(Re-Tasted May 2013) ... What an awful night. I don't want to get into the details but let's suffice it to say our restaurant experience tonight for the All Canadian Wine Championships was a real bust. Ended up back in my room ordering a room service steak and a salad ... and of course, unlike at the restaurant, I opened my own bottle of wine, this 2005 Cabernet Franc from Cave Spring - which I am told is drinking beautifully right now. So into the big glass it goes and here we go. The nose is smoky with dried dark fruit a little cedar and a little spice. The palate follows the nose pretty well, it's smooth and supple, holds the cedar and spice well and adds elements of pipe tobacco and more dried black fruit. There's sediment in the bottom of the glass which indicates a wine that was unfiltered, or lightly filtered, which adds depth to the flavour and longevity to the wine. The linger on the finish was smoky with hints of vanilla and dried black cherry. But the one flavour (and smell) that keeps coming to mind is smoky, and this wine has it in spades and in a real good way. If you have some don't hold it much longer as this wine is at it's peak.
