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Wine Details
Price:
Description:
As our vines mature, so do the flavors. The 2002 Cabernet Franc continues to be a showy varietal, bottled as a 100% varietal. The relatively young vines of this new French clone are proving a good match for the Paso Robles appellation. The grapes were harvested earlier than previous years, on September 25, 2002 at a Brix of 24.0 degrees, pH of 3.5, not quite as sweet as the 2001, with similar acidity. The grape clusters were sorted at the crusher for good color and perfect ripeness. It was fermented in 1½-ton lots, with the cap punched down by hand 4 times per day for 12 days. It was pressed to only 1 bar of pressure in our stainless steel press, and then pumped directly into new French oak barrels. Racked 4 times during barrel aging, the wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered on February 14, 2004. This is a very limited production.
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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.
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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.
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