Fruit Hills Winery Cabernet Franc

Happy Tuesday!  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of local wine!  Local wine, you say?  But you live in Indiana?  Absolutely right, and I freely admit that I'm not a big fan of much of the red wine that's produced in Northern Indiana or Michigan, but I actually tasted this wine a couple years ago at a local art show and I liked it, so I bought a bottle.  So, I thought what the heck, Tuesdays are slow, so let's enjoy a bottle of non-vintage Fruit Hills Winery Cabernet Franc!  Fruit Hills Winery is a nice little winery in Bristol, Indiana, that's on an orchard that's been around since the 1850s and it's a pleasant place to stop by on your next visit to Amish country!  But what about the wine?  Here goes nothing!

The wine is somewhat lighter in color than many examples of Cabernet Franc, as this one looks more like a Pinot Noir.  The nose gives the impression of a wine produced in a much more sophisticated wine region, rich leather and smoke over ripe fruit notes of blackberry and plum.  The taste is a rush of ripe fruit up front, tart cherry, plum and boysenberry that transitions to some modest notes of Kirsch and limestone mineral midpalate.  The tannins are somewhat tight, but provide some bright acidity for the smooth, dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, as this is a local dry red wine that I enjoy and would have no qualms serving to guests.  This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes, from steaks to barbecue to chili, but tonight is Taco Tuesday, so I am enjoying this one with some chipotle rubbed sockeye tacos with a fresh red cabbage and cilantro slaw.  The acidity of the wine is a perfect foil to the richness of the salmon, cheers!