I was grilling some NY Strips on the Big Green Egg and was looking for a nice, a little higher end, Napa Cab to pair with the steaks, and decided on the Frank Family, from a great year in Napa, 2012, and it was just a bottle that I have been itching to drink for a while. I've had Frank Family wines in the past, have always enjoyed them, particularly at their price points, and I was really curious about the '12 Cabernet.
Turns out, it was a very nice wine, but it, like most of the '12s, are just a little too young. They need another few years in the cellar to settle down and then I think they will be splendid wines. I bought a few '12 Insignias (one of my favorites from Joseph Phelps) and plan to sit on those for at least another 5 years. But I cracked one, just to be sure.
All that said, the wine at hand here, the '12 Frank Family, is signature Napa, and signature 2012. It's $42.99 at Costco which is very competitive for this bottle, but not "run to the store now crazy," so you definitely have some expectations, and I found those to be reasonably met.
It was apparent right away that this was a blend, and after a little research I found the varietal makeup, which is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc. So now we're in Left Bank Bordeaux territory. The 11% Merlot was the give away, but I really enjoyed how the blend came together.
Floral on the nose, young and vibrant, full bodied in the mouth; very fruit forward, mostly dark fruit, blackberry, blueberry, some chocolate and liqueur on the finish with a little toast and tobacco. Finishes hefty which is great, nice steak pairing. Overall, this is a nice bottle, and if you're like me and looking to grab as many of the 2012 Napa Cabs as you can afford, this is a good use of $42. I would just sit in the cellar for a bit and I think you'll have a really nice surprise in just a few more years. If you can't wait, you'll do just fine too.
CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 91 Points
Costco item number: 204438
Purchased at Costco in: Atlanta, GA (Kennesaw)
Alc. 14.5%
costcomovies says
it was a very nice wine
Will says
Just went to Costco in Woodland Hills, CA (Los Angeles) and this wine wasn't there. Very disappointed. Is there a Costco website that lists what wines a specific Costco is carrying? If not, there should be.
Editor says
I really wish there was but unfortunately there is not to the best of my knowledge.