Coquerel Wines Cabernet Franc 2014

As serious wine lovers for more than three decades, Clay and Brenda Cockerell have travelled extensively throughout the great appellations of Europe and sampled everything from simple, honest regional bottlings to some of the world’s most celebrated wines.

Years ago, while visiting the Napa Valley, they decided the time was right to make their own wines. Coquerel was born. (The name Coquerel is an archaic French derivation of their family name - Cockerell.)

In 2005, they purchased a vineyard in Calistoga planted to old-vine, dry-farmed Sauvignon Blanc. In 2008 they acquired the adjacent site that was planted to a handful of traditional varieties rarely found in modern-day Napa. Since then they have revamped, replanted and upgraded their property to luxury-class winegrowing standards.

Conquerel's estate “Walnut Wash” vineyard sits in the afternoon shadows of the Mayacamas Mountains at the north end of Napa Valley in the Calistoga AVA. The site is warm and protected and features a mix of deep clay and stony soils. There are currently seven acres planted to Sauvignon Blanc, Verdelho, Petite Sirah and Tempranillo. In 2014 they added four acres of Cabernet Sauvignon. Under the guidance of winemaker Christine Barbe, this vineyard is intensely farmed for low yields and high quality. The unique conditions and favorable terroir produces exceptional fruit each vintage.

On the winemaking front, Christine has had a dramatic impact on the quality and style of Coquerel’s wines. All of their bottlings are handmade in small lots to ensure character and authenticity. The whites are bright, crisp, elegant and well structured. The reds are intense, aromatic, harmonious and lush. Complexity, concentration, balance and minerality are the hallmarks of Conquerel's wines.