Full Review

William Heritage

William Heritage
2019 Estate Reserve Norman’s Vineyard, Cabernet Franc, Outer Coastal Plain

Pair this wine with:
Beef Vegetables

Category: Cabernet Franc

Date Tasted:
Country: USA
Alcohol: 13.8%
94 Points
Gold Medal
Exceptional
$48

William Heritage
2019 Estate Reserve Norman’s Vineyard, Cabernet Franc, Outer Coastal Plain

Pair this wine with:
Beef Vegetables

Category: Cabernet Franc

Date Tasted:
Country: USA
Alcohol: 13.8%
Ruby black color. Aromas and flavors of sweet stir fried peppers tossed in a mole sauce, blackberry, red currant, bing cherry, toasted seeds and lilac, and olive bread with a velvety, bright, dry medium body and a long finish displaying nuances of red and black berries, savory garden herb and sweet pepper tones, touch of oak, and black olive brine with well-integrated tannins and a suggestion of oak flavor. A fruity and savory expression of Cabernet Franc that is very soif-able.

Tasting Info

Wine Glass Style: Fruity & Savory
Aroma Aroma: sweet stir fried peppers tossed in a mole sauce, blackberry, red currant, bing cherry, toasted seeds and lilac, and olive bread
Taste Flavor: Same as aromas with nuances of red and black berries, savory garden herb and sweet pepper tones, touch of oak, and black olive brine
Sweetness Sweetness: Dry
Enjoy Enjoy: Now-3 years with food
Recipes Pairing: Pot Roast, Steak & Potatoes, Beef Stew
Bottom Line Bottom Line: A fruity and savory expression of Cabernet Franc that is very soif-able.

The Producer

William Heritage Winery

The Producer
480 Mullica Hill Road
Mullica Hill, NJ 08062
USA
1 856-589-4474

Their Portfolio

89 William Heritage 2021 Limited Release, Chenin Blanc, Outer Coastal Plain 12.7% (USA) $32.00.
89 William Heritage 2021 Limited Release, Semillon, Outer Coastal Plain 13.1% (USA) $34.00.
87 William Heritage 2021 Estate Reserve, Sauvignon Blanc, Outer Coastal Plain 13.1% (USA) $38.00.
94 William Heritage 2021 Rosé, Outer Coastal Plain 12.9% (USA) $26.00.
92 William Heritage 2021 Estate Reserve Rosé, Outer Coastal Plain 13% (USA) $34.00.
94 William Heritage 2020 Estate Reserve Five Gen Red Blend, Outer Coastal Plain 13.4% (USA) $42.00.
94 William Heritage 2019 Estate Reserve Norman’s Vineyard, Cabernet Franc, Outer Coastal Plain 13.8% (USA) $48.00.
87 William Heritage 2020 Estate Reserve Burn Pile Vineyard, Chambourcin, Outer Coastal Plain 13% (USA) $48.00.
95 William Heritage 2019 Reserve BDX Red Blend, Outer Coastal Plain 13.6% (USA) $50.00.
86 William Heritage NV Select, Chardonnay, American 13.5% (USA) $24.00.
86 William Heritage NV Select Rosé, American 13.2% (USA) $24.00.
91 William Heritage 2022 Coeur d’Est Red Blend, Outer Coastal Plain 13.7% (USA) $34.00.
89 William Heritage 2019 Reserve Blanc De Blancs, Outer Coastal Plain 12.1% (USA) $46.00.
88 William Heritage 2019 Reserve Blanc De Noirs, Outer Coastal Plain 12.2% (USA) $48.00.
90 William Heritage 2022 Reserve Rosé, Outer Coastal Plain 13.2% (USA) $34.00.
92 William Heritage 2022 Reserve Grenache Syrah Rosé, Outer Coastal Plain 13.4% (USA) $36.00.
88 William Heritage 2022 Reserve, Sauvignon Blanc, Outer Coastal Plain 13.2% (USA) $38.00.
87 William Heritage 2022 Reserve White Blend, Outer Coastal Plain 14% (USA) $36.00.
85 William Heritage 2022 Reserve Gravel Block Vineyard, Chardonnay, Outer Coastal Plain 13.7% (USA) $44.00.
88 William Heritage 2022 Reserve BDX Blanc White Blend, Outer Coastal Plain 13.3% (USA) $40.00.
91 William Heritage 2021 Reserve Burn Pile Vineyard, Chambourcin, Outer Coastal Plain 13.3% (USA) $40.00.
91 William Heritage 2021 Reserve BDX Red Blend, Outer Coastal Plain 12.7% (USA) $50.00.
90 William Heritage 2021 Reserve Five Gen Red Blend, Outer Coastal Plain 12.4% (USA) $45.00.

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.