Drink This: King Family Vineyards 2022 Cabernet Franc
Drink This: King Family Vineyards 2022 Cabernet Franc
A Virginia-grown cabernet franc that embraces the unique savoriness of the variety
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Back in January — after judging the preliminary round of the Virginia Governor’s Cup — I wrote:
“This isn’t unique to Virginia, but Virginia is taking longer to mature beyond the ‘let’s use a lot of new oak, cover up any unique Virginia qualities, and make poor facsimiles of California wine’ phase than other East Coast regions. It’s clearly still the de facto approach for many winemakers. ‘Too much new oak’ was by far the feedback I offered the most in my notes.”
As I’ve tasted throughout the rest of 2024, the same has been true of many of the reds I’ve tasted. There is a lot of good, well-grown fruit being bludgeoned by new, often cheap, oak down there.
Then there are wines like King Family Vineyards 2022 Cabernet Franc ($30*) — wines that show exactly what Virginia wines can be at their best: ripe-but-fresh, flavorful, and varietally correct. This is a cabernet franc-based wine that tastes like cabernet franc. Cabernet franc grown in some place warmer.
Aromas of freshly crushed raspberry and cherries mingle with those of black and green peppercorn, bay leaf, dried flowers, and savory spice on a complex nose that changes over a few hours in the glass as well as over three days open.
Soft and plump, the medium-bodied palate is round and ripe with lots of concentrated red fruits backed by those same savory herbs and spice. There is a background note of vanilla, but it’s subtle and brings additional complexity.
King Family Vineyards 2022 Cabernet Franc
Region: Monticello AVA (Virginia)
ABV: 12.9%
TA: 4.45 g/L
pH: 3.76
Blend: 90% cabernet franc, 10% merlot
Winemaking: Aged nine months is a mix of oak and concrete
Rating: 92 pts
Price: $30* (Available here)
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*sample submitted by winery