La Jota Cabernet Franc Howell Mountain 2021

The grapes for this unique Cabernet Franc come entirely from a small, hardy vineyard, planted in 1976, located very near our nineteenth century stone winery building. Grafted onto resistant St. George rootstock, this vineyard is one of few that have so far managed to escape the ravages of the root louse phylloxera, and is consequently among the oldest Cabernet Franc vineyards in Napa Valley. These aging vines grow just enough leaves to maintain a perfect grape-to-canopy ratio, and the resulting wine is history in a glass: concentrated in flavor and beautifully balanced. Aromatics of ripe strawberry and rose petal carry from nose to palate, with notes of blueberry, green tea, white pepper, and vanilla. La Jota's distinctive minerality carries the flavors into a long, ethereal finish.