2022 Selin Cellars Cabernet Franc – Double Gold Winner at SF Chronicle Competition
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 the 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 as an award-winning wine from popping the cork, to the last sip.
The wine is aged 18 months in a combination of 100% new French and Hungarian barrels. The wine comes in at 14.8% alcohol and one to secure! It made my annual list of Best Wines Tasted for 2025
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 wines. A solid friendship developed with Chris Taddei of Taddei Family Wines and today they consider themselves “brothers”. Chris and Pete work together 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 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)
Sláinte,
Michael