Franciscan Oakville Estate has its roots deeply embedded in the soil of Napa Valley's Oakville District. The winery marked its Silver Anniversary in 1998, celebrating 25 years of ever-increasing quality and growing prestige.

Located in the heart of the Oakville appellation, the Franciscan Oakville Estate vineyards are surrounded by equally illustrious neighbors, including Opus One, Beringer, Silver Oak and Groth. The stellar reputation achieved by wines from this area attests to the fact that Oakville's climate and soil produce grapes of exceptional quality.

The Chardonnay: This wine showcases the generous Chardonnay fruit from Napa Valley vineyards in Oakville and Carneros. Rich, ripe and exotic, it strikes a balance of ripe Napa Valley fruit with nuances of sweet oak from 100% barrel fermentation and extended barrel age. Use of wild yeast in a portion of the fermentation and sur lie aging add layers of complexity.

The Cabernet: The growing season was relatively cool in Napa Valley, until September when a warm spell gave the ripening process a boost. Then, another cooling trend provided a long stretch of mild weather that allowed the grapes to ripen slowly on the vines until late October. This Cabernet Sauvignon captures the essence of Napa Valley where slow, even ripening gave this wine full richness and tannin maturity. Loaded with rich, ripe, black cherry and plum flavors that are nicely balanced with hints of sweet toasted oak. Small percentages of Cabernet Franc and Merlot are added to enhance the wine's depth and complexity. ).

Bottle Size: .750