FranUsWine.com
Title
PETER FRANUS
Description
I wrote the following sentence many years ago, but it still embodies what I continue to believe. As a winemaker my greatest satisfaction comes when I see a smile and hear the simple comment, "this is delicious." At first I thought it was a comment mainly reserved for Zinfandel, and in that sense Zinfandel has been a wonderful educator. It reaffirmed my notion that wine is a sensual experience, and my goal remains to provide as much pleasure as I can, whatever the wine.
Distinctive wines can only come from outstanding fruit which is limited to certain unique sites and microclimates. Grapes from these sources do not require a lot of manipulation and have the greatest potential to produce the most exciting wines on the market today. I have the good fortune to work with some of the best growers anywhere who are pleased when their grapes do not disappear in massive blends.
For my Sauvignon Blanc, I turn to Doug Hill’s and Jim Fore’s Stewart Vineyard in Carneros. Terrence Wilson’s Rancho Chimiles, and Hyde Vineyards are the sources of my Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Brandlin Vineyard on Mount Veeder and Rancho Chimiles are now the exclusive sources of my Zinfandel.
