Justice series spotlight
Rhett Gadke, wine director for Bounty Hunter, on camera tasting the Justice series, the single-vineyard Napa family that includes this Frontier Justice Cabernet Franc.
The market on this bottle
Wine-Searcher tracks this 2018 Frontier Justice Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard Cabernet Franc, Napa Valley across the open market. Their published U.S. low is $140.33 and the average is $223.73. Our slash is $140.00.
2018 Frontier Justice Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard Cabernet Franc, Napa Valley
Melka's Frontier Justice Cabernet Franc from Beckstoffer Dr. Crane, 96 Jeb Dunnuck, a 200-case 2018 at one hundred forty dollars.
The 2018 Frontier Justice is 77 percent Cabernet Franc, 22 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, and 1 percent Petit Verdot from Beckstoffer Dr. Crane, 20 months in 75 percent new French oak, 200 cases. Chocolate, baking spice, floral blue fruit, now $140.
Cabernet Franc, from a Cabernet address
Dr. Crane is famous for Cabernet Sauvignon. Frontier Justice is the Franc member of the Justice family, 200 cases, 77 percent Cabernet Franc. Jeb Dunnuck 96 for chocolate, baking spice, floral blue fruit, balance, and fine tannins. Virginie Boone 95: cedar, dried herb, black olive, cocoa, crushed rock, dark chocolate. This is the proof that Dr. Crane Franc deserves the same collector attention as the Cabernet.
The house
Justice is New Frontier's single-vineyard Napa line, with Philippe Melka, Maayan Koschitzky, and Matt Sands on the 2018s.
The wine
Harvested October 6 to 14, stainless ferment, 20 months French oak, bottled June 2020, 200 cases, 15.9% ABV.
The scores
Jeb Dunnuck 96. Wine Enthusiast 95. Earthy Franc from a site better known for Cabernet Sauvignon.
The drinker
Decant 60 to 90 minutes. Serve 60 to 65 F. Short ribs or tomahawk.
Blue fruit, tarragon, then cocoa
The house note is freshly picked tarragon and blueberries, then sweet tannin. Dunnuck found chocolate, baking spices, and flowery blue fruit, already drinking, built for 15 to 20 years.
Abundant winter rain, a mild season, cooler marine air, few heat spikes. Extended fall sunshine. Ripe fruit, freshness, and fine tannins, a vintage that suits this Franc's floral and savory split.
Blueberry, tarragon, chocolate, baking spice, cedar, dried herb, black olive, cocoa.
Full, beautifully balanced, 15.9% ABV, 77% Cabernet Franc, 20 months in 75% new French oak.
Crushed rock, dark chocolate, bold tannin. Decant 60 to 90 minutes. Serve 60 to 65 F.
Franc precision, Napa scale
The producer sheet records 77 percent Cabernet Franc, 22 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, and 1 percent Petit Verdot, harvested October 6 to 14, fermented in stainless steel, then 20 months in French oak, 75 percent new. Philippe Melka, Maayan Koschitzky, and Matt Sands bottled it in June 2020. Two hundred cases. Dr. Crane sits at the base of St. Helena's western hills. Alluvial soils, crushed volcanic rock, and full Napa sun give muscularity and mineral definition. The Franc keeps the wine aromatic.
Dunnuck's 83 percent new-oak figure on a related tasting is the same luxurious program. Boone's hearty frame of supple red fruit, crushed rock, and dark chocolate is the site talking through Franc.
Air is for violet, tarragon, and blue fruit. The tannins are already fine. They do not need rescue.
A St. Helena landmark, a rarer grape
Dr. George Belden Crane planted this ground in 1858. Frontier Justice is Cabernet Franc from that address.
Beckstoffer acquired Dr. Crane in 1997 and replanted the gravelly loam in 1998 to Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc. In the 1920s St. Helena's Chinatown stood on the site.
Justice began in 2003 as high-end, single-vineyard Napa Cabernet. Frontier Justice is the Franc member of that family, built to show why the variety deserves collector attention.
New Frontier ties Alejandro Bulgheroni's vineyard investments to Melka, Koschitzky, Sands, and Beckstoffer sites. This 2018 is that access in a 200-case bottle.
Browned beef, rosemary, a slow sauce
Cabernet Franc's savory herbs and mineral edge like fire, fat, and a long dinner.
Two plates. One short rib on polenta. One tomahawk with butter. Both can take Dr. Crane Franc.
Serve 60 to 65 F. Decant 60 to 90 minutes. A large glass gives violet, tarragon, and blue fruit room.
Red-wine braised short ribs with creamy polenta
Slow braising echoes dark fruit, cocoa, and tobacco. Polenta softens the grip.
Why it works: Collagen meets full body. Rosemary and tarragon-like savoriness keep the pairing lifted.
View Recipe for braised short ribs with polenta (opens in a new tab)
Tomahawk with garlic-rosemary butter
Char, fat, butter. A steakhouse plate for 15.9 percent St. Helena Franc.
Why it works: Marbling softens tannin. Rosemary meets the wine's herbal core.
View Recipe for tomahawk steak (opens in a new tab)Put Dr. Crane Franc in the cart
Two hundred cases. Jeb Dunnuck 96. Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Cabernet Franc. One hundred forty dollars.
Put it in the cart. Decant it. Pour it with beef that can take the herbs.
