Tasting Notes
Displaying classic varietal character, our Cabernet
Franc offers ripe fruit tinged by smoke, dry earth
and subtle oak accents. Aromas leap from the
glass with dark plum, cassis and tobacco. Across
the palate, cedar, hay and toast interplay over a
sweet fruit backdrop. Tannins are present but not
overpowering, with a well-tamed grip that holds
the finish. Savory, salty foods will bring forward
the fruit in this wine; pair it with roasted meats
and stews.
Vineyard Notes
A majority of our Cabernet Franc comes from
vineyards in the northern end of Napa Valley. A mix
of mountain and valley fruit allows us to blend the
attributes of several vineyards for a well-balanced
wine. The mountain fruit, most of which comes
from our Diamond Mountain Ranch Vineyard, has
bold flavors and tight tannin structure. We flesh
this out with fruit from the valley floor, mainly
from our Tamagni Vineyard located down near the
Napa River, which gives us plush, ripe berry fruit
characters. Together, they form a seamless, well balanced
whole.
Winemaking Notes
Historically a Bordeaux blending varietal, Cabernet
Franc has a distinct personality of its own. We wanted
to craft a wine that showcased its characteristics.
We began by hand-harvesting the fruit in the cool
hours of the day. After the grapes were destemmed
and crushed, we used a process called saignée,
which bleeds off a portion of the juice prior to
fermentation, allowing for an increased ratio of skins
to juice and ultimately a greater intensity of flavors.
After fermentation, we aged the wine for 18 months
in primarily French oak barrels, which we feel are an
ideal partner for Cabernet Franc. We blended small
amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot to flesh
out the wine and add depth.