The American Vine Rating
Drink Window
2026–2034
The most structured and serious red from Meadowbrook — built for the long game, with a depth that rewards patience.
Tasting Notes
Appearance: Deep ruby with garnet edges.
Aroma: Dark cherry, cedar, dried herbs, and a firm tannic backbone on the nose.
Palate: Full-bodied with concentrated dark fruit, firm tannins, and a structural density that comes from a warm, dry vintage.
Finish: Long and grippy, with dark fruit and oak integration that will improve with time..
Food Pairings
Braised short ribs, roasted lamb, aged cheddar, venison
About the Wine
The 2022 Cabernet Franc is the estate's more traditional expression — fermented with more extraction than the Whole Berry bottling, aged longer in oak, and built with the kind of structure that suggests a five-to-ten year window rather than a drink-now profile.
About Meadowbrook Winery
Meadowbrook Winery in Hunterdon County has built its reputation on Cabernet Franc. The 2022 vintage was warm and dry — one of the more favorable in recent memory for red varieties — and the wine reflects that concentration.
The American Vine's Take
The most ambitious wine I have tasted from this producer. It is not the most immediately pleasurable bottle in the lineup, but it may be the most interesting. Hold it, and check back in 2028.
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