Cosentino Winery
2012 The Franc
Cabernet Franc
California: Lodi-Woodbridge
Mission Briefing
THE real deal
Today’s Cosentino Winery 2012 The Franc is a delicious wine and a prime example of why we love Cab Franc so much here at TWS. When the varietal is done right - and, boy, is today’s wine more than done right - it’s a deeply flavorful and food friendly wine that is a great option for a gourmet dinner party or relaxing on your back porch.
Cosentino has long been one of our favorite wineries, routinely crafting some of the best and most sought after wines coming from Napa. Today’s wine is in a similar vein, without the heavyweight price tag that typically comes from high-end Napa reds. At only $15.99, we would be hard-pressed to find a better value out there. What’s more, today’s Cab Franc drinks like a wine that should cost much more.
Today’s wine shines on its own, but really comes to life when paired with a homemade gourmet burger with all the fixings. Cheers!
Tasting Profile
| Look: | Deep crimson. |
|---|---|
| Smell: | Sweet fruity aromas of blackberry and black cherry leap from the glass, trailed by hints of cherry tobacco, clove, black peppercorn, dried flower petals, and a touch of rosemary and thyme. |
| Taste: | Lush and robust flavors greet you on the palate, with juicy red currant, boysenberry, and sweet plum layered overtop fresh forest floor, sandalwood, cigar box, black peppercorn, dried lavender, and a touch of pomegranate herbal black tea. |
| Finish: | Very approachable and incredibly sippable, the lengthy finish is highlighted by juicy fruit slowly trailing away to hints of dark baking spice. |
| Pairing: | A gourmet burger prepared on the grill, with blue cheese, fresh mushrooms, and plenty of fresh veggies. Served with a side of homemade red cabbage cole slaw. |
What the Winery Says
Deep crimson in color with sweet and spicy notes of fresh herbs and clove, layered over youthful fruit aromatics. Intense flavors of tart, dark fruit pair with hints of black pepper on the palate. This medium-to-full bodied wine has great structure and a long finish.
Pair simply with bruscetta topped with Gorgonzola and walnuts, or with just about any protein off the BBQ. For elegant entertaining, try with roast duck finished with juniper berries. - See more at: http://www.cosentinowinery.com/2012-the-franc#sthash.DK0ckqFs.dpuf
- Appellation
- Lodi, California
- Fruit Variety
- 76% Cabernet Franc, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Malbec
- Cooperage
- 20 months in 25% new French and Hungarian
- ABV
- 14.5%
About the Winery
When Cosentino Winery was built in 1990, it was our intention to grow a world class estate Merlot that could not only stand on its own, but one that would have enough depth and character to become a key element in Cosentino’s popular Meritage blends such as “The Poet”.
Our Estate Merlot is grown on 3.5 acres directly behind the Winery and is well regarded as some of the most renowned Merlot produced in Napa Valley. Although the majority of our Estate grown Merlot is harvested and often blended into Cosentino’s most popular Meritage wines, it has historically been produced in limited amounts as “The Estate Merlot”. The Cosentino Estate Merlot is a very rare release and will only be harvested when the conditions for the year are absolutely perfect.
Since 1997 only five vintages have been released: 1997, 1999, 2001, 2001 and the last vintage, 2005, was released to Wine Club in 2009.
Winemaker Marty Petersen
Marty comes from a family with a rich farming history. In 1904, his great-grandfather, Carl Peterson, made his way by ferry to Lodi, an agricultural community at the mouth of the Sacramento River Delta, 60 miles east of San Francisco, where he founded the family ranch.
For more than a century, the Peterson family has farmed 100 acres in the Lodi region, now planted to fine wine grape varietals, as well as Bing cherries. The fourth generation of growers from the family property, Marty grew up in a community of farmers who shared a similar commitment to the land. The childhood friends and family relationships forged over many years are still firmly in place, giving him an insider’s insight—and connections— into this important, emerging winegrowing region.
Marty received his Bachelor of Sciences in Enology from Fresno State University in 2002, giving him expertise on the cellar side and refining his natural farming knowledge. He joined Vintage Wine Estates in 2011 as winemaker for Viansa Sonoma; in May of 2015 he was then appointed winemaker at Cosentino Winery, where he draws on his deep roots in the Lodi region, as well as his knowledge of the Napa and Sonoma appellations, to create uniquely expressive wines of balance and complexity.