Michael Shaps Franc Blanc 2020

The Franc Blanc is new addition and provides a completely different style of wine to the lineup. Cabernet Franc is of course a red variety, so to achieve the “blanc” status we quickly separated the grape skins from the juice to allow for minimum skin contact, which is where almost all of the color of a wine comes from. The result is a fantastic copper color and a rich but not intense mouthfeel.

The Cabernet Franc grapes for this wine were harvested earlier than usual, which kept the acidity in the grapes at a higher level. This helps keep the wine bright and refreshing, and is balanced out nicely with the influence of the oak which adds a rounder mouthfeel. The nose is immediately expressive, offering notes of fresh citrus, like orange and lemon zest as well as vanilla and cedar. On the palate there are notes of sour cherry and fresh flowers. This is a great wine on its own, but will pair very nicely with some softer cheeses like Brie or Taleggio.