PLEASE NOTE: This item is three bottles, one each of the 2017 The Debate "Sleeping Lady Vineyard" Cabernet Franc (JD95/JS95/RP93+), 2017 The Debate "Stagecoach Vineyard" Cabernet Franc (JD95/94JS/92+RP), and 2017 The Debate "Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard" Cabernet Franc (95JS/JD96/RP94).

2017 The Debate 'Sleeping Lady Vineyard' Cabernet Franc

96pts Jeb Dunnuck

This vineyard Yountville continues to produce brilliant wines, and the 2017 Cabernet Franc Sleeping Lady is another one to add to the list. Offering a Cheval Blanc-like bouquet of cassis, crushed flowers, spice, and cedary incense, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, ultra-fine tannins, and a seductive, elegant, sexy texture that keeps you coming back to the glass. It shines just as much for its complexity as its texture and is going to evolve gracefully for 15-20 years. There are a scant 80 cases made. (To Kalon) One of the top expressions of this variety coming from Napa is the 2017 Cabernet Franc To Kolan, which is 100% varietal that was barrel fermented and spent 22 months in 80% new French oak. It offers a wonderful, multi-dimensional, seamless texture as well as full-bodied richness and depth, silky tannins, and complex notes of cassis, toasted bread, and flowery incense. I’d be thrilled to have bottles in the cellar, and it should cruise for 15-20 years. (Stagecoach) Lastly, the 2017 Cabernet Franc Stagecoach comes from a large site and, as with all the wines from The Debate, it’s all varietal and was fermented and aged in 80% new French oak. Revealing a deep purple/ruby hue as well as complex notes of red plums, chocolate, and spicy incense, it’s packed with fruit, hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, has sweet tannins, and a great finish. It’s a classic, beautifully balanced, elegant Cabernet Franc. 95-96 points

95pts James Suckling

Aromas and flavors of crushed blackberries and currants with chocolate and almonds. Full-bodied, tight and focused. Bordeaux like. Reserved. Drink or hold. (To Kalon) This is very compact and structured with intense tannins that show muscular strength, yet polish and form. Full-bodied, driven and focused. Needs four or five years to realize its potential. Drink after 2021. (Stagecoach) Very perfumed with blackberry, blueberry and lavender aromas and flavors. Medium-to full-bodied, tight and focused. Plenty of blue fruit and polished, chewy tannins. Drink after 2021. 94-95 points

93+pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Very deep garnet-black colored, the 2017 Cabernet Franc Sleeping Lady features gregarious scents of baked red and black currants, blackberries, raspberry preserves and red roses with hints of pencil shavings, fragrant earth and fried herbs plus waft of chargrill. Full-bodied with a rock-solid, grainy texture, the palate possesses loads of freshness and impressive intensity, finishing long and perfumed.

Winemaker Notes

Brilliant, dark eggplant color with touches of mauve and magenta on the rim.  On the nose, a beautiful explosion of cassis, coffee, cedar, dried cranberry, cinnamon, licorice, bay leaf, raspberry and oak moss.  Entrance with fresh fruit evolving on a nice acidity on the midpalate, lingering on granular, ripe tannins, with touches of boysenberry, lilac and chocolate.

2017 The Debate "Stagecoach Vineyard" Cabernet Franc

95pts Jeb Dunnuck

Lastly, the 2017 Cabernet Franc Stagecoach comes from a large site and, as with all the wines from The Debate, it’s all varietal and was fermented and aged in 80% new French oak. Revealing a deep purple/ruby hue as well as complex notes of red plums, chocolate, and spicy incense, it’s packed with fruit, hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, has sweet tannins, and a great finish. It’s a classic, beautifully balanced, elegant Cabernet Franc to enjoy over the coming 15+ years. There are 80 cases produced.

94pts James Suckling

Very perfumed with blackberry, blueberry and lavender aromas and flavors. Medium-to full-bodied, tight and focused. Plenty of blue fruit and polished, chewy tannins. Drink after 2021.

92+pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Cabernet Franc Stagecoach Vineyard opens with slightly broody notes of tar, charcuterie, damp soil and crushed rocks over an emerging core of blackberry compote, baked plums and raspberry pie plus a touch of bouquet garni. The full-bodied palate has a firm, somewhat rustic texture with seamless freshness and a long, earth-laced finish.

Winemaker Notes

The color is dark and shiny black ink with touches of iris, violet and pink ballet slipper on the rim.  Deep on the nose with touches of cedar, blackberry reduction, plums, roast rub and blackberry preserve, lingering on salt crystals, dark cherries, graphite and rosemary.  Big entrance evolving on a fresh mid-palate with freshly picked black fruit, lingering on fruit pits and volcanic rocks.

2017 The Debate "Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard" Cabernet Franc

96pts Jeb Dunnuck

One of the top expressions of this variety coming from Napa is the 2017 Cabernet Franc To Kalon, which is 100% varietal that was barrel fermented and spent 22 months in 80% new French oak. It offers a wonderful, multi-dimensional, seamless texture as well as full-bodied richness and depth, silky tannins, and complex notes of cassis, toasted bread, and flowery incense. I’d be thrilled to have bottles in the cellar, and it should cruise for 15-20 years.

95pts James Suckling

This is very compact and structured with intense tannins that show muscular strength, yet polish and form. Full-bodied, driven and focused. Needs four or five years to realize its potential. Drink after 2021.

94pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Cabernet Franc Beckstoffer To Kalon comes skipping out of the glass with pretty floral of roses and lilacs over a core of stewed red plums, wild blueberries and mulberries plus wafts of fragrant earth, cinnamon stick, dusty soil and garrigue. Medium to full-bodied, the palate features a rugged frame of chewy tannins with lovely freshness and loads of layers, finishing with a lingering mineral kick to the finish.

Winemaker Notes

Deep, dark black olive with touches of fuchsia, bubblegum and orchid on the rim.  On the nose, an explosion of cedar, pepper and pencil shavings with minerality, fresh blackberry, paprika, pomegranate and mulberry.  Fresh entrance evolving on a structured mid-palate lingering on dark fruit and acidity like star fruit elderberries and plums.