Cabernet Franc is Jen Armstrong’s favorite variety. That alone is reason enough for us to make a varietal wine from this grape which is more frequently relegated to the role of a blending component. From the very early days of our personal wine journey, Cabernet Franc was always special to us. As a young couple, it was the variety that inspired our first “full case” purchase, a notable experience for us back then. In Washington State, Cabernet Franc is generally riper and fuller than cooler wine regions around the world, however, even here we might argue that it reflects terroir, clonal selection, and farming more than any other classic Bordeaux variety.
Vineyard
With the 2021 vintage, we started blending some Walla Walla Valley fruit into this wine, which was previously sourced entirely from Dineen Vineyard in the Yakima Valley. Still, our one-acre allocation from “Rose’s Block” at Dineen Vineyard represents 75% of this bottling. Planted to Clone 214 in 2008, the block sits near the center of the vineyard on shallow silt loam soils above a layer of caliche over basalt bedrock. An ideal south facing aspect climbing from 1050 to 1140 feet above sea level allows plenty of sun exposure to tame the pyrazines that are common to the variety.
The remaining 25% of this wine comes from a 2001 planting of Cabernet Franc at Les Collines Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley. Located in the Northeast corner of the vineyard on deep, well-drained, wind-blown loess soils, this block sits approximately 1,200 feet above sea level. The yields from this block are quite small which results in a bit more structure to complement the supple elegance of the Dineen component.
Winemaking
Blend: Cabernet Franc
Vinification: 100% hand picked, cluster sorted, and destemmed –whole berry with no crushing; fermented in open-top stainless tank with gentle pump overs twice daily.
Aged for 20 months in neutral and second-fill French oak barriques (225L).
Racked once prior to final blending.
Bottled unfined and unfiltered on June 14th, 2023.
Tasting Notes
In the glass, the wine shows elegance with a medium-density maroon core giving way to light ruby at the edge. Characteristic spice on the nose with notes of ripe raspberries and strawberries. On the palate, the wine is immediately approachable but more full-bodied - demonstrating freshness and length. Red fruits dominate with hints of dryland herbs. In general, the 2021 vintage is likely to drink well early but there is plenty of structure here to encourage holding a few bottles in the cellar.
Technical Details
200 cases produced
12.9% ABV
3.8 pH
5.6 g/L TA
Harvested September 14 and September 17
