Full Review

Shenandoah Vineyards

Shenandoah Vineyards
2018 Cabernet Franc, Amador County

Pair this wine with:
Beef Vegetables

Category: Cabernet Franc

Date Tasted:
Country: USA
Alcohol: 14.5%
95 Points
Gold Medal
Exceptional
$20
Best Buy
2021 Best Cabernet Franc

Shenandoah Vineyards
2018 Cabernet Franc, Amador County

Pair this wine with:
Beef Vegetables

Category: Cabernet Franc

Date Tasted:
Country: USA
Alcohol: 14.5%
Dusty ruby color. Aromas of raspberry thumbprint cookies, grilled ladyfingers, redwood, and pimento with a round, vibrant, fruity medium-to-full body and a smooth, complex, long chocolate mousse and baklava finish with heavy oak flavor. A decadent and distinctive Cabernet Franc that assuages the palate with creamy oak and enlivens with snappy fruit and charming terroir.

Tasting Info

Wine Glass Style: Fruity, Juicy & Smooth, Oaky, Rich & Full & Spicy & Complex
Aroma Aroma: raspberry thumbprint cookies, grilled ladyfingers, redwood, and pimento
Taste Flavor: chocolate mousse and baklava
Sweetness Sweetness: Fruity
Enjoy Enjoy: Now-6 years on its own and with food
Recipes Pairing: Pot Roast, Steak & Potatoes, Beef Stew
Bottom Line Bottom Line: A decadent and distinctive Cabernet Franc that assuages the palate with creamy oak and enlivens with snappy fruit and charming terroir.

The Producer

Sobon Wine Company, LLC

The Producer
12300 Steiner Rd.
Plymouth, CA 95669
USA
1 209-245-4455

Their Portfolio

90 Shenandoah Vineyards 2018 Special Reserve, Zinfandel, Amador County 14.5% (USA) $12.00.
87 Shenandoah Vineyards 2018 ReZerve®, Barbera, Amador County 14.5% (USA) $24.00.
85 Shenandoah Vineyards 2016 Vintage Port, Amador County 18% (USA) $18.00.
88 Shenandoah Vineyards 2018 Black Muscat, Fortified Muscat, Amador County 17% (USA) $12.00.
95 Shenandoah Vineyards 2018 Cabernet Franc, Amador County 14.5% (USA) $20.00.
86 Shenandoah Vineyards 2018 Rezerve®, Malbec, Amador County 14.2% (USA) $24.00.
88 Shenandoah Vineyards 2019 Special Reserve, Zinfandel, Amador County 14.5% (USA) $12.00.
85 Shenandoah Vineyards 2020 Special Reserve, Zinfandel, Amador County 15% (USA) $13.00.
88 Sobon Estate 2018 Old Vine, Zinfandel, Amador County 14.5% (USA) $14.00.
90 Sobon Estate 2018 Rocky Top, Zinfandel, Amador County 14.5% (USA) $18.00.
93 Sobon Estate 2018 ReZerve® Zin, Zinfandel, Amador County 15.4% (USA) $24.00.
91 Sobon Estate 2018 Cougar Hill, Zinfandel, Amador County 14.5% (USA) $18.00.
92 Sobon Estate 2018 Lubenko Vineyard, Zinfandel, Fiddletown 15.5% (USA) $22.00.
92 Sobon Estate 2018 Paul’s, Zinfandel, Amador County 15.2% (USA) $24.00.
88 Sobon Estate 2018 ReZerve®, Primitivo, Amador County 15.1% (USA) $24.00.
87 Sobon Estate 2018 Barbera, Amador County 14.8% (USA) $17.00.
87 Sobon Estate 2018 Zinfandel Port, Amador County 18% (USA) $16.00.
86 Sobon Estate 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, California 13.8% (USA) $18.00.
85 Sobon Estate 2020 Viognier, Amador County 13.8% (USA) $17.00.
90 Sobon Estate 2018 ReZerve, Petite Sirah, Amador County 15.2% (USA) $28.00.
93 Sobon Estate 2019 Barbera, Amador 14.8% (USA) $17.00.
93 Sobon Estate 2019 Rocky Top, Zinfandel, Amador County 14.5% (USA) $18.00.
93 Sobon Estate 2019 Cougar Hill, Zinfandel, Amador County 14.5% (USA) $18.00.
89 Sobon Estate 2019 Old Vine, Zinfandel, Amador County 15% (USA) $14.00.
92 Sobon Estate 2019 Syrah, Amador County 14.5% (USA) $18.00.
92 Sobon Estate 2019 Red A Premium Blend, Amador County 14.5% (USA) $17.00.
93 Sobon Estate 2019 ReZerve®, Primitivo, Amador County 15.1% (USA) $24.00.
89 Sobon Estate 2019 ReZerve®, Zinfandel, Amador County 15.5% (USA) $24.00.
87 Sobon Estate 2020 Cougar Hill, Zinfandel, Amador County 15% (USA) $20.00.
90 Sobon Estate 2020 Rocky Top, Zinfandel, Amador County 15% (USA) $20.00.
86 Sobon Estate 2020 Old Vine, Zinfandel, Amador County 15% (USA) $15.00.
89 Sobon Estate 2020 Zinfandel, Fiddletown 15% (USA) $23.00.
90 Sobon Estate 2020 ReZerve®, Zinfandel, Amador County 15% (USA) $26.00.
85 Sobon Estate 2022 Dry Rosé, Amador County 13.5% (USA) $15.00.

Cabernet Franc

Wine Glass Cabernet.jpg
Serve in a Cabernet Wine Glass
Cabernet Franc is very closely related to cabernet sauvignon; it is widely presumed that cabernet franc is just a well established mutation. 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.