Wine review: Dithyramb Winery 2008 Cabernet Franc

Originally posted on ColoradoWino.com

When pouring Dithyramb Winery’s Cabernet Franc, it was obvious this bottle was new in every sense of the word.

It didn’t even have a label.

During a visit to the suburban winery last week, winemakers Sean and Candice Bundy provided a preview for review. They hadn’t had the chance to adhere labels nor had it been released.

In fact, the 2008 Cab Franc and Bromios (Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blend) were just offered publicly over the weekend, marking the first two reds this winery has ever sold commercially.

The Bundys are the freshman class of the Colorado wine industry.

The question begs: Will the public fall in love with fresh-faced Centennial winery or dismiss it as a Colorado rookie destined to fade away?

Bet on the former.

The Cabernet Franc is the star of Dithyramb’s 2008 class that also includes a Chardonnay, Rose and several honey wines (a Syrah is yet to be released).

On the nose, it is buttery, oaky and full of blackberries and other dark fruits. It fills the mouth with those same pleasant flavors, coming off, if anything, a little too sweet.

But this is an enjoyable wine now. The tannins are mellow and balanced making this an easy-drinking selection for a variety of occasions.

And therein lies a potential shortfall. A great bold red will improve with age as astringent tannins mellow to make room for complex fruit flavors.

Absent a strong sense of tannic qualities that you’d expect from a brand new release of Cabernet Franc (this is the parent grape to Cabernet Sauvignon), Dithyramb’s version may not develop immense flavor layers over time.

Not that this is a deal breaker. Far from it actually. As it stands now, this bottle is simply fun to drink and will be a nice addition to the dinner table next time you cook up a Mediterranean delight.

Beyond that it proves that this year-and-a-half old winery has the mettle and talent to last (and excel) in this business. This solid first crack at a Cab Franc is worth buying and offers a glimpse of hopefully great tastes to come.

For more:
2008 Cabernet Franc by Dithyramb Winery in Centennial
13.5% alcohol by volume
Grapes from the Grand Valley AVA
Price: $20
7 stars on ColoradoWino.com’s completely arbitrary 11-star wine review rating system

Photo credit: Label provided by Dithyramb Winery

Note: This bottle was comped to ColoradoWino.com for purposes of this review.