2010 Cabernet Franc
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Vintage
The 2010 vintage produced dark and concentrated wines despite the down production and cool summer. The season started with some late showers that affected flowering and caused some shatter in the grape clusters. The exceptionally cool and sometimes downright cold growing season had the most notable affect on the cooler growing areas of Napa Valley. Titus Vineyards benefited from the long, moderate growing season in our valley floor location. Our vineyard location is naturally warmer than others and the orientation of the vineyard had a surprising benefit during a late season heat spike. Many vineyards had aggressive canopy management at the time of this spike. Due to the long afternoon sun at Titus Vineyards aggressive leaf pulling has never been encouraged and saved the grapes on the vine from raisoning. Yields were 30% down from a ‘normal’ year but the fruit was dark and flavorful.
Vineyard
Our family vineyard is located on 40 acres of Napa Valley floor just north of St. Helena on the Silverado Trail. It has well-drained, sandy, alluvial soils and is characterized by its ability to produce complex wines with well-defined fruit flavors, gentle acids and naturally balanced tannins. The vines benefit from their very even east-west exposure resulting in even ripening each year.
Vinification
The grapes were harvested in late October where they were promptly de-stemmed but not crushed, which allowed for increased control over tannin extraction by minimizing the possibility of broken skins and split seeds. After a 48-hour cold soak to extract optimum color and flavor, the grapes were fermented for ten days with pump-overs occurring twice daily. The free-run juice was then transferred to new and two-year-old French oak barrels where it underwent malolactic fermentation, followed by twenty months of barrel aging.
Wine Profile
Our 2010 Napa Valley Cabernet Franc has an intensely deep purple core that leads to a shimmering ruby rim. The complex nose offers aromas of violets, dark cherry, milk chocolate, herbaceous loose leaf black tea, pomegranate, and light brown sugar. The wine is medium in body with well integrated, fine grain tannins give way to lush, mouthwatering flavors of currant, cherry, and rhubarb pie wrapped in black licorice and vanilla. The finish is everlasting with sweet oak spice, toffee, and coffee. Recommended drinking time is three to four years from vintage. Maximum suggested aging is nine years from vintage.
Technical Information:
Vineyard Manager: Eric Titus
Winemaker: Phillip Titus
Appellation: Napa Valley
Blend: 75% Cabernet Franc, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 3% Petite Verdot
Harvest Date: 10/4 – 10/15/10
Barrel Aging: 20 months, 100% French oak, 33% new barrels
Bottled: July 13, 2011
Cases Produced: 342
Alcohol: 14.5%
Total Acidity: .67 grams/100 ml
pH: 3.6
Release: October 2012
