Wine Recommendation
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Wine Recommendation

Lieb Family Cellars NV Bridge Lane Cabernet Franc  (North Fork of Long Island)

Lieb Family Cellars

NV Bridge Lane Cabernet Franc
(North Fork of Long Island)



Merlot gets all of the attention, but many of my favorite North Fork wines are made with (or at least primarily made with) the lesser known Cabernet Franc grape. I've always enjoyed the playful herb and spice notes that these wines offer along with nice, sometimes floral aspects.

But who can afford to spend the $25-$40 for the best local bottles? I know that I can't, so I was excited to learn about Lieb Family Cellars' Bridge Lane Cabernet Franc ($16). It's a non-vintage blend that aims to be an everyday, Chinon-style franc. And you know what, it's pretty good. Smoky red cherry aromas with a little peppery spice and some tomato leaf - which I like - make up a fairly aromatic nose. Similar flavors carry through to the palate, with the leafy notes replaced by more herbal, thyme-basil notes. It has low tannins and just a little acidic structure. This isn't a wine that is going to knock you over the head, but it's a nice everyday wine that should be versatile at the table too.

Reviewed September 5, 2007 by Lenn Thompson.




Other reviewed wines from Lieb Family Cellars

 

The Wine

Winery: Lieb Family Cellars
Vintage: NV
Wine: Bridge Lane Cabernet Franc
Appellation: North Fork of Long Island
Grape: Cabernet Franc
Price: 750ml $15.00

Review Date: 9/5/2007

The Reviewer

Lenn Thompson

Lenn Thompson writes about New York wines for Dan's Papers,
Long Island Press, Long Island Wine Gazette, Edible East End
and Hamptons.com. Two words describe his taste in wine — balance and nuance. Lenn prefers food-friendly, elegant wines to jammy, over-extracted fruit bombs and heavy-handed oak. When reviewing, Lenn tastes each wine three times — alone right after opening, with food, and again the next day — believing that 90-second reviews are unrealistic and not how the average person enjoys wine.