Full Review

Mira Winery

Mira Winery
2021 Estate, Cabernet Franc, Napa Valley

Pair this wine with:
Beef Vegetables

Category: Cabernet Franc

Date Tasted:
Country: USA
Alcohol: 15.5% RS: .05%
91 Points
Gold Medal
Exceptional
$95
Cellar Selection

Mira Winery
2021 Estate, Cabernet Franc, Napa Valley

Pair this wine with:
Beef Vegetables

Category: Cabernet Franc

Date Tasted:
Country: USA
Alcohol: 15.5% RS: .05%
Dark garnet color. Aromas and flavors of grilled bell pepper filled with blackberry jam, black currant, black cherry, and leather and cedar with a round, tangy, dryish medium-to-full body and a warming, elegant, medium-long finish imparting overtones of blackberry and vanilla, black cherry baked in braised bell pepper, leather and herbs, and cocoa dusted cigar with medium tannins and moderate oak flavor. A big and barrel forward Cab Franc with an herbal quality that maintains its structure; will be great with grilled or roasted meats.

Tasting Info

Wine Glass Style: New World
Aroma Aroma: grilled bell pepper filled with blackberry jam, black currant, black cherry, and leather and cedar
Taste Flavor: Same as aromas with overtones of blackberry and vanilla, black cherry baked in braised bell pepper, leather and herbs, and cocoa dusted cigar
Sweetness Sweetness: Dryish
Enjoy Enjoy: Now-3 years on its own and with food
Recipes Pairing: Pot Roast, Steak & Potatoes, Beef Stew
Bottom Line Bottom Line: A big and barrel forward Cab Franc with an herbal quality that maintains its structure; will be great with grilled or roasted meats.

The Producer

Mira Winery

The Producer
433 Soscol Ave Suite A100-3
Napa, CA 94559
USA
1 707-945-0881

Their Portfolio

97 Mira Winery 2012 Schweizer Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District, Napa Valley 15.5% (USA) $300.00.
89 Mira Winery 2013 Hyde Vineyard, Chardonnay, Carneros, Napa Valley 14.5% (USA) $115.00.
94 Mira Winery 2014 Hyde & Sons Vineyard Pinot Noit, Pinot Noir, Carneros, Napa Valley 14.5% (USA) $105.00.
93 Mira Winery 2013 Hyde Vineyard, Syrah, Carneros, Napa Valley 16% (USA) $95.00.
89 Mira Winery 2019 Jimmy D’s Red Blend, Red Varietal Blend, Napa Valley 15% (USA) $60.00.
95 Mira Winery 2016 Hyde Vineyard, Merlot, Carneros, Napa Valley 15% (USA) $75.00.
93 Mira Winery 2018 Schweizer Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District, Napa Valley 15% (USA) $250.00.
94 Mira Winery 2019 Napa Valley, Chardonnay, Oak Knoll District, Napa Valley 13.5% (USA) $50.00.
88 Mira Winery 2022 Estate White Wine Blend, Yountville, Napa Valley 14.5% (USA) $75.00.
88 Mira Winery 2022 Estate, Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley 13% (USA) $85.00.
92 Mira Winery 2022 OvAu White Blend, Napa Valley 15.5% (USA) $85.00.
92 Mira Winery 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District, Napa Valley 15% (USA) $95.00.
90 Mira Winery 2021 Jimmy D’s Red Blend, Napa Valley 15% (USA) $65.00.
90 Mira Winery 2021 Jimmy D’s Red Blend, Napa Valley 15% (USA) $65.00.
91 Mira Winery 2021 Estate, Cabernet Franc, Napa Valley 15.5% (USA) $95.00.
91 Mira Winery 2021 Estate Cab Franc, Cabernet Franc, Napa Valley 15.5% (USA) $95.00.
90 Mira Winery 2021 Estate, Petit Verdot, Napa Valley 15% (USA) $95.00.
90 Mira Winery 2021 Estate, Petit Verdot, Napa Valley 15% (USA) $95.00.
92 Mira Winery 2019 Hyde Vineyard, Chardonnay, Carneros, Napa Valley 14.5% (USA) $95.00.
92 Mira Winery 2017 Hyde Vineyard, Merlot, Yountville, Napa Valley 14.5% (USA) $75.00.
94 Mira Winery 2009 Hyde Vineyard, Syrah, Napa Valley 15.5% (USA) $45.00.
94 Mira Winery 2010 Hyde Vineyard, Syrah, Napa Valley 14.5% (USA) $45.00.
93 Mira Winery 2011 Hyde Vineyard, Syrah, Napa Valley 14.2% (USA) $45.00.
92 Mira Winery 2014 Schweizer Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District, Napa Valley 14.5% (USA) $250.00.

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.