1986 Dehlinger Cabernet Franc

Dehlinger Winery is in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County, California. It was founded in 1975 when Tom Dehlinger, a University of California at Davis educated enologist, planted 14 acres of vineyards. Today Dehlinger and his wife Carole still own and operate the estate, which has grown to 45 acres. Dehlinger specializes in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and wine reviewers routinely praise the estate’s wines for their Burgundian qualities. Along with its flagship Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Dehlinger also makes Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Rose wines. California wine reviewer James Laube has written that as a winemaker, Tom Dehlinger has “shown a master’s hand in crafting intensely flavored, richly concentrated, succulent wines.”

One of the most widely grown grape varieties, it can be found in nearly every wine growing region. A cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. It’s a hardy vine that produces a full-bodied wine with high tannins and great aging potential.