2023 Proprietary Cabernet Franc
“So suave, velvety and chocolaty, this gorgeous, easy-to-sip red offers lavish devil’s food cake aromas, rich raspberry and cocoa flavors on a bed of gentle tannins. Quite full-bodied on the palate and warm in the finish…” – 92 points, JamesSuckling.com
Member Pricing: $79 – $94
This highly limited Cabernet Franc is a serious wine with a strong sense of place. Varietally true, this medium-bodied Cabernet Franc expresses its truly distinctive personality and outstanding flavor.
Orders Ship October 2025
Accolades
“So suave, velvety and chocolaty, this gorgeous, easy-to-sip red offers lavish devil’s food cake aromas, rich raspberry and cocoa flavors on a bed of gentle tannins. Quite full-bodied on the palate and warm in the finish. Drink now." - 92 points, JamesSuckling.com
“The 2023 Cabernet Franc is another rich, heady wine in this range from Round Pond. Sumptuous dark fruit takes center stage in this opulent, dense offering..the 2023 benefits from a very strong vintage and is a delicious wine..." - 92 points, Vinous, Antonio Galloni
“Mulled plum and boysenberry fruit notes show a slightly exotic bent, while bramble, anise and apple wood accents tumble through on the juicy finish." - 91 points, Wine Spectator, James Molesworth
Tasting Notes
A classic Cabernet Franc, this wine leaps out of the glass with aromas of bright red fruit balanced with herbaceous notes of black tea and a touch of coffee round out the nose. Medium-bodied with youthful tannins, an old-world savory style mixes with ripe raspberry, tart cherry, and earthy gravel with a touch of tobacco leaf and long pepper on the finish. Beautifully food-friendly and a perfect pairing with rich fall dishes, this wine is serious and unique with a mouthwatering finish.
Vineyard Notes
The 2023 vintage marked the end of our three-year drought, bringing nearly 30” of rainfall that contributed to the revitalization of our soil profiles and fostering robust canopy growth. The vintage was one of the mildest in the last 10 years which provided a long hangtime, allowing full flavor development leading to very expressive flavors and aromas. As soon as the fruit set after flowering, extensive hand work began in the vineyard opening the canopy to allow for full sun exposure on the fruit. This leads to full, concentrated flavor and ensures the fruit is as expressive as possible. The 2023 vintage will be one for the ages and we feel these wines truly capture the exceptional year.
Winemaker Notes
Handcrafted much the same as our Cabernet Sauvignon to reflect our vineyards' terroir, yet with less new oak to preserve the delicate aromas and allowing them to shine through. While Cabernet Franc has comprised a small part of our vineyard for some time now, we have uncovered the perfect site and the right approach to demonstrate its varietal typicity for it to now stand on its own among our diverse range of red wines. Its evolution in our vineyard has inspired the addition of more Cabernet Franc to our Rutherford Estate to expand our yield and we eagerly anticipate its growth in our portfolio for years to come.
Technical Details
- Type:
- Red
- Varietal:
- Cabernet Franc
- Region:
- California
- Appellation:
- Rutherford
- Vintage:
- 2023
- Case Production:
- 500