2024 Napa Valley Cabernet Franc

Cabernet Franc is lighter than Cabernet Sauvignon, making a bright pale red wine that contributes finesse and lends a peppery perfume to blends with more robust grapes.

The 2024 Cabernet Franc opens with aromas of dark cocoa, molasses and ripe plantain, accompanied by warm notes of rhum and sarsaparilla. The palate is both chalky and velvety, with polished tannins supporting layers of dark fruit and savory earth. With time in the glass, brambly fruit emerges alongside delicate notes of parsnip, carrot flower and leaf litter, creating a fascinating interplay between what grows above and below the earth. The finish is structured, nuanced and persistent.

Our Cabernet Franc is sourced from a small block of the Komes Vineyard in Rutherford, where the combination of warm days, cool nights and distinctive valley-floor soils provides ideal conditions for developing Cabernet Franc’s aromatic complexity and refined structure. The wine is crafted to preserve the variety’s natural freshness and botanical character while building depth and texture through thoughtful élevage. Extended aging allows the tannins to soften and the wine’s earthy, fruit-driven layers to integrate, resulting in a Cabernet Franc with both immediate character and long-term potential.

The 2024 growing season followed a strong winter of rainfall that replenished Napa Valley’s soils and water reserves. A relatively moderate growing season allowed fruit to ripen gradually, preserving natural acidity while developing concentrated flavor and complexity. Warm, sunny days paired with cool nighttime temperatures supported even ripening and helped maintain freshness and balance. The resulting Cabernet Franc shows both depth and lift, with the concentration, structure and aromatic complexity to reward time in the cellar.