Chocolate covered cherries balance out a nose laced with baking spices and dried herbs, while cocoa and cranberry dominate the palate. The tannins soften in the glass, allowing the fruit to shine through the finish.
An herb rubbed lamb roast or a roast chicken with thyme and onions will highlight the floral Cabernet Franc, while braising short ribs in soy sauce and wine, or grilling a portobello mushroom cap will let the softness of the Merlot shine. Even after dinner, this new release pairs seamlessly with an indulgent flourless chocolate cake.
Gold Medal, Finger Lakes International Wine Competition
4 tons of Cab Franc from CF2 were harvested on October 23, 2016. The fruit was crushed and de-stemmed into 4 wooden bins and was cold-soaked for 4 days. When the cold soak had ended, each bin was warmed, and inoculated with either RC212, D254, FX10 or 3001 yeasts, 1 yeast per bin. Each lot fermented for ~10 days, with temperatures spiking near 89F. The bins were pressed near dryness, then racked to barrels and inoculated with VP41 malo-lactic bacteria in mid November. All lots finished ML by mid December.
35 tons of Merlot fruit was harvested on October 19, 2016. The grapes were crushed and de-stemmed into a 1700 gallon stainless steel tank. They were inoculated with BRL97 yeast, and fermented for 14 days and then pressed and the wine was racked into oak barrels. Lallemand beta ML bacteria were added that same day. ML fermentation finished by mid December.
2 tons of Cab Sauvignon were harvested on October 23, 2016. It was crushed, de-stemmed, and pumped to 4 wooden bins, which were chilled by placing them in the refrigerated trailer. After the 4-day cold soak, the musts were warmed and inoculated with RC212 or BM45 yeasts, 1 yeast per bin. The fermentations lasted for 16 days with temperatures that peaked for a single day between 85 and 90F . They were pressed, then racked to barrels. The wine was inoculated with VP41 malo-lactic culture on the day of racking into barrel. ML finished by late December.
The wines were racked out of barrel in late July, after almost 9 months in barrel. The Cabernet Franc/Merlot blend was assembled on July 31, 2017. It was filtered, then bottled on 09/08/17.
Appellation: Finger Lakes
Varietal Composition: 54% Cabernet Franc, 44% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon
Alcohol: 12.7%
Residual Sugar: 0.2%
Acid: 5.4 g/L
pH: 3.45
Harvest Date: October 23, 2016
Bottling Date: September 17, 2017
Cases Produced: 191.5
Vegan Friendly: Yes
