'Boisson vivant', 'Le Grand Clere' Cabernet Franc 2011, Francois Blanchard

Black tar, cloves. Cassis on nose, no sugar. Blackberry jam, smoke. Perfume and smoke opening up within parameters. Black tea/oolong. More structure & tar than licorice/smoke over stones.

Clears palate, purple perfume, cassis jam. Sitting and drinking with my sweet younger brother Andy: "Tastes like the earth that its grown in." 

Mineral tartness. Black stone/ drying on palate like Italian wine. Smells like Piedmont. Blackberry + LEMON. Acidity but doesn't cut through all, well-balanced, TART.

Orange pith, sour juice, so well rounded. Seamed at edges/cocoa/sweet/tart. Almost Bardolino or Dolcetto. "Herbal licorice" "mustardy", garrigue, dry, dusty bookshop! 

Black tea, ROSE

Blackberry compote and cocoa powder.