The 2017 Cabernet Franc is made of 85% Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. It comes 59% from Napa county and 41%Sonoma county. Deep garnet-purple colored, it comes proudly prancing out of the glass with happy Morello cherries, baked raspberries, boysenberries and warm plums notes plus suggestions of pencil lead, red roses, black tea and bay leaves. Medium to full-bodied, it reveals wonderfully youthful, crunchy red and black fruits with a firm backbone of finely grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and perfumed. 1,485 cases produced.

Creamy oak plays an obvious role here as does explicit ripeness, but neither gets too far ahead of slightly juicy, dark cherry- and berry-like fruit, and the wine claims a good deal of depth and richness. It is supple to start and then firms and tightens as it goes, and, if at first seeming fairly easy to access, it takes on enough latearriving astringency to prescribe at least another three of four years of cellaring and is structured to age effortlessly for as many more after that.

The 2017 Cabernet Franc comes slightly more from the Napa side of the mountain and is 59% Napa County and 41% Sonoma County. This deep ruby/purple-hued effort offers beautiful cassis, mulberry, and black cherry fruits as well as classic Cabernet Franc floral, forest floor, and dark chocolate notes. With medium to full body, a beautiful sense of elegance, fine tannins, and just all-around fabulous balance, it's going to benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and keep for 10-15. It's a beautiful wine.

Medium to medium-dark ruby;
attractive, forward, rich, ripe, spicy, dark cherry and blackberry
fruit aroma with notes of dried herbs, black licorice,
sandalwood, and mocha; full body; ripe, rounded, cherry and
blackberry fruit flavors with a plush mouthfeel; full tannin;
lingering aftertaste. Enjoyable to drink now, but worthy of a
few more years of bottle aging. Very highly recommended.
14.4% alcohol; 1,485 cases; blended with 15% CS; released
August 2019. (Group Score: 16.3, 1/4/1; My Score: 17
[90/100], fifth place)