The cool-climate Carneros region, where Napa and Sonoma meet, has been Frank Family’s second home since acquiring our 67-acre Lewis Vineyard in 2000. Lewis Vineyard, along with some of the region’s top grape growers like Andy Beckstoffer and the Sangiacomo Family, provide Winemaker Todd Graff with exceptional quality and unparalleled depth when creating Frank Family’s expansive lineup of world-class Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and méthode champenoise sparkling wines. Starting Friday, March 1, Frank Family is offering a one-of-its-kind, appellation-specific tasting experience that will feature the winery’s remarkable range of Carneros-designated wines, aptly named, the Vineyards of Carneros tasting.
The Vineyards of Carneros tasting is a hyper-focused exploration of some of Napa Valley’s most intriguing, energetic, and harmonized wines, from sparkling to still, Chardonnay to Pinot. Frank Family’s Lewis Vineyard will take the spotlight in this experience, commencing with a splash of our tête de cuvée, a gorgeous late disgorged sparkling wine named, Lady Edythe, before journeying through our equally delicious still wines.
MASTERS OF CHARDONNAY
We will also showcase two prime examples from our single-vineyard Chardonnay collection. Guests will uncover the nuances of our Lewis Vineyard Chardonnay, deriving from the two highest knolls of their water-facing estate, and the Sangiacomo Chardonnay, sourced from a rolling slope on Kiser Vineyard from the Sonoma side of Carneros.
“One reason we love Chardonnay is its versatility,” says Todd. “Chardonnay is a classic grape variety whose expressions and flavor profiles can vary immensely, which is a testament to the interplay of winemaking techniques and diverse vineyard locations where it is grown.”
PASSION FOR PINOT
The perfect accompaniment to Chardonnay, is Burgundy’s other grape variety, Pinot Noir, the third and final destination in our exploration of Carneros. Through a side-by-side comparative tasting, guests will dive into two Pinot Noirs, one from Lewis Vineyard, the other from Beckstoffer’s neighboring Carneros Lake Vineyard. Despite their close geographical origins, the wines each display defining characteristics and a unique sense of place.
“Napa Valley visitors are very wine savvy; they know what they like, and they know what wines they want to explore,” says Frank Family’s Director of Hospitality, Liam Gearity. “We are always working to enhance our guest experience and showcase the depth of the Frank Family Vineyards portfolio with greater specificity in our tastings. In our new Vineyards of Carneros tasting, we can really give a platform to celebrate our single-vineyard Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, cater to the connoisseurs of these varietals, and meet our guests at their high level of expectation with wines that resonate.”
The Vineyards of Carneros Tasting is available daily at the Frank Family Vineyards Craftsman House in Calistoga. Reservations are $60 per person, complimentary for club members, and can be made online here.
