Chateau Montelena Cabernet Franc

Solid 92. Wish I had more of this. Please see previous note. This Franc has turned deeper than a lot of Cab Sauvignons. Very nice. Silky. Nice sweet finish, fully integrated, minimal tannin. Very nice wine. This is the last one of these that I have, and it's right at the top of the curve now. I think this one has more longevity than 2016 -- think this one will hold on until 2018 with proper cellaring.

See notes on pahlmeyer petit Verdot for rest of tasting. The group, who have been meeting together for tastings for 28 years, did not get this as a cab franc until we revealed the theme of the tasting. Some found it flat and unidimensional. We had decanted 12 h before tasting. After three more hours, it revealed more of itself, with some interest length and complexity. Not the best American cab franc but a credible effort.

Opened and not decanted; wine was so dry and chalky during the first 30 mins that we aerated our already-poured stems to try to open this up a little. While this worked the wine nonetheless retained a lingering chalky note throughout the 2.5 hours we followed the first half of this bottle. A nice wine if one-dimensional, this seems watered-down to a point that you can't discern any prominent fruit flavors, though the typical CF green notes are evident, as …

Really sorry this is my last bottle. Delicious dark fruit, mineral and spice flavors, smooth, well balanced. Really good.

30 mins opened but not decanted, then consumed over 2 hours. Dark Cherry, spice box, pepper and lightly toasted wood on the nose. Wine doesn't have a ton a depth - its watery yet dry, with blueberry and blackberry flavors. We seek out and enjoy cab francs, and this didn't disappoint.

Similar notes to those I posted on 12/15/11. I appreciate the comments of mflesh and agree this is a "reserved" wine. Very good for what it is, and nice food wine. This bottle had a little more depth than the previous one and had me hankering for some good French country food ))

Delicious black fruit, mineral flavors, this wine was a wonderful surprise. Drinking beautifully.

OK, so maybe I judged this wine a bit too harsh the last time. See review from 2/26. Although I can say that the wine still didn't seem to have the spice that I'd like to have, the rest of the bottle is true to form, real, 100% CAB FRANC and does very well. There was a bit of sediment on this cork. Little more "Franc funk" going on too. Loved it. I might see if I can get a …

This cab franc cracks 90 just barely. Not the best I've had, but it is a good wine to serve to people who are not well versed in Cab Franc and want to try something slightly off the beaten path. I agree slightly with what Haggis has to say, but this wine isn't supposed to be as huge as their Estate Cab. Their Estate Zin isn't "all that" either. Compared to Anjou or Chinon regions of France, this Cab Franc …

A decent enough Cab Franc, but certainly not up to the standards one expects of other Montelena reds, and not on a par with a good CF from the Loire Valley (a good one can be had for less than this bottle). Some nice tart currant and blueberry, but lacking the floral component that can made a good CF compelling.