Tasting Notes: The 2019 Ehlers Estate Cabernet Franc has become one of those wines we get excited to make. 100% Cabernet Franc and selected from two of our best Cabernet Francs blocks. Modest yields and precise farming have brought out the best of this variety. Deep ruby in color with signature aromas of dry spice rack, dry herbs, violets, and unripe berries. Mineral in aroma and flavor, with graphite and dark cocoa powder. Oak and red fruit entangle with the herbs. Concentrated flavors with a full-body and well-balanced tannin structure. The 2019 is very complex but elegant with a velvety, long finish. Ready to drink now, though the extra oak aromas and flavors will benefit from some cellaring making the wine more luscious. This wine will age exceptionally well for 15-20 more years. Unfined/Unfiltered.

Vintage: 2019 has turned out to be a near-perfect vintage.  With a cold rainy winter and extended rainy season to late spring, we had a couple of weeks delay in flowering and setting.  All the work in the vineyard was tricky due to the rains.  But a warm, late summer helped us to catch up phenologically.  A cooling trend following Summer allowed us to hang the fruit longer for more flavor and tannin development.  Cooler nights and mild temperatures during the day helped retain the acidity and aromas of the fruit.
 

Varietal: 100% Cabernet Franc
Harvest: October 2019
Wine Analysis: 14.5 % alcohol / 3.60 pH
Aging: 70% new French Oak, 22 months
Appellation: St. Helena, Napa Valley
Bottling Date: August 2021
Cases Produced: 740 cases

Awards and Accolades: 92 Points Wine Spectator