The Lazy Bones Paso Robles Cabernet Franc 2013 is a $6.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive, vinted for them by the Central Coast Wine Warehouse. They are a custom label facility and own or control some of the finest vineyards in the Central Coast AVA. Central Coast Wine Warehouse has a long history of producing wines for Trader Joe’s. Cabernet Franc is best known as a blending grape for Bordeaux Red wine and for single varietal wines from the Chinon AOC in the Loire Valley of France. The label of the Lazy Bones Cab Franc catches your eye, it looks like it should have been a French poster from 1910 and gives this bottle the look of a far more expensive wine. The alcohol content is 13%.
The color is dark black cherry red, with an almost clear halo. The nose is very ripe blackberry, black pepper, black cherry and spice. This a bright fruit forward wine, with solid tannins and an interesting mix of flavors. It starts with blackberry, plum, black cherry and sweet tobacco (reminded me of Swisher Sweets). The mid-palate adds a slight tug from the tannins and raspberry. The finish is full and lengthy, but one-dimensional.
The Lazy Bones Paso Robles Cabernet Franc 2013 is a solid, no issues $6.99 Red wine. The Lazy Bones would pair well with roast meats, fajitas and Popeye’s Fried Chicken (spicy). This is an inexpensive wine that has a bit of structure, some challenging flavors to balance the ripe fruit and more length than you would expect from an under 7 buck wine. The Lazy Bones Cab Franc 2013 (be sure to check the vintage, I think this wine has a fairly substantial quality swing from year to year) is almost as stylish as it’s label and its got a great label, all in all a very good effort.
