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1999 "Red Ice" Cabernet Franc Icewine VQA

1999 "Red Ice" Cabernet Franc Icewine VQA Wine Details
Price: $44.95 per bottle

Description: Crimson/amber colour with some brick tones and an orange rim. Attractive, rich bouquet of candy apple and just a touch of toffee. Apricot compote and fresh baked berry pie also come to the fore. Spicy berry flavours roll over the tongue and palate. Ripe currant notes combine with just a bare hint of black pepper. Oily and mouth coating. Nice length, with more currant and cranberry nuances.

Varietal Definition
Cabernet Sauvignon:
Cabernet Sauvignon is the most widely planted and significant among the five dominant varieties in France’s Bordeaux region, as well as the most successful red wine produced in California. Though it was thought to be an ancient variety, recent genetic studies at U.C. Davis have determined that Cabernet Sauvignon is actually the hybrid offspring of Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc. Cabernet Sauvignon berries are small with black, thick and very tough skin. This toughness makes the grapes fairly resistant to disease and spoilage and able to withstand some autumn rains with little or no damage. It is a mid to late season ripener. These growth characteristics, along with its flavor appeal have made Cabernet Sauvignon one of the most popular red wine varieties worldwide.
Cabernet Franc:
Cabernet Franc is an accessible, spicy, herbal, dark blue grape variety that is often compared to Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Franc tends to be softer and has less tannin than Cabernet Sauvignon, although the two can be difficult to distinguish. Sometimes the French refer to Cabernets, which could mean either of the two grapes. Its typical aromas include an herbaceous and pronounced peppery nose, even in ripe fruit, and something eerily like tobacco. The Cabernet Franc ripens at an earlier stage, which gives it reason to exist in the Bordeaux area. In the Loire, where we find it a lot, it gives a clear red fresh and fruity wine.


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