Winemaker Notes
This is a fine wine made from low yielding Cabernet Franc grown at high elevation in the El Dorado foothills in Red Volcanic soils. It is head trained to allow maximum sun light into the canopy yielding a Cab Franc without vegetative flavors. This a wine for the open-minded and adventurous, but any Cabernet Sauvignon fancier would become an instant fan.
This wine pairs nicely with well seasoned Rib Eye Steak topped with Golden Chanterelles sauteed with shallots and tarragon and a pinch of sea salt. Or try a whole or half chicken roasted and then split and finished over the grill, served quartered and tossed with brioche pieces, pine nuts, dried cranberries and over a Caesar salad with shaved Reggiano Parmesan..
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Enthusiast
A 100%-Cabernet Franc from mountainous El Dorado County! This wine's crazy good with tons of varietal character — woodsy tannins, touch of green pepper, vials of violets — that’s also packed with plenty of great plum, cassis and savory notes of leather and mocha, all in a memorable package. With plenty of grip and acid, enjoyed over a meal, it gets better by the minute and has the depth to age 5 - 10 years, too.
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.
Originally a source of oenological sustenance for gold-seeking miners of the mid-1800s, the Sierra Foothills was the first region in California to produce wines from European grape varieties. Located between Sacramento and the Nevada border, this area’s immigrant settlers chose to forgo growing the then-ubiquitous Mission grape and instead brought with them superior vines from the Old World to plant alongside mining camps.
Zinfandel has been the most important variety of this region since its inception, taking on a spicy character with brambly fruit and firm structure. Amador and El Dorado counties, benefiting from the presence of volcanic and granite soils, are home to the best examples. Bold, robust Rhône Blends and Barbera are also important regional specialties.