Walla Walla Vintners Stars with Cabernet Franc
By Bob Woehler
Cabernet Franc is a charming, easy drinking red wine that when
made right is succulent and smooth with a bright fruity flavor
appeal.
Earlier this year, my colleagues at Wine Press Northwest and I
visited Walla Walla Vintners, which has chosen Cabernet Franc
as its star wine.
Traditionally Cabernet Franc has been used in small quantities to
add additional character to Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. When
properly made, Cabernet Franc can be a bit lighter than Cabernet
Sauvignon and a touch spicier than Merlot.
Few wineries in the Pacific Northwest can boast 11 vintages of
Cabernet Franc, but Walla Walla Vintners does.
Making Cabernet Franc has paid off for winery owners and
winemakers Gordy Venneri and Myles Anderson.
"We knew we had to make a heck of a good wine to keep up with the
reputation of the Walla Walla Valley wineries and to do something
that would bring attention to our winery," said Venneri, a retired
accountant.
"Many of our visitors come especially to our winery to try the
Cabernet Franc," said Anderson, retired director of enology and
viticulture at Walla Walla Community College.
As a result, the Cabernet Franc at $25 a bottle is usually the
first of their wines to sell out, often within two months. Walla
Walla Vintners' Cabernet Franc really took off when Gourmet Magazine
wine writer Jerry Asher featured it.
Our vertical tasting was special not only to Wine Press
Northwest, but also to Anderson, who wrote me afterward and said, "I
still taste the 1995, it is framed well and has enough acid to keep
it alive with fruit and tobacco. It was great that you had us get
these bottles out and taste a decade of bottled Franc. It was a
stunning experience for me."
1995 Yakima Valley -- Surprisingly lively with some herbal
and brown sugar, oak and spice aromas. Still a lot of fruit with
cranberries and cherry flavors and great acidity.
1997 Walla Walla Valley -- (The 1996 vintage was frozen
out.) Juicy and rich with beautiful tannins and nice
chocolate-covered cherry flavors. The aromas had a herbal undertone.
1998 Columbia Valley and Walla Walla Valley -- Inviting
aromas of oak and black pepper lead to a smooth chocolate-covered
cherry flavors with ample raspberry characteristics.
1999 Walla Walla Valley -- Big oak and herb aromas. Huge
marionberry flavors with a smooth finish.
2000 Walla Walla Valley -- Big roasted coffee and oak
aromas, dark berry flavors and a hint of citrus.
2001 Walla Walla Valley -- Interesting eucalyptus and
creme brulee aromas lead to vanilla and bright berry flavors with
great acids and tannins.
2002 Columbia Valley -- Blended with 16 percent Cabernet
Sauvignon. Smoky oak aromas yet the fruit shines through. Yummy
cherry pie flavors with some spice and French vanilla added in for
special emphasis.
2003 Walla Walla Valley -- Big cherry cola aromas and
flavors laced with a rich chocolate milkshake mouth feel. Essences
of cinnamon and yams covered with brown sugar finish out this wine.
2004 Columbia Valley -- This one got a 90 rating in Wine
Spectator and used hybrid Missouri and Hungarian oak barrels. More
crème brûlée characteristics with blueberry, sweet chocolate and
sturdy tannins.
2005 Columbia Valley, $25 -- Lighter style with oak and
white pepper aromas. The smooth flavors are ripe raspberries and
black cherries. Very balanced and can match up to fish, including
poached halibut.
2006 Columbia Valley -- From the barrel, but you can see a
trend toward using fruit from Wahluke Slope and the Sagemoor areas
as Cabernet Franc seems to grow better in the slightly hotter
Columbia Valley appellation, Anderson said. Already developing a
toasty beginning like roasted chestnuts with smooth berry fruit
flavors. It will be sold in 2008.
* * *
Annual Crow Butte Park Fund-Raiser
One of the more special and adventuresome wine events of the year
happens July 21 in the Horse Heaven Hills.
This annual trail drive and fundraiser for Crow Butte Park put on
by Horse Heaven Hills wine growers features eight smaller wineries
and Pacific Northwest giant Columbia Crest. Some of the wineries are
open only once a year.
For $40 a person, you can tour the wineries with a special logo
glass, then end the day with a big barbecue at Crow Butte Park. Most
of the money goes to help keep up this fine park, which is supported
by area farmers.
The tour starts at 11 a.m. with the barbecue at 6 p.m.
Wineries featured besides Columbia Crest include Canoe Ridge
Estate, Alexandria Nicole, Zefina, Canyon's Edge, Limping Crow Inn,
Chateau Champoux, McKinley Springs and Coyote Canyon.
Check out the location map at
www.horseheavenhillswinegrowers.org. Tickets can be purchased by
calling Linda Mercer at 1-888-309-9463.
Bob Woehler, a retired Herald
staff writer, has been writing a column about wines of the Pacific
Northwest since 1978. Send him e-mail at
bwoehler@charter.net. |
