Franciscan Estate Zinfandel 1998
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Winemaker Notes
Aromas: Bright, spicy red fruit with exotic scented wood.
Flavors: Fresh strawberry/raspberry fruit flavors with hints of cardamon and clove spice, accented with sweet oak. Nicely balanced with a long finish. A lighter-styled Zinfandel with elegance and grace.
Comments: The lively fruit and vibrant spice of the 1998 Franciscan Oakville Estate Zinfandel is expressed in a lighter, more elegant style than in previous vintages.
Other Vintages
1999-
Spirits
Wine &
Franciscan was founded in 1972 by a group of lawyers and doctors from San Francisco who decided to try turning their passion for wine into a business. In 1985, Agustin Huneeus, a Chilean exile who had built Concha y Toro in his native country, took over the helm at Franciscan. Huneeus refocused the winery on using the superlative grapes growing in its own vineyards, rather than sourcing from outside.
Today, Franciscan's wines are crafted under the exacting eye of Janet Myers, who came to Franciscan in August 2003 as associate winemaker after working in the Margaret River region and Beaulieu Vineyard, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Louis Martini. The winery remains committed to its tradition of small-lot winemaking, with small batches averaging just 150 to 1,500 cases. The image of a hand-operated wine press on Franciscan's logo and wine labels reflects this small lot approach to winemaking.