Lang & Reed Napa Valley has launched the third wine from their Monograph Collection, 2010 Bois Sauvage Cabernet Franc, Napa Valley. Only 21 cases of this wine have been produced.
The Lang & Reed Napa Valley 2010 ‘Bois Sauvage’ Cabernet Franc comes from the Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard, and has been married with a single barrel of very tight grain and lightly toasted wild oak barrel crafted by Master Cooper Alain Fouquet. Sourced from wild oak trees in a privately owned forest in France, this special wood slowed the exchange of tannins and flavor.
With the tight grain extending the aging period to 32 months, the light toast and sap in the barrel imparted a vanilla-like sense of sweetness. This new barrel added an elegant structure and delicate sweetness. The name “Bois Sauvage” refers to the wild oak forest that no longer exists, from which this barrel hails. Bois Sauvage is also a double entendre, as the idea of putting new oak on this Cabernet Franc was a wild idea in the first place.
The cool growing season of 2010 led to a later than normal harvest for Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard, making it the ideal vintage to use for this barreling experiment. The 2010 Bois Sauvage Cabernet Franc from Napa Valley displays a translucent, red robe color with delicately faded violet highlights. This leads to a bouquet of cherry-kirsch, rose petal, sandalwood, and dried fine herbs, and delicate top notes of anise and dark Swiss chocolate. The flavors are rich, full, and exotic with soft, mouthwatering flavors that show a hint of chocolate with overtones of vanilla. The wine finishes with a fresh herbal memory and persistent flavor.
Napa Valley Winemaker John Skupny only rarely chooses one barrel or one small lot of Cabernet Franc that stands out to be part of the Monograph Collection.
To learn more, head over to Lang & Reed’s official website.