SAVE $XX A BOTTLE on a simply stunning Perfect 10 (94+ Point) wine from the Chalk Hill AVA. Today’s Insider Deal is the Hook & Ladder Los Amigos Ranch Cabernet Franc.
It’s another fabulous Cabernet Franc deal, this time from the pioneering De Loach family, well known for their eponymous brand as well as their major part in getting the Russian River Valley recognized as its own AVA.
Today’s wine comes from the Chalk Hill sub-appellation in the northeast corner of the Russian River Valley between the Alexander Valley and Knights Valley AVAs. There are just a handful of producers here, including Hook & Ladder’s 132-acre estate Los Amigos vineyard. Chalk Hill’s slightly warmer climate, higher elevation, and white, quartzite-rich volcanic soils make it ideal for producing classic red Bordeaux varieties like Cabernet Franc.
Here’s a bit more about the winery:
After the sale of their acclaimed De Loach Vineyards in 2003 to French vintners Boisset Family Estates, Cecil and Christine continued to farm and make wines from the more than 148 acres of vineyard Russian River Valley – and moved on to their next winery project.
In 2003, they launched Hook & Ladder Winery on Olivet Road, just down the street from their original De Loach Vineyards. Named for Cecil’s 17-year career as a San Francisco firefighter, Hook & Ladder is helmed today by grandson Jason De Loach, an accomplished winemaker who joined the winery in 2006.
Hook & Ladder is an “estate” producer, specializing in small bottlings of Pinot Noir, “Old Vine” Zinfandel, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux-style blends sourced from the family’s sustainably-farmed vineyards in Russian River Valley and its sub-appellation, Chalk Hill. The winery also produces and sells estate-grown Olive Oil from trees grown at their Los Amigos Ranch.
These days, Cecil and Christine can often be found at the winery they founded, helping out in the office, cellar and occasionally in the tasting room, which is festooned with fire station t-shirts given to the winery by visiting firefighters from all around the world.
Chalk Hill is a rather exclusive area, and so estate wines like this don’t come cheap, especially when they spend 20 months in French and American oak (30% new). With only 650 cases produced, it’s easy to see why the normal price of this Cabernet Franc is $48 a bottle.
For the next day, however, we’re slashing that price by XX%!
Today’s deal gets you 3 bottles of the 2021 Hook & Ladder Los Amigos Ranch Chalk Hill Cabernet Franc for just $XX.95 ($XX.XX/bottle). That’s a SAVINGS of over $XX a bottle!
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This 3-pack deal is available to ship to the following states: AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MT, NC, NE, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, SC, SD, TX, VA, WA, WI, WV and WY. (These states are dependent on the individual licenses of the offering winery and are not representative of all our deals. Every deal can have different, sometimes more, sometimes less, states available.)
Shipping is a flat $6.99 per order, no matter how many 3-packs you buy. Packages ship in cardboard (no styrofoam). Read on for our full review.
Clicking on the Add To Cart button above will take you to our checkout at shop.reversewinesnob.com. Ends Friday 5/10/2024 at noon (PT).
From the winery:
THE VINEYARD: This Cabernet Franc is carefully grown in the Chalk Hill region located in the northeast Russian River Valley. These grapes are exposed to warmer days and cool nights on our family’s Los Amigos Ranch, just south of Healdsburg. The unique weather of this area allows our Bordeaux varietals to ripen slowly and develop rich, complex flavors.
THE WINE: With deep red magenta tones, this Los Amigos Cabernet Franc exhibits intense fragrant vanilla, rose, and elderberry-cedar. Instantly lush with bing cherry, dried tobacco, fine toasted oak; it finishes with trace cacao, sage, and black raspberry.
HARVEST DATE: September 19, 2021
AGING: 20 Months in French & American oak, 30% new
WINEMAKER: Jason De Loach
CASES PRODUCED: 650
pH 3.65
TA .59Grown, Produced and Bottled by Hook & Ladder Vineyards
14.5% Alcohol
Cork
And now on to our review:
The 2021 Hook & Ladder Los Amigos Ranch Chalk Hill Cabernet Franc opens with a very attractive and enticing aroma full of dark berry fruit intermixed wonderfully with touches of spice, licorice, vanilla, cola, chocolate, various dried herbs and more. It’s a fantastic start.
Taking a sip reveals a smooth, rich, juicy, deep and delicious wine. It features similar flavors to the nose when tasting, wrapped up with grippy tannins. The whole thing gets even better as it has some time to breathe.
It ends dry, very long, juicy and satisfying. It was even slightly better on day 2.
Cheers,
Jon
2021 HOOK & LADDER LOS AMIGOS RANCH CABERNET FRANC
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
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Get the 2021 Hook & Ladder Los Amigos Ranch Chalk Hill Cabernet Franc 3-Pack while you can! This deal ends Friday 5/10 at noon Pacific.
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