Lot 902 2020 Moon Mountain Cabernet Franc
Moon Mountain Cab Franc… We’ll cut right to the chase – this might just be the best value Cabernet Franc we’ve ever sourced.
Today’s release Lot 902 2020 Moon Mountain Cabernet Franc comes from a high-end producer in the Mayacamas Mountain range—also home to the iconic Monte Rosso vineyard (source of some of Sonoma’s most legendary and long-lived red wines over the past several decades). Moon Mountain’s vineyards enjoy southwest exposure, basking in plenty of afternoon sun tempered by crosswinds from the Pacific Ocean and San Pablo Bay. Add in the area’s dizzying elevations (reaching up to 2,200 feet above sea level) plus a huge variation in volcanic vineyard soils and you’ve got a formula for growing perfect Cabernet Franc grapes that exude impressive depth and plenty of mouthwatering acidity. If you were to look for a Cabernet Franc bottling like this from our source’s Moon Mountain compatriots (think Repris, Kamen, Stone Edge Farm, and Pangloss) you’d be shelling out anywhere from $75 to $175+ per bottle. At a mere fraction of those high-end prices, Lot 902 is simply a can’t-miss opportunity for any Cab Francophile at just $20.
Dominated by Sonoma’s signature fruit-forward style, the core of Lot 902 is fresh and ripe with a mixture of sour red cherry, blackberry, raspberry, strawberry, and black raspberry compote on the nose. On the palate, that deep fruit core is backed by French oak, red and green pepper, and a tantalizingly tannic finish. Although drinking beautifully now, that big structure makes this a fantastic candidate to throw in the cellar for the warmer summer months and break out around the holidays.
Watch as Chris Lafleur, Sommeliers Creed for Cameron Hughes walks us through a tasting.
Wine Tasting Video Topics:
- 00:00 Introduction to The Tasting Panel and Chris Lafleur
- 00:16 Moon Mountain Appellation and Cabernet Franc
- 01:08 Color and Legs of Moon Mountain Cab Franc
- 01:36 On the Nose with Lot 902
- 02:26 On the Palate with Lot 902
- 03:25 Where does Moon Mountain Cab Franc fit in your cellar?