A wonderful wine tasting at my local wine shop The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan and featuring the wines of Arrow & Branch Estate Vineyard of Napa Valley.  The Contursis had developed a love for Bordeaux and the wines from there. They were out looking for property and everything fell in place when they were able to buy the Etude Wines estate of Tony Soter who was famed for his “Little Creek” Cabernet Franc wine.  The Contursis now had the ability to live both in Laguna Beach and on their new vineyard, and they were able to have the key element of their liking of a classic Cabernet Franc, as they felt the other varietals would fall into place.  They have a passion and a commitment to create the best Bordeaux style wine regardless of time and money, and that includes diminishing crop output, if need be, to ensure the best fruit is harvested.  The vineyards that they use are considered the top in the valley. 

The fourth wine of the tasting was the Arrow & Branch Estate Vineyard Right Bank Blend Napa Valley 2019, with fruit from the Estate Vineyard in St. Helena and from the Stagecoach Vineyard in Atlas Peak.  It was interesting to taste this wine after having enjoyed the 2012 vintage earlier.  This wine was a blend of seventy-three percent Cabernet Franc, nineteen percent Cabernet Sauvignon, and eighteen percent Merlot. The wine was made from destemmed fruit and aged for twenty-two months in French Oak, of which sixty-five percent was new; and about two-hundred cases were produced.  This deep purple hued wine offered notes of red and black fruits, black tea, flowers and “Sous-bois” (which I still think sounds better than saying “forest floor”).  On the palate this wine had great tones of black cherry and blueberry, mixing harmoniously with the tannins to give a rich, understated and balanced wine with a nice medium to long count finish of fruit.

The penultimate wine was an Arrow & Branch Estate Vineyard Cabernet Franc Heritage Coombsville 2019 from the Little Creek Vineyard.  This wine was pure Cabernet Franc from the original vineyard, hence the Heritage name.  The wine aged for twenty months in French Oak, of which forty-five percent was new; and only ninety-eight cases produced.  I am glad that my Bride could not attend this tasting, as I may have had to go back to work.  A deep purple wine with vivid red rim, this wine offered red and black fruits, florals and “Sous-bois.”  On the palate this full-bodied wine hit all of my checkpoints, because I have been a true fan of Cabernet Franc for over fifty years.  The fruit was perfect, and I am sorry if you prefer California jammy wines, as the fruit was ethereal understated, balance with ripe tannins and a long count finish of fruit, spice, and terroir.    

The final wine was the Arrow & Branch Estate Vineyard Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard St. Helena 2019 and it was a show-stopper.  This wine was ninety-nine percent Cabernet Sauvignon and one percent Petit Verdot from probably America’s “Grand Cru” designation, if there was that designation.  The wine was aged for twenty-two months in French Oak, of which ninety-five percent was new.  There were two-hundred-five cases produced of this wine and I saw them being offered in beautiful wooden presentation cases of three.  This dark garnet wine with a bright red rim offered notes of black and blue fruits, truffles, tobacco, and “Sous-bois.”  On the palate this wine would be best described as rich and opulent, the fruit was magnificent, blending with the tannins and with secondary tastes of truffles, tobacco, ashes and very long count finish of fruit and terroir.  A superlative tasting event of some great wines that one doesn’t require having a subscription for.