Tasting notes
Rich and fruity on the nose, aromas of black cherry, milk chocolate and dried black fruits are supported by hints of pepper and oak spice. On the palate, luscious, silky and round tannins are accompanied by a well-structured mouthfeel. Flavors of sweet roasted nuts and caramel are present and lead to a persistent, lingering finish. Drink with your favorite hardy meat dishes and rich sauces.
Technical information
Appellation
Napa Valley
Alcohol
14.8%
Winemaking
Historically a Bordeaux blending varietal, Cabernet Franc has a distinct personality of its own highlighted in this reserve bottling. Fruit is hand-harvested in the cool early dawn hours. Fruit was then hand-sorted, selecting only the highest quality for fermentation in stainless vessels. Extended maceration for two weeks with regular pump-overs to extracted deep color and rich flavors. After fermentation, the wine is aged for 20 months in small French oak barrels (55% new) prior to bottling, where the wine is allowed to rest for at least six months to gain further complexity. A small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon is blended to build structure and enhance the flavor profile.
Vintage
A near perfect season, welcomed after several tense vintages, began with abundant February rains followed by drying sun and weather that allowed for even flowering and bud break. The slightly later start was followed by consistently ideal weather. It turned a bit cool in August, mild in September, allowing fruit to evolve. Patience and careful attention to the vineyard was rewarded with fruit of excellent ripeness, well balanced tannins and complexity. Generally, normal to heavier fruit clusters were evident on the vine with great flavor intensity. On average, pick dates were two weeks later than normal.
Vineyard
The Cabernet Franc fruit for Sterling Reserve Cabernet Franc was sourced from the Tamagni Vineyard in Calistoga, which lies south of the town of Calistoga between the Silverado Trail and the Napa River. Cabernet Franc is often used to enhance the framework of Bordeaux-style wines, but the exceptional grapes from this warm vineyard site, with its well-draining, low-vigor, rock-and-clay decomposed tufa soils, yields a wine with all the elements to shine as the primary grape variety.