A Vertical Tasting of Allora Cabernet Franc 2013, 2014 & 2015

During a 2-day offsite meeting with some colleagues, I thought it would be nice to host them in my new Chicago home as a way for us to get to know each other a little better away from the office.

• 

I love hosting wine events.  There is something so fun and special about gathering a small group to drink wine, talk about it, nibble on cheese and crackers and just have a great time talking about the experience.  I love it even more when my enthusiasm for wine is passed on to others and they are equally as excited about what we are doing as I am.

I have hosted many different wine tastings including a number of horizontal tastings however, to date I have not done a vertical tasting. 

What is a vertical tasting?  A vertical tasting is when you taste different vintages of the same wine from the same winery.  For this tasting, I decided on one my favorite boutique wineries, Allora Vineyards.   I probably wouldn’t do a vertical tasting with overly commercial wines. 

• 

I reached out to the winery for some help with our tasting. From my club membership, I had an Allora Cabernet Franc 2013, 2014 and 2015.  I wanted to know what was going on each of these years so that I could share a little insight into why the wines can taste quite different due to the elements.

I took the team through the steps of how to taste wine and then had each of them really explore the aroma, taste and if the wine reminded them of anything – e.g., a memory, a place or even a person. 

• 

A note on 2015.  The vineyard had concerns that we were drinking the 2015 too soon.  My take was that I thought it would be an interesting experiment for my colleagues to really taste the difference and why sometimes delayed gratification with some wines is so worth it!!

• 

For a group of people who have never done anything like this before, check out these fantastic reviews… 

Rachel – Wine Review One – Allora Cabernet Franc 2013

The wine has a deep mahogany color with highlights of light cherry around the edges that changes with the light.  The aroma is at first blackberry, but quickly followed by vegetal notes…a grassy scent.  One sip and there was no longer the hint of grass but a smooth buttery, almost honey flavor.  Take a moment and you can get a suggestion of lime before the full taste of blackberry.  Much like the variations of Clint Eastwood, the wine is of the earth, but not earthy.  It is like the fall, the last time you cut the grass before the freeze and you are about to get ready for the sweet smooth moonlit season of the Holiday. 

Travis – Wine Review Two – Allora Cabernet Franc 2013

Not being much of a wine drinker, I really thought I wouldn’t be into doing this wine tasting and would feel a little left behind by my wine sipping colleagues.  I decided to take a different approach and focused on what it reminded me.   Everything then became easier.  The Allora Cabernet Franc 2013 reminded me of a bourbon burn and you feel the wine from your mouth to stomach. The longer the wine breathed, the better it was and I surprised my myself by really starting to enjoy it.  It struck me as the easy-going music of the great John Legend’s and quiet speed of a Tesla. I wanted more and more.

Meghan – Wine Review Three – Allora Cabernet Franc 2014

The Allora Cabernet Franc 2014 has the red depth of a crisp grape, gently tapered in the light.  The first aroma releases a deep honey mashed in cedar scent.  The minerals come out grounding the wine and bringing it back to an earthy tone.  It has a fun side reminding me of the sassy red-haired female actor, Emma Stone.  The depth tastes deeply traditional yet super witty like The New Yorker.  This wine is like a memory I have not yet experienced – I can see myself with a smile on my face on a warm late fall day while watching the sun set on the horizon. 

• 

Sandy – Wine Review Four – Allora Cabernet Franc 2014

As I look at my glass I am anxious to try this dark, deep purple wine.  It made me think of blackberries before I even took a sip – the aroma was fragrant.  It smelled earthy and a bit spicy, but as I expected had a hint of blackberry.  It was easy, smooth, buttery and fruity.  I really enjoyed my first sip as much as my last.  Very much the romantic at heart, it made me think of vacationing in the summer and driving along the beach in a convertible corvette, enjoying the sun and the water and the smell of the ocean – of course not at the same time.  Continuing with my romantic theme, I had a memory of reading the Nicholas Sparks book, Nights in Rodanthe and Richard Gere starring in the movie.  I loved it.

Katie – Wine Review Five – Allora Cabernet Franc 2015

The wine is very dark, it reminds me of the color Malaga Wine by OPI, my fave nail color! But only from the top. The side view looks like a cup of hot Tazo tea.  The aroma is leathery and makes me think of my time studying abroad in Italy.  I love the taste of this wine – although I don’t typically gravitate towards reds, this is delicious! It has an intense dryness, which makes it harder to discern where it begins and where it ends – very seductive.  It’s very dry, which I’m finding out is my preference. I also taste burnt toast…now I’m hungry (I guess these crackers will suffice!)  This wine makes me think of George Clooney – gets better with age and seems like something he’d drink!

• 

Notes from the Vineyard – Weather, Climate and outside Factors of 2013, 2014 and 2015

2013 was noted as “Early, Even and Excellent”. With a warm, dry Spring and a mild Winter, the vineyards saw an early bud-break. Which led to vigorous canopy growth and ideal conditions for flowering and fruit set. All giving to a favorable berry size and flavor concentration. The valley began harvest on August 1st, mostly for sparkling wines. All the white wine grapes were off vine and in tanks by September 1st, transitioning into the harvest of lighter bodied reds. We had an Indian summer come into play giving us a longer hang time to further concentrate the flavors of our big reds. Another great vintage off the heels of 2012!

2014 Was shaky! A 6.2 earthquake rocked the Napa Valley. While it did not cause damage to the vineyards themselves, several wineries were delayed a day or two coming into harvest. The Winter of 2013/2014 was the driest on record, roughly half of the annual rainfall we have come to expect. However, we had heavy rainfalls in February and March, giving the dormant vines a healthy drink before bud-break and replenishing our reservoirs (although high quality grapes require little water) Harvest began on July 30th! While that is early, the record goes to July 23rd, 1997, our FIRST harvest! The climate and weather conditions were so perfect that the valley saw its 3rd most abundant harvest in the recent decade. Depth, quality and excellence were the words heard repeatedly in the cellar.

2015 was just WOW! Quality, quality, quality. The winter brought a mere 75% of the rainfall we need. The warm winter temperatures gave way to an unusually cool spring, which led to a very long and exceptional flowering and fruit set. The clusters ripened small, condensed and highly concentrated flavors. The earliest harvest on record began on July 22nd, and all the fruit was off vine by Mid-October. Our quantities were astoundingly low, especially considering the past three record setting vintages. While there were devastating fires just to the North of us, in Lake County, the smoke had zero impact on the fruit as the wind was out of the South-West and blew most all of it out to sea.

My rating…