2019 Crocker & Starr Cabernet Franc

A solid step up, the 2019 Cabernet Franc Estate is loaded with gorgeous red and black fruits as well as complex notes of camphor, new leather, dried herbs, and some gamey, exotic nuances. All varietal and aged in 80% new French oak, this medium to full-bodied, seamless, nuanced, elegant Cabernet Franc has ripe tannins, a balanced, layered mouthfeel, and one heck of a great finish. It competes with wines two to three times the price. Drink it any time over the coming 15-20 years.

The 2019 Cabernet Franc (Napa Valley) is another attractive wine in this range. It offers up crushed flowers, dark fruit, mocha, spice and dried herbs. The blended Franc is a bit lighter in body and more aromatic than the black label Franc. I would prefer to drink it over the next few years, while the flavors remain bright and vibrant.

Deep garnet-purple colored and 100% Cabernet Franc, the 2019 Cabernet Franc Estate has a subdued, earthy nose of truffles and mossy tree bark with a core of black raspberries, warm plums and mulberries, plus a hint of dusty soil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is tightly knit with lots of beautifully fragrant nuances and a solid structure of firm, fine-grained tannins, finishing long and lifted. 513 cases were made.