2020 Shenandoah Springs Cabernet Franc
2020 Shenandoah Springs Cabernet Franc
While cliche, we like to say our approach to Cabernet Franc is more Burgundy than Bordeaux, meaning we look for silky mouthfeel rather than tannic structure; and favor the aromatic potential of the grape over the flavor of the barrel. The 2020 vintage very much embodies our approach, and the result is a wine that brings purity to the subtle fruit of the vintage with plenty of ripe red cherry, forest floor and graphite. While textural and aromatic, the wine is also wound elegantly around the tannic structure, making it generous showing its true character.
In Stock
Composition / Blend
96% Cabernet Franc, 4% Merlot
Size
750mL
Wine Specs
Vintage
2020
Vineyard Designation
Shenandoah Springs Vineyard
Aging
This wine should continue to develop over the next five to seven years.
Residual Sugar
0.28 g/L
Alcohol %
13.9
Winemaker Notes
In the 2020 vintage, this bottling is one of five expressions of Cabernet Franc that we produced. We believe this grape is reflective of place and transparent of site when handled appropriately, and we are offering both regional and vineyard specific bottlings to highlight these expressions. In general we look to the valley for finesse, aromatic density and silken texture, but the wines tend to deepen as we move north, as it is slightly lower elevation and one of the driest parts of the East Coast. In 2020 all of our reds were more elegant, with a greater emphasis on aromatics than usual.
Vineyard Notes
The growing season in Virginia was dynamic to say the least, adding to the chaotic nature of the year as a whole. Despite an early budbreak followed by frost risk in late April and early May, Early Mountain was lucky to avoid the worst of it with only a Petit Manseng block and some lower areas of Chardonnay impacted.
The first half of the growing season was relatively dry and quite hot in June and July. Late July and early August brought a lot of moisture that was very challenging, but things dried out a bit heading into harvest. We ended up in a dance with the Atlantic, as tropical systems waltzed through every ten days for two months. Once again, we were lucky to be spared the worst of the weather, and we emerged at the end of harvest with a cellar full of high quality 2020 wines. In the spirit of every vintage being different than every other in our state, 2020 was unique in that the first half produced lighter wines with high acid and the second half brought riper, more classic wines.
Aging
This wine should continue to develop over the next five to seven years.
