2018 Halcyon California Cab Franc

Region: El Dorado + Contra Costa County < CA

Grape: Cabernet Franc

Vineyard/Cellar Stats: Organic farming, in certification process;
own-rooted vines on volcanic + sandy soils; foot stomped with 25% left
whole cluster; aged for 10 months in neutral oak; bottled unfined,
unfiltered with minimal added So2; 12.8% ABV; 515 cases

Winemakers: Tyler + Kim Elwell

Santa Barbara-bred Tyler and Napa Valley-native Kim are the young couple behind Halcyon wines.  Tyler's an industry veteran, having climbed his way up the cellar ladder (and the California coast), as a cellar rat in Santa Barbara to Assistant Winemaker at Paso Robles’ Tablas Creek, while still holding down a day job at Jackson Family Wines as a brand manager. But when they launched Halcyon Wines in 2014, they decided to focus on one grape, and one grape only: Cabernet Franc.  It wasn’t just the wines of France’s Loire Valley that influenced their devotion to the grape but Tyler’s early discovery of what it did when grown in California's cooler climate regions.

This wine (with the most adorable label) is a nouveau take on the classic Loire Valley grape, with fruit coming two vineyards, one the volcanic soil-laced, high-altitude Camino Alto vineyard in El Dorado County, meticulously farmed by the Mansfield family, and the other, the Campos family vineyard (with very sandy soils) in Contra Costa County -- thus the “California” appellation.  The first whiff is unmistakably Cab Franc, with those big green notes (pepperoncini, and jalapeño, big time), then the prettier side (rose petal).  As for taste, think Cab Franc meets young, juicy Pinot Noir.  The palate is light and refreshing with lush, almost candied, cherry and strawberry fruit.  With the silky texture, neon red fruit and green edge, it's kind of like cherry-jalapeño Kool-Aid.  Definitely serve chilled, pool optional but recommended.