Direct, with trim herb, currant, coffee and sage notes that have good intensity and dusty tannins. Drink now. 200 cases made. -MW

It’s terribly hard to make an expensive, upscale Cab Franc that succeeds. The variety on its own tends toward cherry fruit simplicity. In this bottling, von Strasser has added Merlot and even Zinfandel to perk things up with dark stone fruit and tannic depth. It’s an elegant, dry wine, but at this price, not in the same league as their fabulous Cabernet Sauvignons.——S.H.(4/1/2008)—— 87