Full Review

Knapp Winery

Knapp Winery
2020 Cabernet Franc, Cayuga Lake

Pair this wine with:
Beef Pork Vegetables

Category: Cabernet Franc

Date Tasted:
Country: USA
Alcohol: 12.5%
94 Points
Gold Medal
Exceptional
$23

Knapp Winery
2020 Cabernet Franc, Cayuga Lake

Pair this wine with:
Beef Pork Vegetables

Category: Cabernet Franc

Date Tasted:
Country: USA
Alcohol: 12.5%
Garnet black color. Aromas and flavors of marinated meats, blackberry, and beets, wild berry chutney, shiso and bay leaves, and brown sugar with a silky, bright, dry-yet-fruity medium body and a smooth, interesting, medium-long finish that shows notes of honey, cherry, and fig, nut skin, floral water, and cedar and papyrus paper with dusty tannins and moderate oak flavor. A clean and precise cool climate Cabernet Franc with spot-on varietal character and juicy, chewy structure.

Tasting Info

Wine Glass Style: Fruity Juicy & Smooth New World Savory
Aroma Aroma: marinated meats, blackberry, and beets, wild berry chutney, shiso and bay leaves, and brown sugar
Taste Flavor: Same as aromas with notes of honey, cherry, and fig, nut skin, floral water, and cedar and papyrus paper
Sweetness Sweetness: Dry-yet-Fruity
Enjoy Enjoy: on its own with food
Recipes Pairing: Roast Pork Tenderloin, Bone In Ribeye Steak With A White Pepper Demi-Glaze Sauce, Beef Stew
Bottom Line Bottom Line: A clean and precise cool climate Cabernet Franc with spot-on varietal character and juicy, chewy structure.

The Producer

Knapp Winery & Vineyard Restaurant

The Producer
2770 Ernsberger Rd
Romulus, NY 14541
USA
1 607-930-3495

Cabernet Franc

Wine Glass Cabernet.jpg
Serve in a Cabernet Wine Glass
Cabernet Franc is a parent of Cabernet Sauvignon, and it is ideally suited to cooler climates, as it buds and ripens earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon. Additionally, it is less susceptible to poor weather during harvest. In the Medoc and Graves region of Bordeaux, where it typically constitutes about 15% of the final blend, it is seen as a measure of insurance against poor cabernet sauvignon or merlot weather. Cabernet franc used to be planted almost as widely as cabernet sauvignon in Bordeaux well into the 60s, but cabernet sauvignon had swung into such favor that 30 years later it had twice the acreage of cabernet franc.

Cabernet Franc tends to be lighter in color and tannins than cabernet sauvignon, with an earlier-maturing character. On Bordeaux's Right Bank, cabernet franc has a stronger foothold, and is best known as the dominant grape in the blend for the famed château, Cheval Blanc. It is the most widely planted red varietal in the Loire, where it yields lighter wines, like Chinon, with distinct herbal overtones. US cabernet francs are still largely in the experimental stage; there is a huge spectrum of interpretations, from heavy Napa wines to lighter styles from the East Coast.

Cabernet Franc is noted for its deep ruby red color and peppery, spicy character. It has moderate tannins and good acidity. Generally a Cabernet Franc should be consumed with some age - at least five years - while the finest versions drink well for more than twenty years.

Pair Cabernet Franc with hearty foods such as wild game, game birds and roasts.