2014 Covert Estate Cabernet Franc

Covert Estate is in the eastern hills of the Vacas Mountain Range, in the Coombsville Appellation. It was started by three couples with backgrounds as wine collectors or vintners. They are Cal and Pam Nicholson, Dave and Laura Nestor, and Julien and Elan Fayard. Julien Fayard is Covert’s winemaker and the estate applies traditional Bordeaux winemaking techniques to Coombsville terroir. Covert wines are generally available only through the estate’s mailing list.

Coombsville AVA is one of Napa Valley’s newer appellations, having received its official designation only in 2011. Tucked just to the northeast of Los Carneros and a few minutes’ drive east of downtown Napa, the Coombsville appellation is relatively large at a total of 11,000 acres. The elevation varies from 100 to 1,000 feet, and the climate is moderated by marine breezes from the San Pablo Bay. The main grape varieties here are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Syrah and Pinot Noir.

This is a parent grape to Cabernet Sauvignon. It most likely originates from Basque country. It is an excellent blending grape, known for making the exquisite Cheval-Blanc. Franc is a little hardier on a vine than Sauvignon, but drinks smoothly at the table.