2019 Franciscan Cabernet Sauvignon

2019 Franciscan Cabernet Sauvignon

2019 Franciscan Cabernet Sauvignon

Vivid garnet in color with perfumed and inviting aromas of rich dark cherry, plum, chocolate, and layered undertones of vanilla, clove, black pepper, and sage. A well-balanced expression of fruit and oak elements fills the palate with cassis, bright cherry, dark berry, toast, cedar, and a hint of vanilla. Round but structured, with well-knit tannins that impart texture and length on the finish.

Franciscan is one of Napa Valley’s most venerable wineries, reaching back more than three decades. Franciscan wines take their signature style – rich, vibrant flavors framed by supple tannins – from the ideal climate offered by Napa Valley’s cool, southern half and from the time-honored tradition of small-lot winemaking, blending from hundreds of barrels to craft fine wines that fully express the classic Bordeaux varieties.

Franciscan was founded in 1972 by a group of lawyers and doctors from San Francisco who decided to try turning their passion for wine into a business. In 1985, Agustin Huneeus, a Chilean exile who had built Concha y Toro in his native country, took over the helm at Franciscan. Huneeus refocused the winery on using the superlative grapes growing in its own vineyards, rather than sourcing from outside.

Today, Franciscan’s wines are crafted under the exacting eye of Janet Myers, who came to Franciscan in August 2003 as associate winemaker after working in the Margaret River region and Beaulieu Vineyard, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars and Louis Martini. The winery remains committed to its tradition of small-lot winemaking, with small batches averaging just 150 to 1,500 cases. The image of a hand-operated wine press on Franciscan’s logo and wine labels reflects this small lot approach to winemaking.

A geographic and climatic paradise for grape vines, Monterey is a part of the greater Central Coast AVA and contains within it five smaller sub-appellations, including Arroyo Seco, San Lucas, San Bernabe, Hames Valley and the famous Santa Lucia Highlands. The climate is relatively warm but tempered by cool, coastal winds, allowing the regions in Monterey County an exceptionally long growing season. Bud break often happens two weeks sooner and harvest tends to be two weeks later compared to other surrounding regions.

Monterey’s coastal side, where the cooling ocean fog allows grapes to develop a perfect sugar-acid balance, excels in the production of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Riesling. Warmer, inland subzones are home to fleshy, concentrated and full-bodied reds like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Zinfandel.