2019 Kenzo Estate 'Asuka' Cabernet Franc Napa Valley

Winemaker Notes:  asuka is the name of the town in the Nara Prefecture where founder Kenzo Tsujimoto was born. In Japanese, "asuka" signifies a bright future and hope for tomorrow. We can metaphorically link it to the long-lasting aroma and elegant palate of a wine that will impress today, tomorrow and beyond. The floral architecture of the 2019 asuka is its defining virtue, with first impressions of sage, dark cherry and cassis, then hints of clove and sweet honeysuckle. The Estate's unique diurnal temperature cycle allows the Cabernet Franc to ripen with finesse, providing a luxurious palate texture. A hint of vanilla and a touch of oak tannin from French oak barrel-aging provide a considerable palate weight, similar to Cabernet Sauvignon, but this wine is indeed true Cabernet Franc: elegant, bright and graceful. Recommended to drink now and into 2034.

CRITICAL ACCLAIM


Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - "The 2019 Cabernet Franc asuka is a blend of 85% Cabernet Franc, 14% Malbec and 1% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it sings of redcurrant jelly, kirsch and black raspberries, with hints of tree bark, dried herbs and black olives. Full-bodied, the concentrated red and black fruit layers have a solid, firm and grainy backbone with lovely freshness and a long, mineral-laced finish."