Description
Vineyards
From our Vineyard Designate series this Cabernet Franc hails from the upper blocks at our Cavedale Ranch property. Red volcanic soils littered with rocks and boulders grace the south facing slopes that capture the full extent of the sun at 720 feet above sea level. Cool afternoon breezes help moderate the temperatures and allow for extended periods of ripening. Terraced rows are trained to the classic VSP system and meticulously maintained by hand. Full leaf removal in the fruit zone is employed to aid color and tannin development.
Winemaking Techniques
Hand-harvested grapes from low yielding vines are picked in the cool early mornings, the fruit brought directly to the winery to be crushed to one small stainless steel fermenter and the remainder fermented in a new Puncheon. Following a short cold soak the must is inoculated with two specific yeasts. The fermentation is warm and the skins punched down four times a day to facilitate extraction. Following a short post ferment maceration of several days the resulting wine is pressed to once used French oak barrels for 18 months. This vintage is neither fined nor filtered.