2017 J. Lohr Home Ranch Cabernet Franc
Be notified of future releases
The debut 2017 J. Lohr Home Ranch Cabernet Franc showcases fruit from the vineyard surrounding our wine center in the Paso Robles Estrella District AVA. Concentrated ripe black plum and fresh red fruit jump from the glass. The palate is supple with a structured finish with savory undertones.
— Steve Peck, director of winemaking
Wine Details
-
Composition Blend
-
89%
Cabernet Franc
-
8%
Cabernet Sauvignon
-
3%
Merlot
-
-
Origin
Estrella District, Paso Robles, CA
-
Cellaring
Will showcase the best fruit 3 to 6 years after the vintage date. Will hold for 10 to 15 years.
15 Years -
Food Pairings
Will prove a perfect match to grilled lamb preparations or a roasted beet salad.
Consider enrolling for “first access” to J. Lohr wines through our wine club. Learn more and enroll.
Vineyard
Our Cabernet Franc was grown on the J. Lohr Home Ranch in the warmer Region III Estrella District of Paso Robles. The block was planted in 2007 in an east-west row orientation with clone327 Franc grafted to low-vigor 420A rootstock. The vines are trained to a bilateral cordon and spur pruned, thinning to two shoots per spur annually. The soil is low water-holding, fine loamy Nacimiento - Los Osos complex. Cabernet Franc is an upright-growing variety that is very drought tolerant. Our farming plan includes removing leaves from the fruit zone on the north side of the vines in June and reducing the crop to one cluster per shoot in late July. This practice assures small, concentrated berries that lead to a luxurious level of flavor and color intensity in the wine.
Vintage
In 2017, we saw the return of generous rains following the long drought. The Cabernet Franc block awoke from dormancy in the last days of March, with bloom following towards the middle of May. Yields were near average and came in at 2.9 tons per acre after completion of our crop-thinning practices. A severe heat spike along the California coast occurred in early September. Fortunately, the Cabernet Franc was several weeks away from harvest and came through that heat spike unharmed. We saw higher levels of sugar and flavor ripeness in this vintage than had been seen since the string of three great vintages from 2012 to 2014.
