2018 Champoux Cabernet Franc

This is the inaugural vintage for the 2018 Champoux Vineyard Cabernet Franc. We have had such a positive response to our Columbia Valley and Two Blondes Cab Franc’s that we decided to double down and create a new Cab Franc from Champoux Vineyard. This wine is a perfect example of why Washington State should be the first place in the US to find great Cab Francs.

2018 was another warm vintage that cycled through cool and warm months at the start of the growing season. April was cool, delaying bud break slightly. Then May was one of the warmest on record, advancing bloom. This was followed by a cooler-than-average June. Bloom was notably fast and even, contributing to a larger crop size that required extensive thinning. July and August temperatures were quite warm, so much so that heading into veraison, 2018 was shaping up to be among the warmest vintages on record – and it still was based on Growing Degree Days. However, temperatures cooled considerably in September, creating ideal conditions for ripening.

Opening to a frame of dusty dark red fruit aromas, the 2018 Cabernet Franc Champoux Vineyard offers subtle hints of savory spices with soft florals and nuances of worn leather. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is slightly subdued with a food-friendly, tannic edge. The wine ends with hints of walnut skin, dusty plums, dried herbs and flowers on the finish. – Wine Advocate

On the nose, it exudes class, presenting kirsch and beautiful red nose petal scents that combine with. – Vinous

A deeper, richer wine compared to the more floral Two Blondes Cabernet Franc, the 2018 Cabernet Franc Champoux Vineyard offers a terrific nose of red and black currants, smoked herbs, chocolate, camphor, and sandalwood. This carries to a medium to full-bodied, beautifully textured 2018 with ripe tannins, plenty of mid-palate depth, and outstanding length. – Jebdunnuck.com