2021
Blanc de Cabernet Franc
This medium-bodied wine typically has delicate nuances of “early blush” apricot, golden raspberries, Meyer lemon, blood orange, white tea leaf, tarragon, and hazelnut - making up a pretty, complex white wine from red grapes. This vintage, the wine also offers subtle botanical notes of elderflower, jasmine, lime blossom, sweet pea shoot, even a hint of ground cinnamon, with flavors of clementine, lemon meringue, light honey leading into a creamy and nutty mid-palate that finishes with refreshing salinity.
$40
Vineyard
Mae's Vineyard
Apellation
Applegate Valley
Harvest
September 21, 2020
Barrel Regime
Acacia Barrels
Barrel Aging
Harvest Chemistry
20.5 Brix. / 3.2 pH
Bottle Date
April 2021
Alcohol
12.5%
PH
3.16
Cases Produced
92 cases
Vineyard
Located in the Applegate Valley in Southern Oregon, Mae’s Vineyard is owned and managed by Herb Quady (Quady North Wines). Planted in 2006, the vines are trained on a “V” type trellis that splits the canopy, allowing for lots of leaf area and diffracted light. The vineyard is planted 45 degrees to the east of North, giving more even light exposure during high summer, with south-southeast exposure. The soil series is “Manita”, gravelly loam, granitic with red/yellow dirt. The Cabernet Franc clone is 214 on 3309 root stock. Mae’s Vineyard is LIVE certified, though organically armed.
The Cabernet Franc for this blanc was picked on September 21st at 20.5 Brix and 3.2
Winemaking Notes
In 2011, we were the first winery outside of the Loire Valley in France to commercially produce a still white wine from Cabernet Franc grapes, also inspired by of our favorite Crémant de Loire sparkling wines, specifically from Touraine, which are made with Cabernet Franc in a blanc de noir style, or blended with Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc. Our grapes were picked early at targeted brix and pH levels, then gently whole cluster pressed, like white wine, to avoid the influence of pigment and tannin contained in the skins. The juice settled in tank for 24 hours, then was transferred into acacia barrels for fermentation and aging with regular bâtonnage sur-lie to add richness, complexity, and an interesting briny, salinity to the finish. We are now using 100% acacia for this wine for the lifted floral and herbal aromatics.
Tasting Notes
This medium-bodied wine typically has delicate nuances of “early blush” apricot, golden raspberries, Meyer lemon, blood orange, white tea leaf, tarragon, and hazelnut - making up a pretty, complex white wine from red grapes. This vintage, the wine also offers subtle botanical notes of elderflower, jasmine, gardenia lime blossom, sweet pea shoot, even a hint of ground cinnamon, along with signature Blanc de Cabernet Franc esters of jalapeno or smoked poblano pepper with whiskey notes meandering into woodsy, vegetal and toasted characters. Bright flavors of lemon curd and crisp green apple lead into a rich, creamy, chalky, and savory mid-palate with hazelnut undertones. Drink now for freshness, but this wine will age in the bottle for a minimum of five to up to ten years, due to the phenolic content from the red skins. Pair with white fish or shellfish, especially oysters or scallops wrapped in bacon; pasta with simple cream sauce; pork chops with apple compote; roasted chicken; crab stuffed poblano peppers with cream sauce; mesquite grilled trout with charred lemon; polenta with charred broccolini; a young, creamy, nutty Gruyère.
