When we went wine swinging in Lake Chelan wine region of Washington state we wanted to explore what makes wines from this region special. That’s why we decided to focus on and write reviews about the wines made from regional grapes exclusively.
Oh, well! It helps not to square oneself in and be open-minded when it comes to exploring wine. We had to step away from the script when we tasted wines of Fielding Hills Winery.
It was among a few wineries in Lake Chelan region that had a consistent quality across all the wines we tasted. But here’s a twist!
While the Fielding Hills tasting room and winemaking facility are in the Lake Chelan, the grapes are sourced from another region. Mike Wade, the winemaker/owner, make wines from the fruit of Wahluke Slope area – Washington appellation famous for the high quality of its fruit.
We tasted Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, and a red blend, but 2015 Cabernet Franc was a highlight of the flight for us. It’s made from the estate Cabernet Franc planted in 2000. The wine is 84 % Cab Franc with some Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah for balance.
2015 Cabernet Franc Fielding Hills Estate Tasting Notes
It opens with aromas of ripe cherry, vanilla bean, and black currant. The flavors of chocolate-covered cherry, blackberry, and cassis (black currant liqueur) balanced by the pleasant tartness and incorporated tannin. The finish is chocolaty and long.
This wine can pair well with filet mignon, duck, cured meats and maybe even dark chocolate cake sprinkled with salt crystals or bacon bits for dessert.
We suspect Fielding Hills Cabernet Franc can challenge some of the best examples of the same varietal from both New and Old World. We will test the theory and add it to the flight of the next wineswinging tasting we organize.