Critic-Favorite California Cab Franc
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2016 Lang and Reed Cabernet Franc North Coast 750 ml
- Curated by unrivaled experts
- Choose your delivery date
- Temperature controlled shipping options
- Get credited back if a wine fails to impress
The “Godfather” of California Cabernet Franc
When Wine Spectator first called the Lang & Reed Cabernet Franc California North Coast a “Smart Buy,” it qualified as a major understatement: We’ve long seen Lang & Reed on the wine lists at Mustards and The French Laundry, and always been amazed how they’ve resisted the high prices their reputation and praise could easily command.
In years past, lucky diners at the Laundry could enjoy old, rare Lang & Reed for $325 per bottle. This season, we’re offering Wine Access members the chance to sample the Godfather of California Cabernet Franc’s prowess without a reservation.
Nobody is wiser about Napa Cabernet Franc than John and Tracey Skupny, the couple who felt the pull of the Loire Valley’s great Cabernet Francs, and have now championed the variety for more than two decades. John took a daring plunge into winemaking: He decided to pursue a viticultural career on an endless night of waiting tables, during the third spin of Steely Dan’s “Aja,” and after he moved to Napa, he got to work under Chuck Wagner, Bernard Portet, and Dan Duckhorn.
When we last caught up with John over a glass of the inky, deliciously spicy 2016 he told us this vintage is “the best vintage of the teens.” After what John called a “no drama” vintage, the resulting wine is vibrant and jumps out of the glass with floral notes, fresh strawberries, and plenty of holiday spice. While it has the fine tannins to pair with a steak, we’re partial to the drink-now quality of this perfect, anytime red.
The Skupnys fully surrendered to Cabernet Franc’s siren song in 1993, launching Lang & Reed to pursue a Bordeaux expression on Napa soil. Their fealty to Cabernet Franc earned the respect of Food & Wine Magazine, which reasoned that the winery’s pursuit “would get them points for tenacity even if they weren’t also making really good wine.”
The 206 Lang & Reed Cabernet Franc North Coast highlights John’s commitment to creating “true to type” excellence. Featuring fruit culled from top vineyards in Alexander Valley, Dry Creek, Russian River Valley, Lake County, and Napa Valley, this is a bold, rich, and exuberant red not typically accustomed to the Napa spotlight. It’s an essential bottle for any oenophile. The San Francisco Chronicle hails Lang & Reed Cabernet Franc as a “wonderful food wine,” and we agree.