Classic Cab Franc: Hopkins Cabernet Franc Estate 2008 (CT)

Hopkins Vineyard, in Litchfield, Connecticut, has long been one of my favorite wineries. They make a wide swath of wines, but their estate grown quality dry wines have been really impressive.

I bought several bottles of this vintage of Can Franc and drank a bunch of them. But I saved a bottle to taste with some aging on it. Just the other night, I decided to have a boys night with my sons. We cooked  some steaks, a salad, and roasted potatoes. Now, I thought, would be a great time to break out an old bottle to try with it....and low and behold, I saw this Hopkins Vineyard offering.

Now, I know what you must be thinking - Cabernet Franc from Connecticut? But don't laugh. They share many of the same weather patterns as Long Island. But obviously, the Litchfield Hills are nowhere near the Sound. Despite all this, the winery has been making lush, deep estate Cabernet Francs for many years. The grapes are estate grown in the Western Connecticut Highlands AVA which was established in 1988.

According to Wikipedia, "The Western Connecticut Highlands AVA is an American Viticultural Area that includes all of Litchfield and parts of Fairfield, New Haven, and Hartford counties in Connecticut. The Connecticut Highlands are far enough away from Long Island Sound that there is little of the moderating effect on climate that large bodies of water produce. The region is relatively cool, with a short growing season between mid-May and mid-September. The soil in the area is glacial schist and gneiss. Local vintners have had the most success with cool climate Vitis vinifera and French hybrid grape varieties.[3] The region is located in hardiness zones 5b and 6a."

Hopkins Cabernet Franc Estate 2008 is a complex dry red. The estate fruit is punch-cap fermented. And the resulting wine is aged in American oak barrels for 23 months. Dark black berry, dark raspberry, cassis, and ripe cherry all come through. A lovely middle gave way to a layered creaminess, with spices of mocha, cocoa, and some black pepper at the finish. There was no question that the age had softened the wine. The flavors were slightly more mingled. The competing flavors had begun to breakdown and meld in ways as to make the wine more unified. The fruit was still solid, and there was enough acidity to keep it lively and lasting long on the tongue.

I went beautifully with the meal. A superb Cabernet Franc. And a great evening. We enjoyed it thoroughly.

My previous writing about Hopkins:
http://eastcoastwineries.blogspot.com/2011/05/hopkins-vineyards-in-litchfield-ct.html