A Tasting Experience and Conversation with Steven Mirassou at Steven Kent Winery
Photo from Steven Kent Mirassou
A week ago, I had an opportunity to sit with Steven Mirassou to recount the years of friendship and examine Cabernet Franc for the future, especially for Livermore Valley. This was the day after the Livermore CabFranc Fest where we briefly spoke along with Beth Mirassou.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The conversation was intriguing and revealing about some of the new directions of the winery. We started the conversations in his words “zealous quest” to produce the best Cabernet Sauvignon in California. While still committed to making one of the best in California, he has quietly conceded to Napa Valley. His Lineage offering is superb and has gained both national and international recognition, a premier Cabernet Sauvignon. While discussing his time, energy and effort in this quest, I think he has put this on the back burner rather than fully acquiesce to another region! Mirassou stated that while he loves Lineage and the other Cabernet Sauvignon based wines, he continues to make and feels compelled to showcase the variety that he loves the most and which has the greatest potential to deliver to the Livermore Valley the attention he believes it desereves.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Steven’s interest, rather I should say, his rabid obsession with Cabernet Franc, has always been present in the almost thirty years we have known each other. At Steven Kent Winery, he always made a standalone Cabernet Franc. In fact, while producing many of his Cabernet Sauvignon varietals, he often included a smidgen of Cabernet Franc to augment the flavor profile stating “not as “big” as CS but with more finesse and an aromatic palate of sandalwood and chocolate. Acidity is the watchword of this variety. Its acid-based red fruit flavors marry well with the darker more tannic Cabernet Sauvignon to enliven and lengthen Lineage’s finish”. Each varietal in a Bordeaux style blend brings its own unique quality and character. As Aristotle in his writings 2,372 years ago in his book on Metaphysics stated “in the case of all things which have several parts and in which the totality is not, as it were, a mere heap, but the whole is something besides the parts”. Then Euclid with his mathematics approach from his book Elements, Common Notion, stated “The whole is greater than the part(s)”. You can read the entire story of Lineage Wines at: https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2022/12/29/2012-lineage-the-aristotelian-euclidian-connection/
After fully considering and realizing the full potential of Livermore Valley, Cabernet Franc is now at the forefront of this passion. It started a few years back with the introduction of L’Autre Côte offering. It started out as a single offering (etched bottle) and has quickly morphed with many others.
The first one being his etched bottle which made the wine community stand up and take notice. At the 2022 International Cabernet Franc Wine Competition with his first entry with L’Autre Côte, he came away from both sets of judges (Professional & People’s Choice) with the prestigious Best of Class award. This was the only wine entered from all five categories to receive this double acclaim.
More recently he presented a provocative idea of Cabernet Franc. He offered the same harvested grapes fermented in three different vessels and aptly named them accordingly: Steel, Wood and Rock. The Steel aging the juice in stainless steel, Wood aging it in French oak barrels and Rock in concrete receptacle. While talking we tasted the Steel which was surprisingly “zingy and acid driven”. We then tasted a blend of all three, called the Elements. This then spent a year in bottle. The Elements produced a rounded and a full mouthfeel experience. The 2023 Cabernet Franc Elements blend, which was released in November 2024, was one of the favorite wines tasted of the various vessels. A few cases are still are available in the Steven Kent Tasting Room or on-line. It provided a beautiful contrast with a Yin-Yang of smoked paprika/sage in one direction and in the other a bell peppers (light pyrazines)/tomato characteristics. Key was the tannin momentum throughout the tasting exercise from first sip to the finish.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
One other new consideration for Steven is that this lineup is slated for the wholesale/retail market. While in the past his Lineage line was about a higher end market aimed at connoisseurs and wine aficionados, his quest is to spread Cabernet far and wide within a moderate price range.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
We discussed various aspects of Cabernet Franc from his CabFranc-A-Palooza to my International Cabernet Franc Wine Competition and how the world is now ready for Cabernet Franc to be one of the dominant varietals in the market. Both of us have written extensively about why and how Cabernet Franc is deserving of this recognition as a grape that can grow in a variety of climates and produce varying results to augment and show the versatility in food pairings with Cabernet Franc.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Steven had thieved some barrel samples into lab bottles. Here is where Steven introduced a new direction with his Cabernet Franc. Having been familiar with Steven’s Cab Franc offerings, this was the demarcation of this afternoon’s conversation. The first lab sample was from a new vineyard called Morgensen clone 214, one of the dominant clones planted in the Loire Valley. This wine while absolutely delicious showed a decided turn from Steven’s normal lighter French style of Cabernet Franc. This was the darkest of the three and when in the mouth, was “chewy and bold” and figuratively slapped you in the face to pay attention to its structure and layers of uniqueness. This was aged in a 500L puncheon for 1 year. He only made three barrels, and I was only halfway kidding, asked that he ship one of the barrels to my house—it was of another level of quality and hit my bullseye target profile for Cabernet Franc. This was picked from the vineyard on Oct 3rd. Steven felt this was of such a higher quality that a percentage will go into the premier L’Autre Côte Cabernet Franc production. This “new vineyard” will produce some of the best Cabernet Franc I have tasted and can hardly wait for it to be released.
The second lab tasted was aged in 225-liter barrique that produced a mellower characteristic Cab Franc but still had noticeable tannins and acidity in the mid-palate. This was picked from the vineyard on Oct 17th.
The third lab sample tasted was clone 332 and also picked Oct 17th.
The last wine tasted was the 2022 Ghielmetti clone 332 single vineyard series that will be released in September of 2025.
Towards the end of our conversations, we circled back on the various forms of Cabernet Franc being produced. I mentioned the wines entering the International Cabernet Franc Competition this year in Copperopolis for the “Specialty Division” from Sparkling Blanc to Appassimento versions. Also discussed the Professional Judges Grand Sweepstakes winning wine from Yates Family and their 140-year-old Roman press (not in use, but in their winery/house) and a Cab Franc from Creekside Cellars from Colorado that won the People’s Choice Grand Sweepstakes, grown at 5,000 feet elevation. On my next visit to Livermore, I will bring a couple of these unique wines to taste with Steven.
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Photos ©Michael Kelly
For reference, Steven’s 2022 L’Autre Côte won Double Gold and Best of Class ($106 and up) from both the Professional Judges and People’s Choice Judges at the 2025 International Cabernet Franc Competition.
While the tasting of the various wines was so very enjoyable, perhaps the conversation, insights and intense laughter on many wide-ranging subjects was even of a higher quality. The Cabernet Franc varietal is in solid hands for the future with Steven. Looking forward to our next visit.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly