Selin Cellars 2020 Cabernet Franc – Best of Show and Best of Class at 2023 International Cabernet Franc Wine Competition
The Winery and Background
Pete Selin, owner and winemaker of Selin Cellars, had spent many years appreciating and tasting wines from various regions. After retiring from high tech in Silicon Valley he moved to Sonoma Valley. He felt right at home in Sonoma with the boutique, hands-on style of the wines. A solid friendship developed with Chris Taddei of Taddei Family Wines and today they consider themselves “brothers”. Chris and Pete work together in making wines for both wineries and share a tasting room at 7726 Bell Road in Windsor, California. It is here that Pete and Chris also produce their wines. Selin Cellars was established in 2019. Today Selin Cellars the produces about 400 cases annually, Pete will cap out his production at no more than 1,000 cases in the future.
Pete sources his grapes from the following hand selected vineyards:
Cabernet Franc – Burnett Vineyards, Barrie Vineyard, Chalk Hill
Puccini Ranch – Alicante Bouschet, Petite Syrah, Zinfandel
Jenks Vineyard – Chardonnay (along the Russian River)
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The wine produced by Pete and Chris was entered for the first time in the 4th Annual International Wine Competition held in March. Selin Cellars made a big splash winning Best of Class and a Gold Medal from the Professional Judges and Best of Class and Double Gold from the People’s Choice Judges. This was in the $51 to $75 Category which included lots of seasoned wineries. A great showing!!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Wine “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
First when pouring the wine into the glass, I was caught off guard as to the depth and dark coloring of this Cabernet Franc. It also possessed a very heavy viscosity. That was just the beginning! On nose, a soft violet fragrance and dark fruit waft upward into the olfactory senses. On the palate a delightful and surprisingly far reaching range of bold blackberry, almost jammy but not sweet, coupled with new soft leather and mild pipe tobacco greeted and coated the mouth. Absent was the pyrazine characteristic often found in Cabernet Franc wine. Another surprise then hit you and it was the tannins and acidity coating the mouth from tooth to tooth to the roof of the mouth. Not typical of a Cabernet Franc to have such griping tannins, but not offensive as they were kept in check with the beautiful caressing fruit. The finish was extremely long lasting with a minerality/earthiness beckoning yet another sip. This Cabernet Franc, showed its pedigree with Cabernet Sauvignon right from the start.
The wine is aged 18 months in a combination of 100% new French and Hungarian barrels. He still has a limited amount of the 2020 from Fountain Grove area and his 2021 from Chalk Hill will be released mid-summer 2023 for the same price of $65/bottle.
The Food and Wine Pairing “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Pulled this wine to be paired with a seared BBQ’ed ribeye steak. Seasoned and served medium rare and accompanied by quartered roasted Yukon potatoes. Not only was this pairing spectacular in being matched, it was a great Father’s Day meal! The wine with enough tannins and acidity, made the steak melt in your mouth.
Looking forward to tasting some of his other varietals in the near future. If they come from the same care and nurturing as the Cabernet Franc, they will no doubt be winners also!
Sláinte,
Michael