Lang & Reed Cabernet Franc 2022, California

“When we began our exploration of Cabernet Franc, twenty-six vintages ago, our main goal was to explore the distinct charms of Cabernet Franc in California, a goal that remains today. Other objectives were to be flexible enough to take advantage of opportunities and to be nimble enough to face adversity or changes. Since 2015, the seasonal fires in Northern California have reached apocalyptic proportions, and the impact on the North Coast County Appellation has been devasting. For the 2022 vintage, we were able to source Cabernet Franc from a number of our regularly sourced vineyards, but there were a handful of vineyards and grapes that presented too large of a challenge to work with. Therefore, we reached a little bit south to Cienega Valley, in California’s Central Coast, as well as the renowned Rock Pile AVA in Northern Sonoma County. We believe that the addition of these vineyard sources is a great complement to our established grape sources, which include grapes from the T bar T Ranch in Alexander Valley in Sonoma, as well as the famed Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard in Napa Valley.” Description: The nose starts with crushed red stone fruits and violet petals with scents of potpourri. As the wine warms and opens, this defines more as dried rosemary and thyme. There is a back scent of minerality with a swipe of rust. The flavors are juicy and tart, mirroring the stone fruit, with the addition of dried cranberry. The flavors persist with enough tannin to clear the palate for the next bite or sip. Acidity leads the finish, making the wine mouthwatering, all the while still carrying the fruit flavor, anise and typical graphite notes. While it is still a tad racy in its youth, that makes it a great foil to robust stews or rustic charcuterie. With cellar time, the components will come in harmony, awaiting warmer weather. Varietal Composition 100% Cabernet Franc. Appellations: 36% Napa Valley, 28% Cienega Valley (San Benito County), 18% Alexander Valley (Sonoma County), 18% Rockpile (Sonoma County). Cooperage French Oak Barrels (seasoned) – 14 Months.