WTN: Cab Franc from Uruguay

I've had Uruguayan Tannats a few times, and loved them, but this Cab Franc was just as much of an eye-opener. This can easily compete with the likes of Bourgueil.

Domaine Monte de Luz, Cabernet Franc, San Jose 2008 (Uruguay)
Rather lovely nose: dark, rich berry fruits, with perfumey roses, tobacco leaf, cedar/suede, and smokey stone/mineral, with savory tones; aromatic and dense. Similar on the palate, with wonderful, dense, rich, almost liqueur-like fruit: black raspberry, black currant, blackberry, blueberry, and red plum, with cedar, herbaceous tobacco leaf, orange rind, stoney mineral, earth, and generous spicy tannin. Very full bodied, dense, and penetrating, savory in texture, with great presence on the finish. Really impressive, a compelling style of Cab Franc. Showing some mature glycerin notes, but may still have 3 to 5 years of upside potential. 3.5 Stars [8/26/16]

[David M. Bueker]

Where do you find this off the wall stuff? It sounds good, but holy obscure Batman!

Where do you find this off the wall stuff? It sounds good, but holy obscure Batman!

This came from the gourmet grocery back in Bloomington (IN) - I went shopping when I was there this summer. Both locations of that store got built up into probably the broadest wine selection I've seen anywhere, you could get wine from pretty much every country in the world that makes wine to any significant extent (Lebanon, Morocco, Cyprus, you name it).

However, all of that building up was done by a a series of wine managers who have all moved on, and while the usual suspects are being maintained, it looks like the unique stuff is not.

[Jenise]

Blind, would you recognize this as cab franc?

Blind, would you recognize this as cab franc?

Without a doubt. It's the kind of wine that Cab Franc haters would probably find off-putting.

[Jenise]

Without a doubt. It's the kind of wine that Cab Franc haters would probably find off-putting.

That made me laugh out loud--I know just what you mean.

Uruguay is one of my post-Lotto, post-Trump escape hatches! Atlantic beaches AND they make interesting wine.

You failed to mention that Uruguay was the first country in the world to legalize marijuana, and at least for the time being, remains the only country to have done so.

FWIW, I recently purchased a bottle of Uruguayan Cabernet Franc on a lark. It was only $10. The label says "Ceiba." The producer in small print is Pradera y Mar, which apparently is part of Bodegas Filgueira. Never heard of any of these before. The ABV is 12.5 percent, which suggests it's unlikely to be New Worldy. Will post when I try it.