2005 Corte Riva Cabernet Franc

Corté Riva 2002 Merlot 750 Winemaker's Tasting Notes: "this Merlot exhibits excellent structure and a long, rich finish. The fresh blackberry aroma adds layers of flavor to the sweet chocolate and spices. You will find that its modest tannins and its concentrated flavors make a pleasant accompaniment with pasta and beef dishes. Slowly aged for 16 months in 100% French oak barrels, this Merlot was blended with a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon from the Switch Back Vineyards..."

North Coast AVA includes California’s most prestigious sub-appellations and vineyards. The three million acre area includes vineyards in six counties north of San Francisco and nearly 50 sub-appellations. The Napa Valley and Sonoma County AVAs are just two of the renowned sub-appellations included in the North Coast designation, which also includes the AVAs Diamond Mountain District, Howell Mountain, Oakville, Stag’s Leap and Rutherford, which are all among the most acclaimed wine producing districts in California. The North Coast AVA designation is generally used for wines made by blending grapes grown in several counties or AVAs. The appellation includes part of the counties of Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, Marin, Solano and Lake.

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.