Grandfather Vineyard 2015 Cabernet Franc Given Score of 89 in Review by James Suckling

Christine Fronzaglia holds a bottle of Grandfather Vineyard’s Cabernet Franc at their tasting room.

On October 12-17, 2018 Senior Editor James Suckling and Contributing Editors Nick Stock, William McIlhenny, and Stuart Pigott of the internationally renowned jamessuckling.com gathered at historic Barboursville Vineyards in Virginia to conduct The Great American Tasting. The Grandfather Vineyard 2015 Cabernet Franc was among the reviewed wines and was ultimately rewarded a score of 89. 

The tasters from jamessuckling.com left notes about the Cabernet Franc commenting on its nice freshness, soft tannins, and a rich and ripe overall flavor profile. A score of 89 out of 100 is impressive and the notes were punctuated with a call for wine enthusiasts across the nation to “Drink now!” Though Grandfather Vineyard has sold out of the 2015 Cabernet Franc, a 2016 Cabernet Franc is soon to be released. 

Over 800 wines were chosen for tasting comprising of primarily non-West Coast wines from some of the best wineries in America. 14 states were represented and the conclusion of the tasting was that there are dozens of outstanding wines being produced across the country. 

Grandfather Vineyard was the only producer with the Appalachian High Country AVA (American Viticultural Area) to be honored with inclusion in the Suckling tasting. Suckling chose the Cabernet Franc because it was awarded as one of the top 25 wines from the NC Fine Wines Competition this year. 

About James Suckling

James Suckling is an internationally respected American Wine Critic. Suckling spent much of his career as the Senior Editor and European Bureau Chief for Wine Spectator magazine. Today, Suckling’s efforts lie in reviewing and blogging for his website jamessuckling.com. He continues to be regarded as one of the world’s most influential wine critics. 

About Grandfather Vineyard

Nestled in the shadow of the iconic Grandfather Mountain,Grandfather Vineyard is a family-owned winery known for local and accredited wines. A proud member of the recently recognized Appalachian High Country AVA, the Vineyard is situated on the banks of the Watauga River and home to a large variety of wines. With blends and single-varietal wines ranging from dry to sweet, and even the occasional cider or port wine, there’s something for everyone atGrandfather Vineyard!

The 2015 Cabernet Franc has been added to their display of other award winning wines.
The tasting room is open everyday in the winter except Tuesday.
The winery is located at 225 Vineyard Lane, just off Highway 105 in the Foscoe area.