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Spangler Vineyards 2015 Cabenet Franc
A little bit of France in the Umpqua.
Pat Spangler was living in suburban Chicago when he discovered some wine grapes growing in the back yard. After a magical trip to Napa, he decided to try his hand at making grapes – but those backyard grapes weren’t going to do it. He tried shipping frozen grapes from California, and that worked for basement wine, but before long, Pat was on the road, moving to California and working at some of the best regional wineries.
Restless, Pat discovered Roseburg – a perfect place for him, and his wife, to raise their daughter and grow some grapes. And not just any grapes. The Bordeaux varietals that he loves to work with grow perfectly in Roseburg. It’s warm, but not too warm, and all those microclimates in the Hundred Valleys of the Umpqua make it possible to find the perfect spot for each of the Bordeaux grapes.
Roseburg has the perfect climate to grow the grapes for this traditional blend; warm but not too warm with many different microclimates.
And Pat Spangler takes advantage of each of those microclimates to grow each of the grapes exactly where they’ll be at their best.
Cellar 503 Tasting Notes
Spangler Vineyards, Roseburg, Oregon
2015 Cabenet Franc
It’s very unusual to find Cabernet Franc all by itself. More often, it’s the third player in a Bordeaux blend, providing earthiness and spice to Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
But Spangler’s 2015 edition is a stunner by itself. Earning a platinum rating from Oregon Wine Press (and a 2018 winery of the year award), this wine is extraordinary.
On the nose, you’ll pick up black cherry and vanilla notes. As you take your first sip, the deep fruit will stand out – black plums and blackberries. Then, you’ll note hints of cherry, sarsaparilla, and clove spices. (Is that Dr. Pepper? Maybe...)
How did Pat Spangler make such a stunning wine from that’s usually a supporting player? As he told the Wine Press Northwest: “Who are we kidding? I know that I can be a pain in the ass, and I have a reputation for being a demanding prick in the vineyard. And they are right. But there is no mystery to this. You can't make really good wine unless you have really good grapes.” ‘Nuff said.
A Cellar 503 selection in August 2019, Umpqua Valley AVA Southern Oregon | Cabernet Franc
