2014 Russian River Cabernet Franc

Los Amigos Vineyard

The 2014 Wait Cellars Russian River Cabernet Franc is made from 100% hand-picked and hand-sorted fruit from the Los Amigos Vineyard. Los Amigos sits south of Healdsburg, California and east of highway 101 where the western benchlands of the Mayacamas range flatten out, a relatively warmer area of Sonoma County where the Russian River Valley and the Chalk Hill appellations overlap.

2014 was a warm, dry, even vintage with little to no rot in the vineyard and impressively balanced ripening at Los Amigos.  Farmed by the Hook & Ladder folks, we were graciously allowed to thin and hand-prune our designated rows.  We have long been inspired by the fresh, medium-bodied red wines of the Touraine region in France’s Loire Valley, and we set out to produce just such a firm, agreeable bistro wine.

Picked at 23 brix, the clusters underwent an 11-day carbonic maceration, to soften tannins and alcohol naturally and bring forward scrumptious black and red fruit flavors. After 11 days the grapes were unsealed, treaded by foot, and native yeast conducted the remainder of the primary fermentation. The wine was pressed into neutral oak barrels. There it remained sur lie, occasionally stirred, until racked in the spring and bottled unfiltered in summer.

We hope you enjoy this gently-made, exuberant expression of this elegant, noble grape.

Production: 75 cases
Release: Fall 2015
Varietal: 100% Cabernet Franc
Soil: Cole, Huichica loam
Crush: Hand harvest, sort; 11 day carbonic maceration
Ferment: Warm, closed top, native “wild” ferment
Elevage: 10 months neutral European oak
ABV: 13.4%
Aromas: Blueberry scone, white pepper, slate
Palate: Medium-bodied, firm acids, mild grip on finish
Recognition: Silver, 2016 SF Chronicle Wine Competition, Silver 2016 American Fine Wine Competition

Download: TECH SHEET, SELL SHEET

Back to Wines