THREE CABERNET FRANCS & NEW ADDITIONS TO OUR TREASURE CHEST

My, oh my, finding domestic Cabernet Franc that is a true expression of the grape is a tough these days. These three new ones are awesome especially at these prices!

Savage Grace 2018 Cabernet Franc Copeland Vineyard, Washington State

The 8th vintage of this winery-signature Cabernet Franc offers raspberry, subtle earthiness, and hints of rhubarb. 20% whole-cluster, aged in neutral French oak barrels for 15 months. Native fermentation. Unfiltered. Certified Organic. Low intervention. Just good clean winemaking.

$25.99 per bottle

Delta 2019 Cabernet Franc, California

Sourced from cool-climate sites along the California coastline. Natively fermented and aged in a 100% neutral barrels. Naturally made vegan and gluten free with zero sugars. Plum, raspberry, sage, peppercorn, red flowers, cedar.

$13.99 per bottle

Wait Cellars 2016 Cabernet Franc Los Amigos Vineyard

Russian River Valley, Sonoma County

The 2016 Wait Cellars Russian River Cabernet Franc is made from 100% hand-picked and hand-sorted fruit from the Los Amigos Vineyard. Los Amigos sits south of Healdsburg, California and east of highway 101 where the western benchlands of the Mayacamas range flatten out, a relatively warmer area of Sonoma County where the Russian River Valley and the Chalk Hill appellations overlap. 2016 was a warm, even growing year at Los Amigos after a wet, cool winter — a respite from four straight years of drought on the North Coast.  Picked at 23 brix, the whole clusters underwent an 11-day, sealed carbonic maceration. Our goals were to soften tannins and alcohol naturally while bringing forward scrumptious black and red fruit flavors.  After 11 days the grapes were unsealed and treaded by foot. Native yeast conducted the remainder of the primary fermentation, and the wine was pressed into neutral oak barrels. The wine remained in barrel sur lie, occasionally stirred, until racked in early spring and bottled unfiltered in summer. We hope you enjoy this gently-made, exuberant expression of this elegant, noble grape.

$18.99 per bottle

Two New Releases from Our Treasure Chest

Groth is one of my favorite wineries from Napa Valley, the first California winery to have been awarded a first perfect 100-point score from Robert Parker. The Groth Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is intentionally held back for an extra couple years, so it is essentially ready to drink (with a decant) when you buy it.  It still can be aged for a while in the proper cellar.

Continuum from Tim and Marsha Mondavi is an exclusive estate selection from Pritchard Hill produced in limited quantities. We’ve offered this wine ever since its first vintage.

Groth 2016 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, Napa Valley

The density of the deep-garnet color hints at the extraction in this wine.  Aromas of spiced cherries dominate the alluring nose, accompanied by cassis, dark plum, and a savory touch of anise.  Smooth and juicy on the entry, the palate builds quickly with a full mouthfeel and bright acidity. There is a clean, elegant progression of lush plum, bright cherry, tart red currant all riding on abundant, but not overpowering tannin.  The spiced cherries make a reappearance late in the finish.  Sit with this one for awhile, get to know it, and enjoy the evolution.  Elegantly powerful now, this will be a real stunner in 10-15 years.

$147.99 per bottle

Continuum 2018 Sage Mountain Vineyard Red Wine, Napa Valley

Continuum is 100% estate grown, produced and bottled.  All fruit is selectively hand-harvested at night. The fruit is then sorted before and after de-stemming, and gravity fed into French oak or concrete tanks.  A three-day cold soak is followed by fermentation, receiving three to four pumpovers daily, and délestage (oxygenation) two to three times in total during the most active period.  The wine remains on skins in tank for 20 to 40 days. All lots are then drained, basket pressed, and transferred with lees for malolactic fermentation and aging. In 2018, Continuum spent 22 months in barrel. 63 percent of French oak barrels were new, and 35 percent were once-used.  A single concrete amphora was also used for aging.  The wine clarified slowly and settled naturally in the estate’s cold barrel room, then racked sparingly and bottled without fining or filtration.  Each vineyard lot was tasted and carefully considered many times to assemble the 2018 blend.  

The wine expresses purity and precision, with high-tone aromatics of red and blue fruit, deep plum and rose oil.  This vintage shows an approachable nerve of the land in the refined mineral quality on the palate.  The surrounding native vegetation of bay and sage is evidenced in an earthy, savory profile. This is a shimmering, silky and harmoniously integrated wine with densely packed fine grain tannins. 2018 Continuum is a wine for the ages, delicious today with a long life ahead.

$257.99 per bottle

Plus An Accomplished Cabernet Sauvignon Release

from a Veteran Napa Valley Producer

Joseph Phelps 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

Blend:  97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec from estate and grower vineyards in St. Helena, south Napa Valley, Oak Knoll District and the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley.  The wine was aged for eighteen months in 40% new oak (49% French, 51% American) and 60% one- to two-year-old French and American barrels before bottling.  The coopers included Ermitage, François Frères, Demptos (French & American), Canton (American), Dargaud Jaegle, Orion and Taransaud.  A wine of great energy, length, and finesse, 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon opens with floral notes, cedar and pencil shavings followed by ripe blackberry, cassis, and red currant jam.  Fresh and focused, with pleasing acid and tannin structure building tension along the palate to the lingering finish.

$72.99 per bottle