Recommendation: Not Recommended.
Winery/Producer: Childress Winery; Lexington, North Carolina.
Grape Variety: Cabernet Franc.
Geographic Region, Appellation: North Carolina.
Vintage: 2010
Price: $16.99
Purchased From: Childress Vineyards (Spring Wine Club selection)
Paired With: Eggplant Parmesan.
Tasting:
He said: Opened 30-minutes before drinking. First sniff had huge alcohol aromas, sipping after dinner there was still alcohol aromas but they had subsided and there was a nice earthy dark fruit bouquet. The initial taste had a strong acid taste. When sipping after dinner there was a pretty strong blackberry taste, but it was harsh. The finish was dry, tart and lingering. It was almost like a different bottle of wine when opened and 40-minutes later. The more it sits the better it gets!!! But, it’s not pleasant drinking and it’s simply not good Cabernet Franc. I would not recommend it.
She said: I am all for buying from local markets if the product is good but I do not think that buying inferior products at top dollar is good in the long run. This philosophy is especially true of Childress wines because Mr. Childress has the financial resources to hire the best wine growers and vintners around. I’m very fond of Cabernet Franc and this Childress version was a big disappointment. The initial sniff reeked of alcohol but got better with time and had hints of dark berries. The flavor was light but was over whelmed by harshness and a bitterness that lasted into the regrettably long finish. The best features of the wine were the dryness and medium body and perhaps the aroma if you ignore the initial sniffs. The wine improved as it opened up but the bitterness remained about the same. There are not a lot of choices available for Cabernet Francs but I still can’t recommend this one because of the bitterness.
Comments: It should be noted that this Childress Cabernet Franc received a Gold Award at the 2013 North Carolina State Fair Wine Competition.
Alcohol: 13.5%