Frank Family Vineyards is far from just a sparkling producer – each year we produce a collection of Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, and Zinfandel, just to name a few. But we are proud of history as the former Hanns Kornell Champagne Cellars and place a great deal of care into our four sparkling wines as well. Each bottle undergoes a meticulous three-year fermenting process followed by hand riddling before disgorgement. The entire process from vineyard to consumer takes about four to five years. Well, the wait is finally over. Today we introduce to you the 2014 Blanc de Blancs and 2015 Rouge.
“The French and the Champenoise have been our role models. We can’t call our sparkling wines ‘Champagne’, but we still do the process exactly the same way.” – Todd Graff, Winemaker
2014 Blanc de Blancs
A defining feature of the remarkable 2014 vintage is the consistent and even growing of the grapes. A warm growing season led to an early harvest. Our Chardonnay for the Blanc de Blancs was hand-picked in mid-August from our Lewis Vineyard in Carneros. Our signature sparkling wine was crafted in our cellars using the traditional Méthod Champenoise whereby the secondary fermentation occurs in the bottle. This wine aged on the lees for three years and was hand riddled before disgorgement in February 2019.
The 2014 Blanc de Blancs has a bouquet marked by floral and citrus notes. The palate is fresh and vibrant, with a rich structure and creaminess that brings balance and intensity to the flavors. The refined finish shows remarkable length with excellent minerality and effervescent fruit that lingers.
2015 Rouge
Our 2015 Rouge captures the essence of springtime in California – bright ruby in the glass and releasing fragrances of fresh raspberry, black cherry, lavender and spiced cardamom wrapped around a resolutely mineral core with a luxuriant and persistent finish.
The Rouge is crafted from hand harvested Pinot Noir planted in the southern end of Carneros. The Maritime Climate allows the fruit to slowly ripen throughout the growing season, prolonging hang time. This wine demonstrates the natural balance and fresh qualities welcomed by the influences of maritime breezes and fog coming from San Pablo Bay, creating the subtle balance between structure and finesse.
To celebrate the release of these two highly anticipated wines, we are offering a $10 shipping offer on 12+ bottles storewide from now until midnight on Sunday, May 19, 2019. We also invite you to view our new release video as Liam Gearity, Director of Hospitality tastes through these two amazing vintages of sparkling wines.
