Ehlers Estate Cabernet Franc 2016

Style: Full-body Red   Vintage: 2016      ABV: 14.5%

Appellation: St. Helena, Napa Valley   Varietal: Cabernet Franc 

Region: California     County:  United States

From our Sommelier:

This is one of the most amazing Cabernet Franc’s I have tasted. A beautiful melange of berries both red and black with violets, a hint of cocoa nib and espresso. Balanced, elegant, this wine has one foot in the Right Bank and one foot in Napa. I bought the first bottle on the House of Pure Vin shelf for myself.

From the winemaker:

Tasting Notes: Long before joining Ehlers I became a big fan of the Ehlers Cabernet Franc. It’s a wine that is true to the varietal. It evokes the amazing terroir of the property and how Napa can be a perfect place for growing this delicate but full of character grape. This is a 100% Cabernet Franc with deep opaque color. The wine shows aromas of violets, herbs de Provence, spice rack, cedar, and dark wild berries. This wine is medium to full body with firm tannins that will benefit from time in the cellar. It has bright acidity with rich flavors of dark berries, cherry confit, and licorice in the aftertaste.

Vintage: 2016 was considered for many a near-perfect vintage in Napa, and I couldn’t agree more. The season started a little bit earlier than average years.  Weather conditions throughout the year were perfect to achieve beautiful vine growth, proper ripeness and development of flavors and tannins in the grapes. Mild temperatures during the summer and warm days in September and October helped to extend the hanging time of the fruit on the vines, allowing for perfect ripeness.