Yountville, Napa Valley, California
$75 (Wine Club Reorder Price $66)
From the family who brought you Elyse Winery, Jacob Franklin is another Coursen family exclusive. Although the family recently sold Elyse, Ray and Jake Coursen are still producing a small amount of beautiful vineyard designated wines through this label.
Ray Coursen grew up on a dairy farm in New Jersey and was born into agriculture. In 1983 Ray and his wife Nancy packed up their car and headed to Napa with dreams of making great wines from California. They ended up in Rutherford, CA and in 1987 Ray made his first wine under his own label, Elyse. In 1998 Ray harvested the estate Cabernet Sauvignon from Elyse Winery and Jacob Franklin Wines was created.
Jake Coursen, grew up in the Napa Valley and spent his youth playing in vineyards and wineries. After an internship with Hunnicutt winery in 2013 and being hired as production assistant after harvest, Jake got an intimate knowledge of winemaking from some of the valley’s top winemakers. With the sale of Elyse approaching Jake realized it was time to sink or swim so he signed a grape contract for a smidge of Grenache which would mark Jake’s beginning as head winemaker for Jacob Franklin Wines.
“Mon Chou” (my sweetheart) is a blend of the six varietals native to the region of Bordeaux, France with Jacob Franklin’s growing in the AVA of Yountville, Napa Valley. This wine is rich with flavors, complexity and depth. Dark ruby in color with a dusty nose of violets, cocoa, cassis, blackberries, tobacco, and mint. Sweet toasty oak greets the palate followed by focused flavors of mulberries, cherries, and red currants. Full bodied and balanced with deep fruit flavors, well integrated tannins and a smooth lingering finish. A very nice wine. Tastes so good now, it’s going to be a hard one to keep in the cellar!
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the more complex and layered wines out there. It has higher tannins and a savory character often described with tobacco. Because of this wine’s traits, look for foods high in fat and umami flavors for this pairing. A nice ribeye steak with porcini mushroom sauce would be perfect with a glass of “Mon Chou”.
Jennie Kaplan Woodson – March 2021
Bacchus & Venus Wines 