The long, warm 2010 Finger Lakes growing season is captured well in the Heron Hill Winery 2010 Ingle Vineyard Cabernet Franc ($25). A lighter hand in the cellar might have served that ripe fruit better, however. 14 months in American and European oak may have been just a bit too long.
On the nose, rich, brooding aromas of cassis, blueberry and blackberry are accented by notes of licorice, lavender and dark roast coffee.
Full bodied with a concentrated core of dark fruit, the palate brings black cherry along with currants and blueberries, more licorice and grilled herbs. Chewy tannins provide nice structure. Woody flavors are a bit too forward from the start, but they take center stage — in a charcoal-coffee kind of way — on the end of a medium-length finish.
Sometimes wines that taste overtly oak are ‘under-wined’ rather than ‘0ver-oaked.’ I don’t think that’s the case here.
Producer: Heron Hill Winery
AVA: Finger Lakes
ABV: 12.5%
Price: $25*
(3 out of 5, Very good/Recommended)