Le Grand-Clere (François Blanchard) Cabernet Franc

Le Grand-Clere (François Blanchard)

Other · Cabernet Franc
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Critics Average score from professional wine critics and publications.
87 /100
Reviews
11
professional

Vintages

1
2016 Other 87/100
Cabernet Franc
NV

Community Reviews

15
15
Reviews
87.2
Avg Score
92
Highest
Taster #4818 · Sep 3, 2020
Really good, quite a bit of fizz, like Lambrusco, but just nice Cabernet Franc. The wife, wanting to eat less meat, made a warm farro salad to go with with an eggplant, zucchini and tomatoe gratin. She thought the wine and dinner hippie, and that’s okay. 11.5 alcohol! Very good!
2016 vintage
Taster #8836 · Jun 6, 2020
88/100
Two years since my first tasting. Still fizzy and funky. Again, a couple days after opening and this wine transforms. Not so earthy this time but still interesting and intriguing.
2016 vintage
Taster #6613 · Jan 11, 2020
91/100
Russk. Andrea bought from Garagiste. Sparkling red CF from Loire. Gamy, bretty, geeky, interesting and enjoyable. Get some.
2016 vintage
Taster #1545 · Nov 5, 2018
89/100
This one is certainly interesting. I’ve noticed that the previous notes run a gamut of perspectives, which I think is fair given how different this wine is. This fizzy cab franc is the wine equivalent of a sour beer. While I haven’t tried it, I expect this is great with food. Slightly frizzy, under ripe red berries on the nose and a light slightly sour set of cherries and raspberries on the palate.
2016 vintage
Taster #2461 · Sep 23, 2018
Well, I'd buy it again, so I guess I like it. And wish I had a few more to see what's it's like in a few years. Very tart and funky. Not good on descriptors generally but definitely not here - can just say its interesting but not gulpable - white pepper, vinegar, and underripe red fruit.
2016 vintage
Taster #5756 · Aug 11, 2018
90/100
Fascinating. Like a very dry and slightly funky Lambrusco.
2016 vintage
Taster #9048 · Mar 16, 2018
88/100
The most interesting wine at a large, low-end wine party. Bubbles dissipated quickly (30 minutes?). Fun, weird, interesting. Red wine, not rosé. Prosecco-level of bubbles, not as carbonated or nearly acidic as a champagne brut. Not complex but to my palate more going on and less sweet than the sparkling grape juice other CTers have compared it to. A touch yeasty like a neuerwine (federweisser). Enjoyable. I would have it again on rare occasions -- fun for others to try.
2016 vintage
Taster #1357 · Mar 12, 2018
92/100
This is a wine you have to know what you are getting yourself into. For many years I would buy 1000 lbs of California grapes and make my own everyday wine. I never bottled it and started drinking it weeks old. It was grapey, yeasty and often sharp. I loved it and I missed it. This wine is a close approximation of that. I can understand that it would not be to everyone's taste. It is for this kind of …
2016 vintage
Taster #5092 · Mar 5, 2018
78/100
Wine like this makes me really frustrated at Garagiste... their review is absolutely effusive, the wine is utterly weird and disappointing. To me, it is best described as carbonated grape juice. I opened it at a dinner party and 4 guests unanimously regarded it as terrible. At $30 a bottle, I feel swindled. Definitely save your money and stay away from this wine.
2016 vintage
Taster #8836 · Feb 24, 2018
89/100
On popping the cap and hearing the effervesce escape from the bottle, I know this was going to be interesting at the very least. Nose was nice - a little fruity and a little musty. Color was medium-dark and muddy. The taste was truly strange. There seemed to be several competing flavors. The fizziness of the wine added to the odd profile. But strangely I couldn't decide if I liked this wine or not. So, I tried it again the …
2016 vintage
Taster #3424 · Feb 16, 2018
84/100
Seeing the 2015 version settled down after a couple of hours I hoped this would but still rather bitter, fizzy taste. I like Cab Franc very much but if this had been the first one I tried I may have been put off. Sorry, rather disappointing
2016 vintage
Taster #0487 · Jan 29, 2018
88/100
An unusual wine in many ways. Bottle enclosed with a bottle cap. Wine right out of the bottle touches the palate and has a feel of light carbonation which disappears with aeration or decanting. Flavor is good but simply just an odd wine. Interesting and something different but probably wouldn’t buy it again.
2016 vintage
Taster #6811 · Dec 2, 2017
High acidity, sight effervescence, juicy, fruity and dry. Fun bottle cap closure.
2016 vintage
Taster #4479 · Oct 2, 2017
82/100
thought this second bottle might redeem the first, but we were wrong ... still weird and not especially enjoyable
2016 vintage
Taster #4479 · Sep 29, 2017
weird stuff. has a tart, zingy character that kind of blows off a little bit but that one taster said reminded him of pop rocks. muddy in color and flavor, but still distinctly cab franc. hipster wine for sure.
2016 vintage