Coordinates Dry Creek Cabernet Franc 3-Pack
$52.99 $103.00 49% off List Price
2009 Cabernet Franc, Dry Creek Valley
CT link above
We had a taste of this at a recent SoCal gathering! Wondering when it was going to show up!
We tasted all of these blind except for varietal identity. My notes say this wine is bright purple in colour. Nose is deep dark cherry with some fresh plum, and it’s also very savoury with some herbaceous notes to go along with the fruit. Nothing vegetal that I noticed (I do like a little bell pepper in my Can Franc).
Palate was very fruity, strongly tannic, leather on the finish. I found there to be something slightly bitter as well, not to the point of unpleasant iirc. I found this wine to be relatively easy-drinking and once it has a little more time to age would be nicer. Say 1-3 more years before it’s ready for prime time.
Once we unbagged the bottle, I was surprised (as were others) at the 15.2% alcohol. It hid that level very well, although that could have been a contributor to the bitterness on the finish.
At $18/bottle + ship/tax this is a decent but not stellar value, imo. Assuming you like the higher octane style, that is.
Had this wine at home on Friday night with home cooked tapas
Color: very slightly purplish red. The level of pigmentation was relatively light, darker than almost any Pinot but lighter than most cabs.
Nose: half an hour in it smelled of cranberry juice/ cherry juice (very fruity). Some green pepper/jalapeño and a hint of black pepper. Later in the night it seemed to pick up a Eucalyptus note and kinda smelled like wild berry ricola cough drops (in a good way)
Palate: Half an hour in this was definitely the cran cherry from on the nose. Bright and fruity. There was a round oakiness in the vanilla/molasses realm and then a very slightly bitter green jalapeño note. Bitter gets to me and this was under that threshold. A positive and interesting note rather than a distraction. Fine chalky tannins on the finish. As the night went on the green pepper note rose and then fell off, the fruitiness darkened to a mixed berry candy flavor and there were slightly more tannins but still quite fine.
Overall: no way this is 15.2 alc for one. It hides it amazingly well. The wine is very smooth with a medium body and goes down VERY EASILY. This is quite fruity but did not taste “commercial” to either of the tasters (we were glad). The green pepper note adds interest and I would be fine serving this wine to either neophytes or people who have wine frequently.
I think I’m in for a set as daily drinker material. Anyone in the Bay Area want to share shipping costs?
As always, thanks for the good review! I always appreciate it when you’re the receiver of a mysterious bottle. 
Klez’s was very helpful, too!
Had this at klez’s. I liked it more than he did, but I like a little more fruit in my wines than he does, generally. To compare to Toothy II which some of you have had, this is bigger, a little less food friendly, it doesn’t have as pronounced of a green streak, but it’s flat out delicious for my palate. At under $20/btl, I like this deal. Not screaming, but pretty fair price. I would describe this as a pretty clear CA interpretation of CF. Lots of fruit, body, and much higher (but very well-hidden) alcohol compared to the Loire.
If you have questions, I’m always around. And so is klez and cmaldoon, for that matter.
Thanks to Klezman, Clinton & Kyle (the law firm) for their quality reviews. I’m a big Cab Franc fan and this sounds like it’d be right up my alley but I’m going to have to sit this one out after overindulging on Toothy II, Pedroncelli and a bunch of other woot wines in recent days.
These Coordinates wines have been a good find… and for Cab Franc lovers like myself, this + Toothy has made December a good month…
I too had this at the recent SoCal woot gathering. I echo what Klez and Kyle have said. I thought it was a fruit forward interpretation of CF and though good, not what I prefer in Cab Francs (rubber, dirt, green peppers). I think that it would be a crowd pleaser for non CF drinkers and the price is fair IMO