2021 Smith-Madrone Cabernet Franc

Only 153 cases made. The 2021 Smith-Madrone Cabernet Franc is a rare, mountain-grown Spring Mountain bottling — violets, black pepper, black cherry, dark chocolate, and a savory herbal edge, with silky, caressing tannins and the lean, precise structure that makes this wine feel more Loire than California, in the very best way. Aged 18 months in 60% new French oak, it's 89% Cabernet Franc with 11% Cabernet Sauvignon — a grape that normally plays a supporting role in Smith-Madrone's celebrated Cabernet Sauvignon, here finally given the spotlight it deserves. Dry-farmed from estate vines on volcanic soils at elevation, this is as limited as it gets from one of Napa's most quietly extraordinary producers. Pair with duck, lamb, roasted mushrooms, or anything worthy of a bottle you may never see again.