Winemaker Notes
Dark purple in color. Elegant aromas of cassis, prunes, figs, and licorice along with leather and toasted sandalwood. The mouth-feel is finely layered and has exquisite concentration of fruit, velvet tannins, minerality, and acidity. There is an amazing combination of blackberry fruit and classic earthiness from start to finish. It is a medium-bodied Cabernet Franc that is well balanced and the perfect wine to partner with food. It is perfect to drink at present but will also age gracefully for many years to come.
Pair with flank steak sausage or cured meats. This versatile wine can also be served with pizza, rich pasta dishes, or with a more classic match of Manchego. It is an unexpectedly good match for flavorful fish, like bluefish or salmon. There are endless pairing options with this red.
Blend: 82% Cabernet Franc, 11% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Petit Verdot
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.
Increasingly garnering widespread and well-deserved attention, New York ranks third in wine production in the United States (after California and Washington). Divided into six AVAs—the Finger Lakes, Lake Erie, Hudson River, Long Island, Champlain Valley of New York and the Niagara Escarpment, which crosses over into Michigan as well as Ontario, Canada—the state experiences varied climates, but in general summers are warm and humid while winters are very cold and can carry the risk of frost well into the growing season.
The Finger Lakes region has long been responsible for some of the country’s finest Riesling, and is gaining traction with elegant, light-bodied Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc. Experimentation with cold-hardy European varieties is common, and recent years have seen the successful planting of grapes like Grüner Veltliner and Saperavi (from the Eastern European country of Georgia). Long Island, on the other hand, has a more maritime climate influenced by the Atlantic Ocean, and shares some viticultural characteristics with Bordeaux. Accordingly, the best wines here are made from Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The Niagara Escarpment is responsible for excellent ice wines, usually made from the hybrid variety, Vidal.