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Writer's Block
WRITER'S BLOCK
CABERNET FRANC
LAKE COUNTY
The Cabernet Franc base of this wine was estate-sourced
from Silva Vineyard situated on the west bench of Lake
County. This vineyard is located in Big Valley between
Kelseyville and Lakeport, is 30yrs old, and consistently
produces wines (Cabernet Franc, Syrah, and Merlot) of intense
color, flavor, and structure. Fruit from this vineyard
is concentrated, complex, and increasingly (as it gets
older) individual in depth. The Syrah used in this varietal-blend
was also estate-sourced from the same Silva Vineyard. The
Merlot used in this varietal-blend was sourced from low
yielding vineyards in the Highland Springs area of the
county. These vineyards are located on the North side of
Clear Lake which is a predominant feature of the local
landscape and is partly responsible for cool evenings compared
to high daytime temperatures, in the area. Fruit from these
vineyards are sourced for their varietal character and
richness. The majority of this fruit is typically set aside
for our reserve programs. The small amount of Zinfandel
used in this varietal-blend is sourced from a fairly young
(lighter and fruiter wines from vines under 25yrs old)
Duncan Vineyard located near the dormant volcano Mount
Konocti. This vineyard drains well, has excellent exposure,
and is situated on soil not overly fertile.
The winemaking work on these wines is fundamentally to
be, “out of the way of the wine”. The fruit
from these vineyards is usually harvested in late September
to early October, whereas the grapes are then delivered
to the winery immediately. These gently crushed vineyard
lots are fermented individually with high temperatures
reaching around 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Fermentation lasts
six or seven days, although these lots are kept on their
skins for a minimum of two weeks. The young wine is then
pressed and racked to barrel. These wines are usually kept
in barrel for approximately nine months. Depending on the
varietal and vintage, barrel aging is in Oak from Oregon
and the Eastern United States, Hungarian, and France. In
treatment of this Cab Franc, Merlot, and Zinfandel, the
majority of these barrels were American Oak, at, or less
than, 20% new and 80% neutral. The Syrah was aged in about
30% new oak, 70% neutral, a greater percentage of which
was American.
The blending philosophy of this wine, and of this line
of wines in general, is simply to make the best varietal-blend
possible; a wine that pleases both a general palette and
the palette of a more specified taster. The percentage
of Cabernet Franc (80%) in this wine lends (by default)
an intrinsically varietal base to the sensory experience.
From this point of reference Syrah (12%), Merlot (6%),
and Zinfandel (2%) each help to enhance the Cabernet Franc’s
varietal qualities in this wine, while also playfully departing
from them by the pull of each their own individual profile.
As it works in the winemaker’s mind, in relation
to one another the Syrah and Merlot and Zinfandel add a
specific complexity of aromatic and flavor components that
have only made this wine better: to be enjoyed more by
more people. Many blending trials were had in this process.
This blend we decided on is meant to highlight a value
of California fruit and ripeness of flavor while maintaining
a balance of traditionally earthbound structure from origin
through end. This wine is meant to finish long and dry,
characteristically drawing to close a generous, rich, approach
and lush, viscous, evolution. This is a Cabernet Franc
that defers the object of itself as Cabernet Franc. After
all, it is not just a Cabernet Franc.
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