One of the focuses for the wildly popular Two Guys Talking Wine Podcast for 2021 will be a deeper look at Cabernet Franc. There is no shortage of new wine producers popping up to deliver Chardonnay and Pinot Noir – but there seems to be a shortage of people willing to take a chance on Franc. So when Michael PInkus and I made the decision to shift from Chardonnay (which… by the way… everytime I say… costs me a nickel to the 2GTW swear jar) to Cabernet Franc it only made sense to reach out to winemaker Marc Pistor. Fogolar is a label that he created and has been running for a few years now. His focus has been largely on Cabernet Franc and Riesling. Marc has strong feelings on which varieties he wants to be working with. I had the opportunity to taste the 2018 Fogolar Cabernet Franc last fall when Michael and I did our last session of Thumbs Up. While I do stand by my thumbs down review – I always enjoy having the opportunity to retaste wines when I am reviewing them. During our podcast session Marc informed me that when we last tasted the wine it had recently been bottled. I think this is the second time when I needed to be reminded the bottle shock is a real thing. Here are my thoughts on a vertical of two single vineyard Francs from Fogolar and a look back at the 2014 vintage.
2018 Fogolar Cabernet Franc – $22.95 – **** – This is a blend of two single vineyards for the “entry level” white label from Fogolar. When I tasted this last fall I found the red pepper notes to be a bit overpowering … in only a few short months this has come into focus. 2018 was a challenging vintage for Bordeaux varieties, but earlier ripening Cabernet Franc seems to have stood up well to what the damp fall had to throw at it. There are rich cherry notes working in perfect tandem with subtle pepper notes. Once the wine starts to open up a violet note begins to caress everything in your mouth. With soft tannin the finish is medium long with very nice acidity to round it out. When it comes to grilling red meat on the barbeque there’s a reason why Niagara Cabernet Franc is king – it is in this bottle.
2018 Oppenlaender Vineyard – $34.95 – **** – This Cabernet Franc comes from four mile creek in Niagara on the Lake. I tasted this side by side with the Piccone Vineyard Franc from vinemount ridge – I was expecting this to be the richer – heavier of the two wines (more on that in a moment). This is a small production with only 3 barrels made. Marc’s goal was not to get a huge extraction – mission accomplished. An elegant expression of Franc that comes from a cooler, damp fall sealed with a screw cap to maintain its freshness. Notes of tart cranberry, raspberry with subtle violet notes drive this wine. While this doesn’t have a huge cellaring potential the choice to seal with a screw cap should help it hold on until 2028.
2018 Picone Vineyard – $39.95 – ****+ – This is another small lot production with only three barrels made. The fruit profile is heavier and darker than its four mile creek counterpart. The aromas are blackberry compote, and raspberry. The fruit has a damp heaviness caressing it on the nose and on the palate – a smoky nose that smells like that moment when you pour a bucket of water on the last embers of a campfire at the end of a perfect summer evening makes this feel like summer. What’s remarkable about this is that in spite of the very cool vintage feel to this wine. Marc knows what he’s doing in the cellar – but this is another wine that I want to enjoy while it’s young – that being said holding a bottle until 2028-2030 wouldn’t be the worst idea.
2014 Fogolar Cabernet Franc – **** – I realize this tasting note is highly personal – but I assure you my mom knows what she’s doing in the kitchen. The aromas of raspberry jam are so vivid I can practically see my mother filling small mason jars in the kitchen. If you have any bottles of this rare wine I would drink up now. But what’s super cool about tasting a back vintage like this is seeing how more savory notes have begun to evolve. One note red pepper has evolved into eucalyptus, and tomato stem adding some umami to the party. I let this evolve over the afternoon, but the time wasn’t kind to it – so open, and enjoy now.
