Glorie Farm Winery Cabernet Franc 2007

Doug Glorie is a farmer and a winery owner. He sells grapes to a large number of wineries in the valley. But Doug also makes his own wines as well. He and his wife, MaryEllen, and their dog Sullivan, work hard to make sure the trains run on time at the farm and winery.

His wine maker is Anne C. Reagan, who is also a friend and former neighbor. Fresh out of graduate school in Vermont, Anne began her wine career in New York working with artist, entrepreneur, and Hudson Valley wine pioneer Mark Miller. He trained her well in the Burgundian style of winemaking there.

Anne also has a strong background in California viticulture having worked with varieties ranging from Syrah, Barbera, and the Cabernets, to Zinfandel. In 2000 her Zin (Lodi, Central Valley) was awarded best Zinfandel in the country at the Atlanta Wine Summit.

Anne and her best friend and business partner Liz Quinn own and operate Albanhaus Kennels in Salt Point, New York, a full dog and cat boarding operation. Outside of dogs, she loves to work with the terroir that comes from the farm winery.

Which brings me to this Cabernet Franc. First off this is a 2007. So they've let it age. And secondly, this is an estate Cabernet Franc, grown right there in oug's vineyards. Thirdly, they aged the wine in New York oak. This is truly a product of the Hudson Valley.

The wine had a lovely color. Not too dark, it was a light-to-medium bodied red wine, with a translucent red color, that was red, but got considerably darker as it concentrated. And at the endges of the glass, there was the slightlest hint of reddish orange, or light brick red.

The wine itself had aromas of stewed fruits - bright cherries, light raspberry, and a whiff of tomato, vanilla, and a touch of dried leaves and leather - a sure sign of aging. Once on the tongue, the wine delivered cherries and other stewed lighter berries. Maybe even a hint of lingonberry? The wine was smooth though, with low tannins, and a nice, clean finnish.

At Glorie Farm Winery they've made a lot of popular wines with funky names like Jumpin' Jazz, Sweet Caroline, Red Monkey, and Candy Ass Red. These are all fun, picnic styled wines. And they have been very popular with customers. But this Cabernet Franc is a huge step away from all of that. Firstly, the label is filled with whacky art meant to appeal to a mass audience. It plain, simple, and no-frills. It's also a more classic red wine profile, something out of Bordeaux (a light Bordeaux) or Burgundy. It's the kind of product that winery owners don't always push real hard, because they'd just as soon drink them themselves. And it's the kind of wine other winemakers whisper about and say, "Did you try Doug's Cab Franc? Wow!" It's the kind of wine winemakers buy from each other. So what the hell are you waiting for?