wine itself was medium and refreshing, not heavy, with agreeable tannins.
We paired this wine with Springbank Extra Old White cheddar. This brought the fruit up and a hint of perceived sweetness while tempering the spice. Because this wine is medium with moderate tannins, it has a wide range of agreeable food pairings and easy drinkability. In conclusion: this wine is smooth, elegant and complex with a big nose! Very enjoyable and a great addition to your wine cellar.
FIND A RECIPE FROM WINEXPERT HERE
THIS SELECTION IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IN STORES – JANUARY 2017!