The Frannes Estate
- The Frannes estate sits on one of the most storied pieces of land in Valle de Guadalupe. Originally planted in 1937, not only is it one of the oldest in valley, but, because it is located near one of the valley's terminuses, it has a unique canyon-like micro-climate. Fresh breezes descending from the steep valley walls, and first access to the water entering the valley from the north are two of the defining characteristics of this vineyard site whose well-worn soils have a long memory of vineyards. Naturally filtered water that works its way through many miles of sandstone and granite before arriving at the aquifer that lies below the vineyard is proclaimed by the wine maker Ernesto to be the source of the silky tannins that are elegantly folded into their wines. The overall balance is what is most striking about these wines, which offer a dimension of complexity rarely seen.
- All grapes are estate grown from organically farmed old vineyards of the prestigious original Camou estate.
- This is the first and only estate in the valley to be working in collaboration with the well-known consultant Michel Rolland from France.
Total production: 62 acres under vine, 9 wines, 5,000 cases
2016 Pater - Viña de Frannes
Tasting Notes and Drinking Window:
Pater, which is Latin for 'father', is the premium wine from the Frannes estate, and most certainly one of the premium wines from Mexico in general. A blend of equal parts Cabernet Franc and Merlot that is a hand picked selection from a small parcel of a individual vineyard site known to yield the best grapes, there is little that stands between this wine and greatness.. If Beethoven were alive and making wine, this would be his 9th.
300 cases made
Drinking window: Now -10 years
Vintage:
2016
Blend:
50% Merlot, 50% Cabernet Franc
Producer:
Viña de Frannes
Winemaker:
Don Ernesto Alvarez Morphy - Mexican
Vineyards:
Valle de Guadalupe, ejido de Francisco Zarco - Estate vineyards are located in a tight fold at the end of the valley near one of its terminuses, approximately 10 miles from the Pacific at an elevation of 1,000 ft. Soils are a sandy clay marl.Pater comes from a select section of the vineyards known to produce the highest quality fruit.
Winemaking:
Fermented in new French oak barrels for 10 days and then racked into 1st use French oak barrels and aged for 18 months.
Sulfites: 28 ppm
Farming:
Organic, sustainable
Alcohol:
12.4%
