A wine region on Lake Michigan makes some marvelous Cab Franc, the 2 Lads Cabernet Franc from Old Mission Peninsula.
85% Cabernet Franc and 15% Merlot from Old Mission Peninsula, Michigan. The wine is aged for 9 months in a combination of 2nd and 3rd fill oak barrels (40%), large French oak tanks (15%) and deconstructed French oak barrels (45%).
Sample submitted for review. The 2 Lads Cabernet Franc has an SRP of $35 (Saturday Splurge) and is available at that price. 1,650 cases produced.
Ciao, bella! This wine has all the beauty of chocolate and blackberries, the savory of toffee and almond, and the spice of clove and vanilla. Mi scusi, I didn't mention the smooth, silky, rounded mouthfeel and the lingering finish. Another sip, per favore? Grazie! (Yes, this wine is perfect with Italian food!)
13.3% Alcohol
One of our favorite things about the wine world is the amazing number of locations that wine is made these days! And while we've always known that large bodies of fresh water can help mitigate the effects of cold (and hot) weather and aid grape growing (see the Finger Lakes), we just recently had a chance to try a number of wines from Michigan.
You might be surprised to learn that Michigan, the 6th largest wine producing state, grows over 50 different grape varieties. From whites to reds, we've been duly impressed. Of course, one of the things that generally goes along with smaller wine regions like Old Mission Peninsula in northern Michigan is slightly higher prices due to lower volumes of production. While we generally like to keep it under $20, we also highly encourage people to spend a bit more to explore up and coming regions like this.
The 2016 2 Lads Cabernet Franc begins with a very pleasing aroma full of red fruit and lots of baking spice plus a touch of smoked meat, leather and green pepper. The wine tastes smooth with fresh, bright fruit flavors and well-integrated herbal and spice notes. It ends with a very long, dry, grippy finish with lingering touches of chocolate and toffee under the fruit. It's great to see Michigan producing wines of this quality, we were quite impressed!
Looking for more Saturday Splurge Selections? Check out our list here!
Ready to buy the 2 Lads Cabernet Franc? Check your local retailers.
