Lang & Reed, 2016 Cabernet Franc, North Coast, California, USA
Cab Franc du Jour #49
Lang & Reed North Coast Cabernet Franc
If there is one person who could be identified as among the earliest flag-bearers for Cabernet Franc in California, it is John Skupny. He established Lang & Reed with his wife Tracey in 1996 after a well-established career across various aspects of the wine industry.
Their goals were twofold: to make a wine they genuinely wanted to drink, and to keep it financially attainable, both in terms of their own investment and for consumers looking for something approachable enough for a mid-week bottle. Having been married in the Loire Valley in 1977, the couple had a deep affection for the Cabernet Francs of the region, and choosing the variety as the focus for Lang & Reed was a natural fit.
The North Coast Cabernet Franc: California’s OG Single Varietal Cabernet Franc
What is important to understand about the Lang & Reed North Coast Cabernet Franc is that it embodies a philosophy of assemblage, the idea that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. While the vineyard sources have evolved over the years, John’s goal is to create a signature expression of Cabernet Franc that is as distinctively Lang & Reed as it is reflective of northern California. Since 2006, the flagship Cabernet Franc has been predominantly sourced from Lake County fruit, and for the 2016 vintage that contribution stands at approximately 78% of the blend, making Lake County the focus of today’s terroir discussion.
Lake County: High Altitude, Volcanic Terroir
Lake County differs from other parts of the North Coast in one important respect: there is no fog effect. The ocean’s influence is more limited here, and altitude takes over as the primary moderating factor. The result is more sunshine hours, greater intensity of light owing to elevation, a larger diurnal temperature shift, and a slightly shorter overall growing season.
The defining character of the soils comes from two dormant volcanoes: Mount Konocti on the southwest side of Clear Lake and Mount Cobb to the northeast. Mount Konocti last erupted approximately 11,000 years ago, making these among the youngest soils in California. They are rich in iron and have a deep red colour, with textures varying considerably across parcels from sand to loam to gravel, with fragments of basalt and quartz throughout.
The Lake County fruit for this wine comes from two AVAs. The High Valley AVA contributes fruit from the La Sierra vineyard at around 900m above sea level, situated in an east-west-oriented valley that funnels cool air in from nearby Clear Lake. The soils here are deep red volcanic with a gravelly subsoil and good drainage, and the vineyard contributes a red-fruited profile and lifted aromatics to the blend. From the Red Hills AVA, fruit comes from Beckstoffer Vineyards at around 600m above sea level on an east-facing slope, where the tectonic activity in the area has created numerous different slope orientations across the vineyard. This site runs a touch cooler than La Sierra.
In the Vineyard and in the Cellar
Smaller contributions come from Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley AVA, from the T Bar T Vineyard, and from Sugarloaf Mountain, with both planted with Clone 214 from the Loire. John notes that the Alexander Valley fruit brings spice to the blend, while the Sugarloaf Mountain vineyard contributes base notes, length, structure, and a sense of austerity.
Between four and seven individual cuvées are made each vintage, all fermented and aged in a broadly similar fashion. Maceration on skins runs approximately 10 days, with fermentation completing off the skins, followed by élevage in three to seven-year-old French oak barrels for between seven and fourteen months depending on the cuvée. The assemblage then takes place, with John approaching the blend in terms of beginning, middle, and end, combining the different vineyards and cuvées to build the most balanced and complete expression of the variety and the sites.
Wine Details
Producer: Lang & Reed
Region: California
Sub-region: North Coast
Vineyard sources:
43% La Sierra vineyard (High Valley AVA - Lake County)
35% Beckstoffer vineyards (Red Hills AVA - Lake County)
17% T Bar T Ranch vineyard (Alexander Valley AVA - Sonoma County)
5% Sugarloaf Mountain vineyard (Napa Valley AVA - Napa County)
Soils: Primarily red volcanic soils of Lake County, with varying textures
Alcohol: 14.5%