2018 Cabernet Franc

This vintage of Cabernet Franc is dark red, aromatic and complex. It has aromas and flavors reminiscent of ripe red and black berries, cherry, cocoa, bell pepper, graphite, smoke, dust and dry leaves. It is medium bodied, with fine tannins that help the wine linger nicely on the palate. This wine is still very young and the fruit character is still a bit in the background. Open the bottle for at least a few hours if you have the opportunity. Drink now through 2028. 

A total of 2.78 tons of estate grown grapes were harvested by hand on November 2, 2017. The grapes had 20 brix sugar, 7.6 g/l TA and 3.33 pH. The grapes were destemmed, crushed and inoculated with yeast. Fermentation lasted for seven days at 66-78 degrees. An additional parcel of 3.17 tons of Cabernet Franc was harvested on October 24th and these grapes had 21 brix sugar, 6.5 g/l TA and 3.31 pH. Fermentation for these grapes lasted for six days at 66-78 degrees. 100% malolactic fermentation was achieved with both batches. The wines were blended and transferred into a combination of new and used American and French oak barrels for 13 months of aging. The wine was then transferred to a stainless steel tank and eggwhite fined and cold and heat stabilized. It was filtered and bottled on June 24th, 2020. The finished wine has 5.7 g/l TA, 3.58 pH, 0.4% residual sugar and 12.5% alcohol. 255 cases were produced.