Broc Cabernet Franc

I ordered Chinese take-out, I had SNL on the TV, life was good. It was even BETTER because I had Broc Cabernet Franc in my glass. I loved the 2011 vintage and am even more in love with 2012. This is the kind of Cabernet I’m into- not too green and peppery, but fresh and fruity (and whole cluster.) Don’t get me wrong, it’s not all fruit loops and smiley faces. It has some depth and earth. It’s a great little wine and I basically drank an entire bottle by myself. What else do I need to say, people? Seek it out and hoard it.

There are some other things in this photo I’m loving. I picked up a few of these white porcelain bottle coasters. Super cheap, chic, and functional. And those glasses? My new favorite weeknight drinking vessel. They remind me wine doesn’t always have to be so precious. I’m eating cashew chicken and watching Stefon talk about Halloween, after all.

Porch Drinking

This past weekend, I was able to enjoy a little evening porch hang, some guitar strumming and delicious pink stuff.

On the drinking agenda- the 2011 Breton Rosé d’Anjou “La Ritournelle” Moustillant. Bullet points: 100% Cabernet Franc, juicy watermelon and delicate strawberry fruit, subtle bubbles and sweetness and not as subtle minerality. Kinda like a little bloody/copper penny-ish, in the most non-gross way. I liked it a lot!

FYI- “La Ritournelle” is a song by French singer/songwriter Sébastien Tellier. You should have a listen! I’m pretty sure the title translates to a refrain that occurs in a piece of music. Or, you know, in life.

Quite the musical evening all around!

You Say Sfuso, I Say Awesome



Vino sfuso (s-foo-zo) is a beautiful thing. What is it exactly? It’s bulk wine or, rather, wine by the liter. Genius. One of the many things that Italy does better. Or at all.

sfuso love

Many winemakers offer their fresh, young wine straight out of the tanks. Stop by their cantina and fill up your glass jugs or plastic 2 liter bottles. Any which way, you can load up your car full of wine and head home all for about 10 bucks. It’s great everyday wine for simple meals at home and sitting ’round the fire.

The photos above are of Franco Clementin of Fattoria Clementin in Terzo di Aquileia. He offers two sfuso wines, one white (tocai friulano) and one red (merlot.) Franco’s main work is for his bottled wine under the label Broili. The wines are lovely and a true expression of the Friuli region and its best varietals; refosco, traminer aromatico, verduzzo…and the standout for me was the cabernet franc. It was herbaceous and seriously “earthy” without any heaviness. Full of tarragon and grass and cedar. Light but very expressive. [There are many French varietals grown in Friuli and they have been growing there for a very long time. So much so that Friulian wine has become synonymous with not only the autochthonous grapes refosco and schioppettino but of cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon and merlot.]

franc-ly my dear

fire and wine

Ahhh, wine by the fire. A perfect night if you ask me. And with a trunk full of vino sfuso…too good to be true.