IMPORTED BY CARSON WINES€¦ · Grape: 100% Chardonnay Alcohol: 13.5% Total Acidity: 5.9 g/L pH:...

IMPORTED BY CARSON WINES

C A R S O N W I N E S

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OVERVIEW

Franciscan Estate was founded in 1973 by a group of San Franciscans who decided to try turning their passion for wine into a business. However, their dream was short-lived and in 1975, they sold Franciscan to Justin Meyer and Ray Duncan, business and winemaking partners who also were launching Silver Oak.

In 1978, the Peter Eckes Company of Germany purchased the Franciscan Estate vineyards and brand. Duncan and Meyer retained a parcel of the original property for Silver Oak, and Meyer stayed on as winemaker and president of Franciscan.

In 1985, Agustin Huneeus, a Chilean exile who had built Concha y Toro in his native country, took over the helm at Franciscan Estate. Huneeus refocused the winery on the superlative grapes grown in its own estate, initiating replantings and other vineyard improvements.

Franciscan Estate quickly earned a reputation for innovation. In 1985, Huneeus hit the road with fellow vintners Robert Mondavi and Joseph Phelps, presenting California’s first red wines made as a blend of the traditional Bordeaux varieties. California law only allowed

these mavericks to call their exquisite offerings “table wine,” so they launched a national competition for the category that resulted in the winning name: Meritage. Today, many of the finest wines from Napa Valley are blends of the Bordeaux varieties including Franciscan’s MAGNIFICAT.

Today, Franciscan Estate’s wines are made under the exacting eye of Janet Myers, who came to the winery in August 2003 as associate winemaker. Previously, Janet worked in Australia’s Margaret River region and at big Cabernet producers Beaulieu Vineyard, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars and Louis Martini. Janet was promoted to director of winemaking in August 2005, joining a lineage of legendary Franciscan winemakers such as Justin Meyer, Greg Upton and Agustin Huneeus.

OVERVIEW / ESTATE / PHILOSOPHY / WINEMAKER / RANGE / WINES / CONTACT

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ESTATE

Located in the heart of the renowned Oakville AVA, Franciscan Estate is one of Napa Valley’s most venerable wineries. The first winery to include Oakville fruit in any vintage, prior to esteemed neighbours Opus One, Swanson, Silver Oak, and Groth, Franciscan Estate also sources grapes from its other vineyards in Napa Valley located from Rutherford down through to Carneros.

Oakville Vineyard

A 240-acre parcel of prized land, the Oakville vineyard has a unique balance of terroir and climate. Comprising of 40 distinct blocks that have been looked after by the winery’s vineyard team for more than 30 years, the soil features loamy, gravely, well-draining soil which adds great structure to the wines produced. Located in the centre of the Napa Valley, the Bordeaux varietals enjoy the cooling marine influences while still receiving plenty of sun and heat. Whilst Cabernet Sauvignon reigns supreme, true to Bordeaux, all Bordeaux varietals (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Cabernet Franc) are grown.

The exquisitely balanced climate of Oakville’s mid-valley location holds the key to Cabernet’s success. Oakville is far enough south in Napa Valley to enjoy the cooling benefits of the morning fog from San Pablo Bay, but far enough north to bask in warm afternoon sunshine. On a typical July day, Oakville will be 3 degrees cooler than St. Helena five miles to the north, and eight degrees cooler than Calistoga in the northernmost tip of the valley.

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ESTATE

Napa Valley

The majority of Franciscan’s fruit comes from the southern half of the Napa Valley benefiting from San Pablo Bay’s cooling marine influences. Whilst the Oakville Estate vineyard forms the heart of Franciscan’s Cabernet Sauvignon production, Franciscan Estate brings Merlot grapes from Yountville south to Napa and in particular the Oak Knoll appellation, which is known for its texture and bright fruit. For Chardonnay, Franciscan Estate uses grapes from their cooler vineyards near the town of Napa in the Carneros region bordering San Pablo Bay. There, near the bay’s cool shores, Franciscan Estate has a 17-acre estate vineyard where clay and gravel soils result in grapes with astounding structure and minerality.

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PHILOSOPHY

Founding winemaker Justin Meyer wanted to understand the nuance of vineyard sites and how wine matured over time. He diligently laid out the estate vineyard into small blocks to capture the unique microclimates and soil changes. Each block was separately fermented and cellared. The wine was only blended once it had properly evolved. This small lot approach resulted in wines of unmistakable character that highlighted the nuances of every vineyard block and vintage.

This intensely personal approach to winemaking has remained core to Franciscan’s culture and philosophy. It’s an ongoing pursuit toward perfection that always has the Franciscan Estate master winemaker close to the fruit, re-examining techniques, exploring new methods, and finding better ways to bring out the ultimate expression of the vineyard. Each winemaker is given the platform to build on the foundations of those who came before, adding their own unique flavour to the Franciscan legacy.


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WINEMAKER

JANET MYERS

In what seems like another life, Janet gave up her pursuit of a doctorate in Biological Anthropology to move to London, where she worked in the restaurant industry. Living above a wine shop, she enjoyed sampling the wares of her downstairs neighbour and decided to learn about wine production. Upon appreciating that the wine industry combined science and agriculture, which is her family’s background, she enrolled at UC Davis.

It is whilst she was studying that Janet completed her first harvest at the Robert Mondavi Winery in Napa Valley. After graduating from UC Davis with a Master’s in Enology, she then pursued a harvest abroad to enrich her experience. Wanting to connect to her roots in Italy, her mother’s ancestral home country, Janet turned to the Antinori winemaker in Italy, who offered her a harvest internship at the Santa Cristina Estate in Chianti.

Before joining Franciscan Estate in August of 2003 as Associate Winemaker, Janet also enjoyed stints in Australia’s Margaret River region and at big Cabernet producers Beaulieu Vineyard, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars and Louis Martini Winery. Janet was promoted to Director of Winemaking of Franciscan Estate in August 2005.

Having worked all over the world with several different varieties, Janet’s primary focus has become Cabernet Sauvignon. “I have a passion for Cabernet - Cab is King”.

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RANGE

Franciscan Estate

Cabernet Sauvignon

Franciscan Estate

Chardonnay

Franciscan Estate

Equilibrium White Blend

Franciscan Estate

Magnificat Cabernet Sauvignon

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WINES

Wine Information

Producer: Franciscan Estate

Winemaker: Janet Myers

Grape: 100% Chardonnay

Alcohol: 13.5%

Total Acidity: 5.9 g/L

pH: 3.25

Closure: Cork

Bottle Size: 75cl

Case Size: 12 x 75cl

Franciscan Estate Chardonnay 2014United States | Oakville, Napa Valley

“With Chardonnay, Franciscan Estate looks for the sort of richness and opulence that malolactic fermentation and sur lie aging in oak barrels bring. They help to deliver that delicious, creamy complexity for which Franciscan Chardonnay is known. But Chardonnay also needs a foundation, a structure, for all that richness and fruit. Minerality is essential. So we turn to cooler vineyards in southern Napa Valley, in particular from the Carneros District where the soil is dense clay. The result is grapes that offer

impressive structure and mineral fl air.” Janet Myers, Chief Winemaker

Tasting NotePale yellow in colour, the Franciscan Estate Chardonnay offers aromas of bright pear and lemon are accented by subtle minerality and seashell notes, with accents of caramel apple and nutmeg adding richness. Lovely flavours of ripe Fuji apple and Bosc pear provide a soft entry and vibrant mouthfeel. Lively fruit is supported by notes of vanilla and cream, and the generous body provides a lingering finish of apple, vanilla bean, and spice.

Winemaker Vintage Notes“2014 was another year of low rainfall and warm temperatures in Napa Valley, which once again resulted in an early harvest with excellent fl avor intensity and beautiful ripeness in the fruit. The winter started off very dry with no rain in December, January, or February. In late March and early April, we received a good dose of rain that started the vines growing with ample water in the root zone. Throughout most of the growing season, conditions were textbook normal for fruit set and ripening, which gave us an abundance of high-quality grapes. Chardonnay harvest began August 26 and was completed September 20, comprising three weeks of pressing juice with a spectrum of delicious fl avors and aromas.” Janet Myers, Chief Winemaker

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WINES

We start every year by picking Sauvignon Blanc as the fi rst grapes. This year, we started on August 6. The Sauvignon Blanc from our Estate vineyard in Oakville was harvested on August 7. We started to bring in the Chardonnay as the last of Sauvignon Blanc was picked. The last of the white grapes were harvested on September 20.” Janet Myers, Chief Winemaker

Wine Information



Grape: 72% Sauvignon Blanc, 17% Chardonnay, 11% Muscat

Alcohol: 12.5%


pH: 3.19

Closure: Cork

Bottle Size: 75cl

Case Size: 6 x 75cl

Franciscan Estate Equilibrium White Blend 2014United States | Oakville, Napa Valley

Our Equilibrium white blend is a rich, fun, and unique wine that’s easy to enjoy. The name Equilibrium means “to come together in a state of harmonious balance.” With this in mind, our winemakers crafted a unique expression of artisanal blending. Crisp mouthfeel showing bright floral notes along with refreshing pear and white peach fl avors, Equilibrium is an ensemble of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Muscat. The perception of sweetness enables it to pair beautifully with a range of foods, from spicy barbeque to Thai and other Asian cuisines.

Tasting NotePale Straw in colour with floral notes of jasmine, orange blossom, and honeysuckle all intertwined with passion fruit and lychee. Pleasant notes of lemon and pink grapefruit accentuate the delicate lemongrass that is also present. The palate is clean and crisp on the palate with a generous and round fi nish. Orange blossom, lime, and honeysuckle are flavors that defi ne this wine. Subtle notes of grapefruit and honeysuckle add complexity to a long finish.

Winemaker Vintage Notes“2014 was another early harvest for Napa Valley. Another low rainfall year led to excellent fl avor intensity and beautiful ripeness in the fruit. The winter started off very dry, with no rain in December, January or February. Near the end of March and into the fi rst part of April, we received a good dose of rain that started the vines growing with ample water in the root zone. Throughout a majority of the season, the ripening conditions were textbook normal. Very late in the season, after all of the white grapes were in the winery, we saw single-digit humidity, which helped the season come to an early end.

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WINES

very low, with strong winds buffeting all parts of Napa. Thirsty vineyards prompted harvest to accelerate even more than usual. In seven days, we brought in about 24% of our fruit. The first Cabernet Sauvignon from Oakville was harvested off a young block on September 13 with the last of the Cabernet Sauvignon hitting the hopper on October 22. As harvest progressed, we became more and more aware that the color and intensity of Bordeaux reds would lead to a truly phenomenal vintage.” Janet Myers, Chief Winemaker

Wine Information



Grape: 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 3% Malbec,

3% Petit Verdot, 1% Syrah

Alcohol: 13.5%


pH: 3.74

Closure: Cork

Bottle Size: 75cl

Case Size: 12 x 75cl

Franciscan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2013United States | Oakville, Napa Valley

“Over three decades ago, Justin Meyer took over the winemaking at Franciscan Estate with a highly meticulous approach. Dividing our Oakville Estate into sections, he fermented and aged each vineyard block separately to bring out the best expression of each lot, then blended the best lots together to create wines of distinction. Thus began our tradition of small-lot winemaking, which I am proud to continue today. Each vintage, we make over 200 separate lots of Bordeaux varietals, honing the blend during 18 months of barrel aging. Only the finest lots are included in each glass of Franciscan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, to show the best of the vineyards and the vintage.” Janet Myers, Chief Winemaker

Tasting NoteDeep garnet in colour with a lovely plum nose and rich fruit with layers of complexity. Hints of licorice, vanilla, blackberry, tobacco, and leather envelop the fruit. A ripe entry of cherries and cassis showcases a full, well-structured palate. Textured and rich, the mouthfeel is balanced and generous showing layers of ripe berries, black pepper, mocha, and spice. A very long finish that leads you to another sip.

Winemaker Vintage Notes“The 2013 vintage gave us near perfect growing conditions and an early harvest. Spring conditions were warm and dry, which led to an early bud break and very even set. Aside from one hot spell at the end of June, temperatures remained moderate throughout the spring and summer. With only eight inches of rain from January through June, the vines had less green growth and an earlier turn to fruit development. Early October saw a major north wind event, bringing dry air off the arid northern California interior down across the coastal areas. Humidity during October 3-7 was

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WINES

Humidity during October 3–7 was very low (single digits), with strong winds buffeting all parts of Napa. Thirsty vineyards prompted harvest to accelerate even more than usual. In seven days, we brought in about 24% of our fruit. The fi rst Cabernet Sauvignon from Oakville was harvested off a young block on September 13, with the last of the Cabernet Sauvignon hitting the hopper on October 22. Merlot trickled into the winery in September, while the Cabernet Franc was among the last blocks picked at Oakville. As the harvest progressed, we became more and more aware that the color and intensity of Bordeaux reds would create a truly phenomenal vintage.” Janet Myers, Chief Winemaker

Wine Information



Grape: 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 2% Malbec,

1% Cabernet Franc

Alcohol: 14.5%


pH: 3.78

Closure: Cork

Bottle Size: 75cl

Case Size: 6 x 75cl

Franciscan Estate Magnificat Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

United States | Oakville, Napa Valley

“Magnificat is one of the original Meritage blends in California, a wine Franciscan has proudly produced since 1985. Named for J.S. Bach’s masterpiece, it is crafted to be as seamless and harmonious as its musical namesake. Starting with over 200 small lots of red wine, Magnifi cat is created to showcase our fi nest Bordeaux blend of the vintage. Carefully assessing each lot as it ages in barrel, we create the blend with repeated trials and blind tastings. Depending on how the varieties express in a given year, the composition will be different, always shaped to provide consistency of style. The wine is founded on Cabernet Sauvignon, but true to Meritage, uses other Bordeaux varietals to give roundness, structure, and rich complexity.” Janet Myers, Chief Winemaker

Tasting NoteThe Magnificat is deep scarlet in colour, on the nose aromas of dark cherry, plum, baking spices, and coffee weave into a complex aroma. On the palate, the wine opens with ripe plum and black currant. The impressivestructure is readily apparent in a dense, full body with refi ned tannins. The extensive finish blends cassis with anise, tobacco, cocoa, and vanilla.

Winemaker Vintage Notes“The 2013 vintage us near-perfect growing conditions which led to an early harvest. Spring conditions were warm and dry, leading to an early bud break and very even set. Aside from one hot spell at the end of June, temperatures remained moderate throughout spring and summer. With only eight inches of rain from January through June, the vines had less green growth and an earlier turn to fruit development. Early October saw a major north wind event, bringing dry air off the arid northern California interior down across the coastal areas.

CARSON WINES

Carson Wines Limited, Regal House 5th Floor, 70 London Road, Twickenham,

TW1 3QS, UK

Tel: 0203 261 0927 Email: [email protected]

C A R S O N W I N E S


IMPORTED BY CARSON WINES€¦ · Grape: 100% Chardonnay Alcohol: 13.5% Total Acidity: 5.9 g/L pH:...

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