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The Trader Joe’s Reserve Knights Valley Cabernet Franc 2021 is a $9.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive. The back label says this wine was “vinted and bottled by” ABJ Wines. Vinted and bottled by means that whoever ABJ is bottled this wine, vinted sounds important but does not legally mean much.
The Knights Valley AVA is in northeast Sonoma, with the Russian River to the west, and the Chalk Hill AVA to the south. Knights Valley is one of the smaller AVAs and is the home to family-owned and operated wineries.
Cabernet Franc is one of the approved grapes for the Bordeaux Blend wines from France and is the grape in Chinon wines from the Loire Valley. Cabernet Franc is one of the older Red grapes it is one of the parent grapes for Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
As usual; Trader Joe’s Reserve wines have no tasting or production notes so we have no information for the Trader Joe’s Reserve Knights Valley Cabernet Franc 2021.
The Knights Valley AVA does not normally produce value-priced wine, they are more likely to make a smaller volume of boutique wine. A $9.99 Trader Joe’s wine is therefore a treat, a chance to taste grapes from a more exclusive AVA. The alcohol content is 14.1%.
The Trader Joe’s Reserve Knights Valley Cabernet Franc 2021 Tasting Notes
The color is purple with black highlights. The nose is blackberry, herbs, black pepper, spice, plum, and a slightly vegetal note. The Trader Joe’s Reserve Knights Valley Cabernet Franc 2021 shows intense blackberry and interesting spice.
This Cabernet Franc tastes like extracted blackberry, cooling blueberry, hard-edged spice, and plum. The mid-palate shows black pepper, cranberry, and a little vanilla (though I don’t know if this is oak-aged, if there is oak it is subtle), orange zest, and pomegranate.
Cabernet Sauvignon can be tannic, but this one is fine. The acidity is well-balanced.
The Summary
- The Trader Joe’s Reserve Knights Valley Cabernet Franc 2021 is worth buying.
- If you are curious about Cab Franc and the Knights Valley AVA you can check him off your list for $9.99 @ TJ’s
