Franciscan Oakville Estate

Franciscan is one of Napa Valley’s most venerable wineries, with a rich history reaching back more than three decades. Franciscan wines take their signature style—the rare combination of rich, vibrant flavors framed by supple tannins—from the ideal climate offered by Napa Valley’s cool, southern half and from the time-honored tradition of small-lot winemaking, blending from hundreds of barrels to craft fine wines that fully express the classic Bordeaux varieties. Franciscan’s vines have their roots deeply embedded in the soil of the Oakville appellation, where they are surrounded by equally illustrious neighbors, including Opus One, Beringer, Silver Oak and Groth. The stellar reputation achieved by wines from this cooler, more southern area of Napa Valley attests to the fact that Oakville’s climate and soil produce grapes of exceptional quality. Franciscan was founded in 1972 by a group of lawyers and doctors from San Francisco who decided to try turning their passion for wine into a business. However, their dream was short-lived and in 1975, they sold Franciscan to Raymond Duncan and Justin Meyer, business and winemaking partners who also owned Silver Oak. At that time, the company owned nearly 300 acres in the Oakville District of Napa Valley and an equal amount of property in Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley. In 1978, the Peter Eckes Company of Germany purchased the Franciscan vineyards and brand. Duncan and Meyer retained a parcel of the original property for Silver Oak, and Meyer stayed on as president of Franciscan. In 1985, Agustin Huneeus, a Chilean exile who had built Concha y Toro in his native country, took over the helm at Franciscan. Huneeus refocused the winery on using the superlative grapes growing in its own vineyards, rather than sourcing from outside. His second move was to create a separate brand in 1986 for the Alexander Valley estate – Estancia. “Wine is a statement of place,” says Franciscan’s Director of Winemaking, Janet Myers. “The fruit from Oakville is different than the fruit from the Alexander Valley, so it makes sense those distinctions should be preserved and respected.” Franciscan Firsts Franciscan quickly earned a reputation for innovation. In 1985, Huneeus hit the road with fellow vintners Robert Mondavi and Joseph Phelps, presenting California’s first red wines made as a blend of the traditional Bordeaux varieties. California law only allowed these mavericks to call their exquisite offerings “table wine,” so they launched a national competition for the category that resulted in the winning name: Meritage. Today, Franciscan’s Magnificat—with vibrant Oakville fruit and signature supple tannins—is the standard bearer for the Meritage category,. Another Franciscan first was the introduction in 1987 of Napa Valley’s first 100% wild-yeast fermented Chardonnay—Cuvée Sauvage. A notable old world tradition in Burgundy, many Californians thought fermenting with a vineyard’s own native yeasts could not be done here. Risky and unpredictable, this technique requires careful watching, waiting and—if you ask the winemakers—praying. But the results are worth the gamble: an unparalleled round, creamy texture paired with lively acidity and richly layered flavors. The Winery Today Today, Franciscan’s wines are crafted under the exacting eye of Myers, who came to Franciscan in August 2003 as associate winemaker. Previously, Janet worked in Australia’s Margaret River region and at big Cabernet producers Beaulieu Vineyard, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars and Louis Martini. Janet was promoted to director of winemaking in September 2005. The winery remains committed to its tradition of small-lot winemaking. At Franciscan, each wine lot is kept separate from the vineyard until blending, a luxury normally reserved only for limited production wines. Each block of grapes is assigned its own tank for the duration of the crush, in small batches averaging just 150 to 1,500 cases. With no need to turn tanks quickly, each lot can be crafted individually for maximum flavor expression. The image of a hand-operated wine press on Franciscan’s logo and wine labels reflects this small lot approach to winemaking.

Napa, United States

1178 Galleron Road,

(800) 529-WINE