Winemaker Notes
The 2018 Titus Cabernet Franc is a wine filled with the elegance and grace that is indicative of the variety. Aromas of allspice, caraway, cranberry, strawberry jam, and violets lift out of the glass. The smooth entry is filled with notes of dark cherry, pomegranate, cinnamon, and baking spices as the wine glides across the palate. Mouth filling and smooth though the finish the tannins are finely developed with a light touch that leaves the wine lingering with toasty spices and anise. Enjoy through 2030.
Professional Ratings
-
Jeb Dunnuck
A terrific value, the 2018 Cabernet Franc has a wonderful bouquet of cassis and mulberry fruits as well as plenty of background oak, spring flowers, candied orange, and graphite. Medium to full-bodied, beautifully textured, with silky tannins and a great finish, this gorgeous wine should be snatched up by readers.
-
James Suckling
A bigger style of cabernet franc with berry, chocolate and blueberry. It’s medium-bodied with firm tannins and a silky finish. A little hard now. Give it time to soften. Better after 2022.
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.