The Eleventh Vintage of ‘Two-Fourteen’ by Lang & Reed
St. Helena, CA, November 22, 2021 – Keenly aware of all things ‘Cabernet Franc,’ John Skupny, winemaker/proprietor of Lang & Reed Napa Valley, has been exploring the fruit’s clonal selections for the past twenty-five years. One of the unique selections he discovered in the 1990’s was Clone 214, a cultivar that originated in the Loire Valley of France, home to some of the world’s most renowned Cabernet Franc vineyards and producers. With the 2017 vintage marking its eleventh iteration, Lang & Reed’s Two-Fourteen expresses what Skupny believes to have struck a delightful balance in creating a wine made exclusively from Cabernet Franc and the only known bottling of this unique clone in California.
Fourteen years ago, in 2007, Skupny found a vineyard located on ideal rocky soils on a beautiful hillside slope in the southeastern corner of Napa Valley. The Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard benefits from moderate temperatures and cooling breezes that emanate from the northern reaches of San Francisco Bay. This new world climate combined with this old-world Loire Clone 214 provides the basis for a unique and immensely gratifying presentation of the Cabernet Franc grape.
Aged in French oak barrels, the eleventh vintage of Two-Fourteen leads with a luminous crimson color with violet highlights on the rim. Aromas of mixed cherry, raspberry, floral and earthy spice explode out of the glass. Deep flavors exude bright fruits. The wine is medium to full-bodied, juicy and perfumed. It shows great persistence of flavor. The ‘214’ clone has always produced Cabernet Franc that is elegant, subtle, and expressive. Though the wine is very enjoyable now, this vintage, with only 206 cases produced, has the capacity to age for many years in a good cellar.
About Lang & Reed Napa Valley
One of the few wineries in Napa Valley to specialize in 100% Cabernet Franc, Lang & Reed’s wine producing Skupny family has been creating expressive wines that are enjoyable to drink since 1996. Winemaking is a form of storytelling for the Skupny family, and Lang & Reed wines tell a tale of a multi-generational family business and their wonderful wine-filled life together.
The Spring House, a historic Victorian that is now home to Lang & Reed’s tasting salon, is located right off the hub of St Helena’s Main Street, where Tracey, John, Reed and Megan Skupny offer intimate, appointment-only tastings that allow visitors to get to know the family behind the brand, while they impart their affection for Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc. To learn more about Lang & Reed Napa Valley, 2017 ‘Two-Fourteen’ Cabernet Franc and other wine releases, visit their website (https://langandreed.com/) and follow them on Instagram (@langandreed) and Facebook (@langandreed)).
