I don't wan to admit how many years I've been driving to Portsmouth, RI to taste Greenvale Vineyards wines. Suffice to say,I may be vain, or embarrassed. Regardless, they've been an east coast engine of quality wine and consistency! Among my favorites is their Cabernet Franc.
Alas, I have not been in a while, but last year I got lucky. I tasted a bottle of it at the Eastern Wineries Exposition 2017 at the awards dinner. And then someone was fabulous enough to bring a bottle to the blogger's station. Two folks in particular need to be praised - Hever Ortega, the vineyard manager, and Richard Carmichael, the long time winemaker. The Greenvale Cabernet Franc 2012 was exquisite.This is a medium bodied blend of 75% Cabernet Franc and 25% Merlot aged in oak. They usually make between 175-200 cases a year, give or take. Lovely notes of cherry, raspberry and plum linger on the palate and the nose. The wine is incredibly well-balanced, and show some very nice complexity. A lovely, lovely bottle of red wine.
Greenvale does it again!!! Damn that's good wine!
