Lang & Reed Cabernet Franc

Lang & Reed's Cabernet Franc is a California red made from the Cabernet Franc grape, a variety the producer is known for focusing on. The listing categorizes it as a red blend. Check the bottle's back label for the exact composition, because a wine sold under this name can carry small amounts of other grapes. The details provided don't give a vintage, ABV or specific appellation, so what follows describes the grape's usual character in California rather than a measured profile of this bottle. Expect a red wine that leans toward red fruit more than black. Cabernet Franc typically shows raspberry, red cherry and cranberry, often with a floral lift of violet or dried rose. The grape is also known for savory, herbal notes such as dried herbs, tomato leaf, graphite or green peppercorn. Californian examples tend to be riper than their Loire counterparts, so expect fuller fruit and a softer herbal edge. Bodies usually sit in the medium range, lighter than Cabernet Sauvignon. Tannins are moderate and fine-grained, acidity is fresh, and the finish tends to be savory and medium in length. If oak is used, it usually shows as light spice or cedar. It is rarely a dominant note. At the table, the acidity and herbal side make this style versatile with food. Roast chicken with thyme, pork loin, grilled lamb with rosemary and herbed sausages all suit it. So do mushroom dishes, lentils and tomato-based pastas, where the wine's savory side meets the food's. Its moderate tannin means it also works with salmon or tuna that has been grilled or seared, and with aged cheeses such as Gruyère or a firm goat cheese. Very spicy dishes and heavy, fatty steaks are better matched with a bolder red. Serve it slightly cooler than room temperature, around 60 to 65°F (15 to 18°C). Twenty minutes in the refrigerator before opening usually gets a bottle there. A red wine of this style generally doesn't need extended decanting, though pouring it into a decanter or leaving it open for 20 to 30 minutes can soften the herbal edge and open up the fruit. A standard red wine glass with a moderately wide bowl suits it well, since the bowl gathers the floral and herbal aromas. Most bottles in this category are made for drinking within a few years of release, so treat it as a drink-now wine unless the label or producer suggests otherwise.