2004 Truchard Vineyards Cabernet Franc

Mission Codename: The great Cab Franc Emergency

Operative: Agent Sparkle and Agent Blush, with Agent Red

Objective: Agent Red is suffering severe Cabernet Franc withdrawals. Dispatch Agent Sparkle and Agent Blush to recover an incredible Cab Franc

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Truchard Vineyards

Wine Subject: 2004 Cabernet Franc

Winemaker: Sal De Ianni

Backgrounder:

Cabernet Franc is one of Agent Red’s favorite red varietals. Perhaps this is because its flavors are often rich, layered, complex and elegant. Or, perhaps he loves Cabernet Franc so much because it pairs so exceptionally with many different foods. One of the most notable things about Cabernet Franc is the fact that finding excellent examples can be very difficult. This explains why we have not shown a Cab Franc here in some time. And that makes for a very cranky Agent Red. On noting Red’s foul mood, Agent Sparkle and Agent Blush took matters into their own hands to bring Red back from the brink – by uncovering today’s superb Cabernet Franc. Read their tasting notes and mission report below

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Deep ruby red with a perfectly clear heart of pure ruby. The beautiful color of the wine is perfectly concentrated, right out to the sides of the glass. When you swirl this wine, you notice a speedy surface that keeps turning long after the glass is set down. Legs on this wine start high on the glass and then run down the glass at varying speeds

Smell – Deeply aromatic and highly perfumed with blackberry, black currant, violet and tomato stem with earth, leather, truffle and a lightly tarry bell pepper

Feel – Soft and light-weight at first. The velvety and smooth start leads to a settling-in all around the mouth, gripping the tip of the tongue at first, and then the edges and rear and, finally, the inside of the cheeks. This happens in a progression, which is a fun thing to experience

Taste – A perfect balance of bright fruit, fresh vegital and fresh herbal characteristics, this wine is not dominated by one or the other – as can happen with some Cabernet Franc. Present in this delicious wine are layers of dark cherry, plum, mushroom, violet, tomato vine, red currant, blackberry and tar. For those of you not familiar with the ‘tar’ description, please do not get us wrong. This flavor is subtle and really adds a great deal to the appeal and complexity of this wine

Finish – This wine presents interesting transitions – from initial taste finish – in a way that is unique to us. Hold the wine in your mouth, and the feelings change. On swallowing, the flavors of the wine actually deepen in your mouth. Eventually, the flavors tail off, just slowly and very sweetly, leaving behind traces of minerally fruit and a hint of dryness

Conclusion – Agent Red is crazy about Cabernet Franc. We took some convincing when we were young Wine Spies recruits, but examples like today’s wine serve as shining justification of Red’s infatuation. Today’s wine is a distinctive, bold, complex and very flavorful wine that we took an immediate shine to. With a great balance of fruit and earthen components, this wine impresses us with its robust character and bright flavors. This is a complex wine, but it is also easy-drinking, with bright acidity that lends it to great food pairing potential. Agent Red is always going on and on about Cab Franc, calling it the ‘most delicious and food-friendly red varietal in existence’. In the case of today’s wine, we are deeply swayed!

Mission Report:

AGENT BLUSH: Have you seen Agent Red today? GPS tracking puts him here at H.Q., but he’s not in his office.

AGENT SPARKLE: Did you check the cave? I heard him complaining about our recent lack of Cab Franc, so my guess is that you’ll find him there.

BLUSH: Not again… I have some surveillance reports to go over with him.

Our intrepid female agents make their way down to the Wine Spies Top Secret Wine Cave, somewhere in deep in wine country. There, they hear the mournful found of harmonica playing from deep within the cave.

IN UNISON: Agent Rrrrrrrrrr-ed!?

The harmonica abruptly stops.

AGENT RED: Over here…

SPARKLE: What’s up, Red? Why are you moping way down here?

Her inquiry is met with silence.

BLUSH: You know what this looks like, Agent Sparkle?

SPARKLE: No. It couldn’t be. It’s too soon.

BLUSH It’s a good thing you planned for just this emergency, Sparkle.

With this, our lady Agents take Agent Red by the hands, and lead him to a small anteroom, just off the main barrel chamber.

SPARKLE: Red. Sit. Now.

BLUSH: Now, Agent Red. Do as she says.

Slowly, Agent Red looks from Agent to Agent. Seeing that they mean business, he slowly sits down.

Agent Sparkle removes a painting from the wall, to reveal a small wall safe. Holding her eye to the retina scanner the safe emits a soft beep and then slowly hisses open. Agent Sparkle reaches in and pulls out a bottle of wine. Agent Red rolls his eyes and then yaws. That is, until he sees the label.

AGENT RED: You got a Truchard Cabernet Franc?1 A 2004?! HOW?

SPARKLE: That’s tradecraft, Red. I could tell you but…

ALL THREE AGENTS: ”… you know!”

As old as that joke is among these veteran Wine Spies, the three agents laugh at their so called humor.

In the end, Agent Red was made whole again, and his tasting of the Truchard Cabernet Franc led to his insistance that the wine be shared with our Operatives today. As usual, our lady agents were one step ahead of Agent Red, for they had already procured an exclusive quantity for today!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Trouchard winery, which can be visted by appointment only, can be seen in this satellite photo.