Temperatures warmed this past weekend in the Bay Area and back patio doors opened on Father’s Day to fittingly commence one of America’s greatest past times, barbequing.   Grills up and down my neighborhood block fired up and permeated the air with smoky aromas of charcoal and grilled meat.   Despite the warm sun, a cool breeze was present making the temperature cool enough to pour a red wine.  Tannic and heavy bodied red varietals that many people immediately reach for are too heavy, however, for sitting in the warm sun.   So what should one select?   Given that it was a Sunday afternoon and folks were kicking back, no varietal could have been more appropriate to supplement the weather and scene than that cool cat known as Cabernet Franc.

Cabernet Franc is commonly used as a blending varietal, but when it is a single varietal bottling, it is quickly becoming a go-to backyard barbeque wine, if not a party wine.  It often shows off its flavors at the front or mid-palate, its flavors are full and vivacious clearly indicating why vintners so often reach for it as a blending wine.

Blending wines should never be sneered at because they generally are added for a specific reason and usually it is because on their own they pack a significant punch.   Think about it.   If Petit Verdot were a varietal wimp, why would it be added only in one or two percent allotments in Cabernet Sauvignon blends?   Cabernet Franc, which so often grab a larger share of the blending percentile, on its own can often steal the show and leave you eagerly cheering for more and your palate in a wake of festive confetti.

Finding a single varietal bottle of Cabernet Franc is not as hard as one would think in Napa Valley.   Goosecross Cellars (“Goosecross”) has added a single varietal bottle to its offerings and the addition has been met with great public response.

Goosecross’ Cabernet Franc is made from several clones of the varietal grape and combines these from two distinct American Viticultural Areas (“AVA’s”):   Yountville AVA and Carneros AVA.   The grapes harvested from the Yountville AVA hail from Goosecross’ estate vineyard.   Yountville AVA is one of the more recently added AVA’s and despite of its relatively new status, it has been intuitive to many that an official AVA status was long overdue.   Similar to Stag’s Leap AVA, the Yountville AVA has rocky volcanic soil to the east yet distinctly has tremendous amounts of alluvial and sedimentary soil combined with loam and sand.   Add to the mix a climate naturally cooled by marine bay breezes that are caught by the Yountville Mounts and the grapes that grow in this area can often naturally maximize their flavor potential.    In this spirit, the Yountville AVA Cabernet Franc grapes bring bright, juicy fruit flavors.    As mentioned initially, the other portion of grapes are sourced from the cool Carneros AVA.   The Carneros AVA is known for even cooler temperatures due to its proximity to the bay and the grapes grown here characteristically add an elegant component to any wine that they are added to.

Pouring Goosecross’ Cabernet Franc into the glass, the nose is greeted immediately by lovely aromas of bing cherry.   On the palate, initially the mouth is slightly tart as if cherries were just picked from a tree.  Soon flavors of red plum, berry, mint and mocha evolve.   The wine rolls back across the palate as carefree as an early summer afternoon due to its purposeful soft tannins and with one sip, if you haven’t found a comfortable patio chair you will quickly.

With the grill ready to go, it is only fitting that this week’s menu host:

1)      Cherry-Herbed Hamburgers With Greens, Caramelized Spring Onions and Blue-Cheese Spread on an Whole Wheat English Muffin;

2)     Sweet Potato Fries Topped With Minced Fresh Marjoram; and

3)     Blanched Green Bean-Almond Salad With Herbed Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Plump some chopped dried cherries and add them to burgers for not just a simple, “wow” but for a “wow, wow and triple wow.”  Cherries are in season presently in Northern California and naturally pack big flavor.   Added to a burger with minced rosemary, chopped marjoram, worschetershire sauce and fresh cracked peppercorns, this is a burger for grown-ups.  A whole wheat English muffin is brushed lightly with butter before placing it upon a hot charcoal grill.   Once toasted on all sides, it is dressed with spreadable blue cheese and a bed of freshly picked spinach leaves.   The burger emerges from the grill to be placed on top and dressed with caramelized spring onions and seasonal sweet lettuces from the garden.  The incorporation of the whole wheat English muffin adds soft flavors that take on the flavors of the burger as if they were its own.  With one bite, you will not want to share.  When paired with the wine, the burger readily greets the cherry notes, spices and herbs suggestively bring the natural herbaceous characteristics out of the Cabernet Franc.

Sweet Potato Fries with Marjoram go wonderfully with the Cabernet Franc and when paired alongside, the fries actually become sweeter.

In some gardens, green beans are starting to be harvested.  Whether from the backyard or at the local produce stand, these vegetables pack personality and flavor when seasonal and freshly picked.  In theme with a simple menu, green beans are blanched, mixed with sliced almonds after cooling and tossed with herb-based balsamic vinaigrette.   Simple, yet full of flavor and moreover healthy for you and your dad on Father’s Day.  And when paired with the wine, the earthy flavor of blanched green beans goes great with Cabernet Franc.

This is a wine that pours itself and the only time that you will find your glass empty is when the bottle is, too.   As patio furniture is dragged outside and grills are started, coast into summer with ease and a glass of Cabernet Franc.