2020 Brecon Reserve Cabernet Franc
Not going to pontificate over this tech sheet for too long as we normally sell out days after release, and this is the smallest bottling we have ever done! Sitting regally on its own Calcareous hilltop, these vines are reaching that point in life when the smooth old rascals are considered to have a lovely lightness of touch, be subtly fragrant, and rather flirtatious; softer than the more masculine Cabernet Sauvignon. It pairs remarkably well with a tender juicy steak in a restaurant's snuggest alcove.
Best of Class, 96 pts. L.A. International, June 2023
Best of Class, Gold. L.A. Invitational, March 2023
Our third-ever Reserve Cabernet Franc and our most miniscule bottling thanks to a distinct lack of precipitation that year. In the ferment it has a strong aromatic tea-leafy character, akin to an English Breakfast or perhaps an Assam. This eventually fades and fully integrates itself into the wine adding even more complexity. It does however take a little longer than your average cuppa to brew; twenty months in fine French barriques plus a minimum of seven months bottle age before release.
| Vintage | 2020 |
| Varietal Composition | 80.44% 2020 CF
14.56% 2020 CS
5.00% 2021 CF
100% Brecon Estate |
| Appellation | Paso Robles, Adelaida |
| Acid | 0.55g/100ml |
| PH | 3.89 |
| Aging | Drink Now - 2031 |
| Residual Sugar | 0.04g/100ml |
| Alcohol | 14.80% |
| Volume | 750 ml |
| Bottling Date | 08/31/2022 |
| Cases Produced | 166 |
Brecon’s Cabernet Franc is from the highest point of our Estate vineyard, yet it's in a cool coastally-influenced spot so we get extra long hang time harvesting typically in the first week of November. Just as the first Pacific storms start to roll in! Rocky hilltop soils make the vines struggle, yet produce super intense berry flavors. Planted in the 70's, the vines have passed their youthful exuberance, settling down into their best producing years. Back then, nobody was planting Cabernet Franc on hilltops.
