This was a great vintage for the thinner-skinned varieties like Cabernet Franc and Merlot. The 2018 Cabernet Franc Blueline Estate from this talented team sports a vivid purple hue to go with a great nose of blue fruits, rocky minerality, violets, spring flowers, and a touch of forest floor, bay leaf, and herbal notes. A wine that grows on you with time in the glass (which can be common for great Cabernet Franc), it's medium to full-bodied, has flawless balance, and a pure, elegant, lengthy style. High fashion at its finest, this elegant, seamless beauty will keep for 15-20 years. It reminds me of the 2016, yet it might be even better.

The 2018 Cabernet Franc Blueline Estate is a blend of 92% Cabernet Franc, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Malbec. Deep garnet-purple in color, it waltzes out of the glass with flamboyant scents of kirsch, black raspberries, wild blueberries and redcurrant jelly, plus touches of garrigue, cedar chest and red roses. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is wonderfully elegant and refined, delivering mouth-coating red berry and fragrant earth notions with a finely grained texture and seamless freshness, finishing long and perfumed.

Nicely delineated from the start, with a mix of bitter plum, red cherry and black currant fruit paste flavors carried by racy tannins and fresh acidity. Shows nice loam and smoldering tobacco accents through the muscular finish, and has power and cut. Drink now through 2032. 300 cases made.