2020 Ancient Peak Cabernet Franc – One of my Top 10 Cabernet Franc Wines!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Winery
Photo from Ancient Peaks Website
Up until a few months back, I had not tasted Ancient Peaks Cabernet Franc, nor was I really aware of their winery. Was so impressed from my first sip, I scheduled to visit them in December and have enjoyed their wines ever since. The winery was founded by Karl Wittstrom, Rob Ross and Doug Filipponi. Mike Sinor has been the founding winemaker since the first vintage in 2006.
Map from Ancient Peaks Website
Once understanding that the property contains five unique soil types: rocky alluvium, ancient sea bed, granite rock, shale and volcanic you can now understand their “unique label” featuring the soil types. On the property they make white wines of Viognier, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Red wines produced include, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petite Sirah, Pinot Noir, Petit Verdot, Malbec and red blends. They even produce a fermented mead, produced from honey bees. The estate is comprised of 14,000 acres and 900 acres are under vines.
For a complete background and detailed story on Ancient Peaks click on a previous story:
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The 2020 Ancient Peaks Cabernet Franc wine is dark and opulent on the eyes and with medium-heavy viscosity. On the nose, blueberry and blackberry wafted into the senses beckoning and drawing one to partake in the first sip. On the palate, the aforementioned fruits burst into a parade of flavor profiles, coupled with plum and secondary flavors of coffee and vanilla. The finish was expressive with grippy tannins and an intense structure, not typical of Cabernet Franc from the region. A real surprise and welcomed treat!
The wine consists of 92% Cabernet Franc and 8% Merlot. Their limited-edition offering was hand selected from their finest vineyard rows and aged for 23 months in 50% new French oak. The price is $50/bottle and belongs in their Pearl Collection. The wine comes in at 14.9% alcohol and extremely smooth.
This wine just made my annual list of Best Wines Tasted in the calendar year for 2024! This is truly an amazing wine.
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
Paired this evening with a seared and BBQ’ed ribeye steak. Seared at 1600-1800 degrees and cooked to a beautiful pink medium rare (140 degrees). Accompanied by seasoned and roasted quartered Yukon Gold potatoes. Also roasted Brussel Sprouts drizzled with balsamic reduction glaze. The fruit from the wine complimented the seared outside of the ribeye and enough tannins to cut through the meat. An excellent food and wine pairing.
Sláinte,
Michael