2016 Duckhorn Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Franc
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At Duckhorn Vineyards, we have been working with Napa Valley Cabernet Franc for over a quarter century, exploring its ability to add elegance and complexity to our blends and its capacity to produce stand-alone wines of stature and sophistication. Incorporating valley floor fruit with an emphasis on older vines, low yields and warmer vineyards, our Cabernet Franc offers beautiful varietal notes of dark cherry, raspberry and red currant with hints of tobacco leaf and graphite.
Wine Profile
Production Notes
Varietal Content: 93% Cabernet Franc, 3.5% Merlot, 3.5% Malbec; Cooperage: 100% French oak - 50% New, 50% Neutral
Winemaker Notes
Grown under the warm Napa Valley sun, this gorgeous Cabernet Franc begins with enticing aromas of dark fruit, chocolate and baking spices. Bold and full-bodied, the palate reveals both sweet and savory elements, with flavors of blackberry, cocoa powder and anise, as well as hints of saddle leather, graphite, bay leaf and laurel peeking through. Well-structured tannins provide a beautiful framework throughout, carrying the wine to a luxurious fruit and spice finish.
Production
2016 offered another near-perfect vintage in Napa Valley! While much-needed rain during the winter months helped to replenish our reservoirs, a dry spring and summer, with moderate temperatures and plenty of sunshine, led to another early harvest. Our first white grapes came into the winery on August 3rd, with the remainder of our whites following at an even, steady pace. A few weeks of ideally timed cool weather in early September provided additional hangtime, yielding bright acids and beautifully articulated flavors in our early ripening reds. Warm, dry weather for the remainder of the season allowed the rest of our grapes to develop rich, concentrated flavors, with polished tannins and wonderful complexity.
Wine Specs
Wine Specs
Vintage
2016
Varietal
Cabernet Franc
Appellation
Napa Valley
Harvest Date
September 8 - 30, 2016
Sugar
27.6° Brix at harvest
Acid
0.48 g/100 ml titratable acidity
pH
3.87
Aging
16 Months in Barrel
Fermentation
10-12 days fermentation at 82°F
Alcohol %
14.90
