Featuring L’Autre Côte, Lang & Reed and Baudry Winemakers
Livermore, CA, March 18, 2021—Lovers of Cabernet Franc are invited to participate in an international style overview of the grape, famed for its alluringly aromatic expressions the world over. Featuring three brands dedicated to the grape, the Roundtable, entitled “Cabernet Franc: An Esthetic Exploration,” will bring together these winemakers: Steven Kent Mirassou of L’Autre Côte (Livermore Valley) John Skupny of Lang & Reed (Napa Valley), and Matthieu Baudry of Domaine Bernard Baudry (Chinon), to share stories, winemaking secrets, and their overwhelming passion for all things Cabernet Franc (CAF). Topics include the history, farming, winemaking, and hedonic deliciousness of the world’s most bracing, elegant, and sexiest grape in the world.
To register for the Cabernet Franc Roundtable go to: CAFMAR25ZOOM
There are many different styles to celebrate, including vibrant and often carbonic from Chinon in the Loire Valley of France; decidedly pine forest laden examples from Virginia and other East Coast states; big conifer and balsam beauties intensified by savory herbs from Washington; deeply fruit scented and bold from Napa, and lithe, perfumey, often rose petal and lavender-laced examples from the Santa Cruz Mountains, Sierra Foothills, and Livermore. With its tendency to provide intense olfactory stimulation, followed by a nuanced mélange of red fruits, herbs and spice, along with telltale electric freshness, this early ripening Bordeaux grape is often considered a versatile food wine, far more fleet of foot and flavor-friendly than Cabernet Sauvignon, with its bolder, tannin-dominant profile. It is known to ripen earlier than Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, which require more heat units, enabling it to flourish in cooler climes.
“The Livermore Valley has had a long and illustrious history of producing world class quality Bordeaux varieties,” said sixth generation winemaker, Steven Kent Mirassou. “The consistency and prevalence of wind from the San Francisco Bay through our growing area each day is one of the fundamental viticultural conditions that allow us to grow world-class fruit. I’ve been working with Cabernet Franc since 2005 and find it so alluring, so full of elegance and complexity, that even a lifetime of drinking it will never reveal all her mysteries and charms.”
Cabernet Franc is a particularly compelling grape for Mirassou, who recently announced a new brand called L’Autre Côte, dedicated to Cabernet Franc. As the world warms and climate change intensifies, bringing crippling heat waves and deadly wildfires, the grape-growing world must adjust its viticulture attitudes. While other areas of California, continue to install Cabernet Sauvignon, despite the increase in heat waves, such is not the case in Livermore. Here, CAF may be the Darwinian darling.
“Climate change is causing more cool air to come in through the Livermore Valley earlier each day, abbreviating the growing day and necessitating more growing days in the season to get to optimal ripeness for varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Because Cabernet Franc ripens earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon, we may find ourselves at some point in time unable to adequately ripen Cabernet Sauvignon before the winter rains come in, but at the same time, having perfect conditions to ripen Cabernet Franc,” notes Mirassou.
Don’t miss this Roundtable! Register here: CAFMAR25ZOOM
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYqc-2oqjwtE9PpWKRUIWcwZelEW54Wm_JW
