Winemaker Notes
The dark ruby-red color sets this wine apart from its darker, more intense cousins in our portfolio and immediately tells you it is pure Cab Franc. Aromatically, our Sugarloaf Cabernet Franc is a true classic: fragrant aromas of tobacco and cigar smoke combine with elements of dried rose petal, blackberry, and rich truffles to dazzle from the first impression. There is great richness and depth to the palate where ripe blackberry and warm clove flavors are lifted by touches of black licorice and star anise. The significant complexity found in our Cab Franc is a testament to the uniqueness of this block, but also owes itself to the 33 months of extended barrel aging the lot underwent in our cellar. Neutral French oak and limited rackings allowed the wine to age on a slower curve and develop additional layers of interest not normally found in New World Cab Francs. The resulting wine has a remarkable ageability that will guarantee it holds a prominent place in your cellar until at least 2030.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2014 Cabernet Franc Sugarloaf Vineyard comes from a single, higher elevation block in the Sugarloaf Vineyard, in the Coombsville appellation. It offers a ripe, opulent style as well as classic Cabernet Franc floral and violets characteristics in its black and blue fruit aromas and flavors. It takes plenty of air to show at its best and is a full-bodied, concentrated, nicely structured 2014 that has remarkable purity, building tannin, and a great finish. Give bottles 2-3 years and enjoy over the following 15+.
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Wine Spectator
Spicy and vibrant, with zesty earth, dark berry, currant and firm, fine-grained tannins that give the flavors traction. Drink now through 2025.
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.
Situated in the southeastern corner of Napa Valley in the Vaca range, the vineyards of the Coombsville AVA enjoy a long growing season mitigated by cool, San Pablo Bay fog.
WBO30199617_2014 Item# 501679