2018 Peter Franus Cabernet Sauvignon Brandlin Vineyard

2018 Peter Franus Cabernet Sauvignon Brandlin Vineyard

2018 Peter Franus Cabernet Sauvignon Brandlin Vineyard Youthful dark ruby in color, our 2018 presents a complex and exotic nose of cassis, cardamom, allspice and bay. Expansive black cherry flavors continue to evolve with a precise tannin and acid structure that announce this wine will age beautifully for years. Wonderful weight and balance for a “mountain” Cabernet.

Peter Franus

It’s become a cliché, but it is also absolutely true, great wines come from great vineyards. And because of Peter Franus’ decades in Napa Valley and the 30-plus years he’s had to explore the region and meet the people there, he’s had the opportunity to identify and work with the best vineyards and the top growers in the region. The excellence and character of those sites and the passion of the growers guarantees that he will get the highest quality fruit possible every year.

Stewart Vineyard is in Carneros, Napa’s cooler, southern section — the source for Sauvignon Blanc, Albariño, Chardonnay and Merlot. Cabernet Franc grapes come from Truchard Vineyards, which is also in Carneros, the region that is ideal for all those varieties.

In his continuing search for the best vineyards, Peter Franus began working with two new organic Cabernet Sauvignon sources in 2011. One is on Howell Mountain and the other is on the Valley’s eastern hillsides near St. Helena next to Joseph Phelps and Heitz. Franus connected to another organic vineyard, this one owned by the Neal Family, in Rutherford, which is home to some of Napa Valley’s most expensive Cabernet. But what he found was an outstanding vineyard with Zinfandel, a rarity in that part of town.

The acclaimed Brandlin Vineyard is high above the valley on the slopes of Mount Veeder, and it has some vines approaching 90 years old. It is arguably Franus’ flagship, and he has worked with this special vineyard since 1991. The fruit there is roughly 90 percent Zinfandel, and the rest is Mourvèdre, Charbono and Carignane. When the fruit is picked together then fermented together, it’s called a field blend and that mix adds complexity to the wines.