Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Cabernet Franc's floral and blueberry characteristics are found in this intense, medium-bodied 2001 along with extraordinary elegance and palate presence. A hedonistic as well as intellectual turn-on, it should age nicely for 10-15 years, but who can resist it now? A blend of 75% Cabernet Franc and 25% Merlot.
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Wine & Spirits
Pride's mountaintop vineyard at the border of Napa and Sonoma counties is a great place to grow Cabernet Franc. The high builds a depth of flavor into these grapes that shows up in layers of green spice in the wine, almost a garam marsala intensity. And it shows off franc's refinement of tannin, a firmness that frames the beautiful expression of Spring Mountain's soil, well drained hilltops eroded from what were most likely once sea beds, pushed 2000 feet above the sea by the Pacific Plate. Winemaker Bob Foley believes their content, structure and exceptional drainage Account for the soft textures of his wines. This cabernet franc gains stature as it takes on air, offering tremendous complexity a day after the bottle is first opened. Delicious with braised lamb, whether a long cooked shank or in a Bolognese sauce over fresh pasta.
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Wine Spectator
Spicy, toasty, mocha-scented oak plays a strong role in this richly flavored wine built around ripe plum, blueberry and wild berry flavors. Finishes with a lift and sense of elegance.
Cabernet Franc, a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon, is the subtler and more delicate of the Cabernets. Today Cabernet Franc produces outstanding single varietal wines across the wine-producing world. Somm Secret—One of California's best-kept secrets is the Happy Canyon appellation of Santa Barbara. Here Cabernet Franc shines as a single varietal wine or in blends, expressing sumptuous fruit, savory aromas and polished tannins.
Home to a diverse array of smaller AVAs with varied microclimates and soil types, Sonoma County has something for every wine lover. Physically twice as large as Napa Valley, the region only produces about half the amount of wine but boasts both tremendous quality and variety. With its laid-back atmosphere and down-to-earth attitude, the wineries of Sonoma are appreciated by wine tourists for their friendliness and approachability. The entire county intends to become a 100% sustainable winegrowing region by 2019.
Sonoma County wines are produced with carefully selected grape varieties to reflect the best attributes of their sites—Dry Creek Valley’s consistent sunshine is ideal for Zinfandel, while the warm Alexander Valley is responsible for rich, voluptuous red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are important throughout the county, most notably in the cooler AVAs of Russian River, Sonoma Coast and Carneros. Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Syrah have also found a firm footing here.