2017 Cabernet Franc

This offering presents enticing flavors of dark boysenberry, bittersweet chocolate, roasted coffee beans, rose petals, violets, and mint. The palate is rich and silky, with penetrating layers of fruit and spice notes and a long lingering finish.

Our cabernet franc was harvested on October 1st of 2017, after which it was cold-soaked in the tank for four days and then fermented on the skins for a total of 18 days. The final blend also contains an addition of 15% cabernet sauvignon from our Quartz Hill and Rim Rock blocks. In a warm vintage like 2017, cabernet franc has the potential to truly shine. Managing flavor development in this finicky grape variety is all about sunlight and warmth without the excessive exposure that can cause sunburn. In 2017, we were granted that in spades and the resulting wine confirms it.

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Appellation: 59% Napa/ 41% Sonoma
Vintage: 2017
Harvest: October 2017
Fermentation: Stainless Steel
Cooperage: French Oak
Blend: 85% Cabernet Franc
15% Cabernet Sauvignon
Alcohol: 14.4%
Bottling: April 2019
Production: 1485 cases
Release Date: August 2019
Release Price: $75.00

Reviews

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  • Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: Issue 245 End of October - Rating: 93

    The 2017 Cabernet Franc is made of 85% Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. It comes 59% from Napa county and 41%Sonoma county. Deep garnet-purple colored, it comes proudly prancing out of the glass with happy Morello cherries, baked raspberries, boysenberries and warm plums notes plus suggestions of pencil lead, red roses, black tea and bay leaves. Medium to full-bodied, it reveals wonderfully youthful, crunchy red and black fruits with a firm backbone of finely grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and perfumed. 1,485 cases produced.

  • Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine: October 2019 - Rating: 90

    Creamy oak plays an obvious role here as does explicit ripeness, but neither gets too far ahead of slightly juicy, dark cherry- and berry-like fruit, and the wine claims a good deal of depth and richness. It is supple to start and then firms and tightens as it goes, and, if at first seeming fairly easy to access, it takes on enough latearriving astringency to prescribe at least another three of four years of cellaring and is structured to age effortlessly for as many more after that.

  • Jeb Dunnuck: Napa Valley’s 2017s - Rating: 93

    The 2017 Cabernet Franc comes slightly more from the Napa side of the mountain and is 59% Napa County and 41% Sonoma County. This deep ruby/purple-hued effort offers beautiful cassis, mulberry, and black cherry fruits as well as classic Cabernet Franc floral, forest floor, and dark chocolate notes. With medium to full body, a beautiful sense of elegance, fine tannins, and just all-around fabulous balance, it's going to benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and keep for 10-15. It's a beautiful wine.

  • California Grapevine: California Grapevine, Volume 46 - Rating: 90

    Medium to medium-dark ruby;
    attractive, forward, rich, ripe, spicy, dark cherry and blackberry
    fruit aroma with notes of dried herbs, black licorice,
    sandalwood, and mocha; full body; ripe, rounded, cherry and
    blackberry fruit flavors with a plush mouthfeel; full tannin;
    lingering aftertaste. Enjoyable to drink now, but worthy of a
    few more years of bottle aging. Very highly recommended.
    14.4% alcohol; 1,485 cases; blended with 15% CS; released
    August 2019. (Group Score: 16.3, 1/4/1; My Score: 17
    [90/100], fifth place)