Matthiasson Cabernet Franc

A wine that somehow manages to be both delicate yet powerful, aromatic, long, and with an ethereal lightness. It’s a completely different expression of Cabernet Franc than one usually finds in the new or the old world, informed by the wines of Chinon, but something totally unique in and of itself — a true representation of the terroir of our Napa vineyard, and showing a restrained side of Napa that is rarely seen anymore.

• Grape: Cabernet Franc
• Region: Napa Valley, California
• Tasting notes: The Cabernet Franc has distinct aromas of dry leaves in the fall, poblano chili peppers, and sage, with plummy fruit. The tannins are very soft in the mouth, with an iron-like minerality on the finish. It’s light on the palate but firm at the same time — it’s a wine with many contradictions that is hard to describe with tasting notes. Easy drinking, but incredibly complex.
  

About the winemaker

Winemaker of the Year: San Francisco Chronicle and Food & Wine

Magazine Steve and Jill Matthiasson, since the 2003 founding of their winery, have not only practiced viticulture and enology in a style that made them one of the earliest proponents of ‘new California winemaking,’ but demonstrated their understanding that the human component of winemaking extends far beyond the winemaker. Steve’s notoriety as one of the United States’ most intuitive American viticulturalists and most sought-after vineyard managers speaks to his continued forward momentum of working cleanly in his vineyards and encouraging others to do the same.