 |
|
Wine Details
Price:
$20.00 per bottle
Description:
Cabernet Franc, the parent variety of the more famous Cabernet Sauvignon, has better success in cooler soils. It is usually not as rich as its off-spring and in Bordeaux, used as a blending component for its raspberry-like fruit and leafy, floral components. In Santa Barbara County, Cabernet Franc takes on a richer, deeper, more complex personality than many other winegrowing regions worldwide. With our longer growing season, the extra hang time on the vines allows the grapes to develop additional dimensions. The south facing, steep slopes in the hills of the Los Alamos Valley means excellent sun exposure and drainage for complete ripening and best possible flavors. Though he is able to blend up to 25% and still have the varietal name on the label, winemaker Stephan Bedford prefers to extol the true expression of the varietal from a single source and all the attributes assigned to it, by allowing these wines to be entirely Cabernet Franc. At 100 percent Cabernet Franc, the wine is intense with immense fruit reminiscent of ripe blackberries, blueberries and spice supported by a toasty vanilla component from approximately 20 months barrel age, 33% percent new French oak. It has a supple, full body and a rich, lingering, elegant finish.
|
|
Varietal Definition
Cabernet Franc:
Cabernet Franc is an accessible, spicy, herbal, dark blue grape variety that is often compared to Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Franc tends to be softer and has less tannin than Cabernet Sauvignon, although the two can be difficult to distinguish. Sometimes the French refer to Cabernets, which could mean either of the two grapes. Its typical aromas include an herbaceous and pronounced peppery nose, even in ripe fruit, and something eerily like tobacco. The Cabernet Franc ripens at an earlier stage, which gives it reason to exist in the Bordeaux area. In the Loire, where we find it a lot, it gives a clear red fresh and fruity wine.
|
Cabernet Sauvignon:
Cabernet Sauvignon is the most widely planted and significant among the five dominant varieties in France’s Bordeaux region, as well as the most successful red wine produced in California. Though it was thought to be an ancient variety, recent genetic studies at U.C. Davis have determined that Cabernet Sauvignon is actually the hybrid offspring of Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc. Cabernet Sauvignon berries are small with black, thick and very tough skin. This toughness makes the grapes fairly resistant to disease and spoilage and able to withstand some autumn rains with little or no damage. It is a mid to late season ripener. These growth characteristics, along with its flavor appeal have made Cabernet Sauvignon one of the most popular red wine varieties worldwide.
|
|