At under $12 a bottle, Laroque is a rock-solid value wine from France | Phil Your Glass

Phil Masturzo, Akron Beacon Journal
·2 min read
Laroque cabernet franc from France is another fantastic value wine priced at $11.99.
Laroque cabernet franc from France is another fantastic value wine priced at $11.99.

My first sip of Laroque cabernet franc from France had me flabbergasted. Jann Filion, the wine steward at the Market District in Cuyahoga Falls, suggested I give this $11.99 bottle a try. And I’m sure glad she did.

Cabernet franc is the parent grape of cabernet sauvignon. It's mainly used as a blending grape with other Bordeaux varietals such as cabernet sauvignon, syrah and merlot. However, Laroque, which means “the rock,” is 100% cabernet franc. The grapes come from high-altitude vineyards in Southern France that date back to the sixth century. The vines are kissed by gentle winds from the Mediterranean Sea.

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The winery suggested pairing this bottle with Mediterranean cuisine, pasta, lamb, chicken, pizza and hamburgers. Nothing scary about that. I poured a glass and had a few crackers with some of DeVitis’ famous cheese salad (which can also be purchased at Beau’s Market). Next I spread goat cheese on a few black peppercorn crackers. I couldn’t resist a couple of feta-stuffed olives from Krieger’s. Lots of wow factor going on with these three cheese pairings.

This wine was so good on its own, but a carryout order of grilled chicken wings from Beau’s on the River made this a heavenly pairing. The blueberry nuances of the wine were oh-so good with the charred flavor of the meat and the blue cheese dipping sauce. This rock-solid wine even complemented the tangy wing sauce.

Buy this wine at Krieger’s Market, Beau’s Market in Copley, Market District in Cuyahoga Falls, Cornerstone Market in Munroe Falls, Corkscrew Johnny’s in Richfield, Silver Spirits in the Merriman Valley, Western Reserve Wines in Solon, and Giant Eagle Washington Square in North Canton

Send me an email at philyourglass@gmail.com with any wine questions and follow me on Instagram @pmasturzo_philyourglass.

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This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Laroque cabernet franc is a great value wine for under $12