Selin Cellars Cab Franc and Alicante Bouschet: Let the Passion Flow

Selin Cellars Cab Franc and Alicante Bouschet

 
The Selin Cellars label is eye catching — especially at this Valentine’s time of year. A heart is immediately apparent, and then a glass inside the heart, and finally, wine in the glass. When you look more closely you’ll see the glass is made from two hands “cupping” a tear drop. When I asked owner and winemaker Peter Selin about the label, he explained that he wanted an homage to his mentor and “brother from another mother” Chris Taddei  of Taddei Family Wines and Super Sonoman.
“The heart represents the passion and love that goes into the wine and our families and the heart is open at the top and bottom to allow that love to flow in and out of the process and our lives,” says Peter. 

Peter’s been passionate about wine and making wine for 30 years, but only recently opened Selin Cellars after he moved to Sonoma Valley fully intending to retire from industry but that moment came sooner than expected when good friend Chris Taddei urged him to make what he loves and that propelled him to where he is today, purchasing fruit from family vineyards where they allow him to give 100% input from bud break to harvest: “I see this as key as wine starts in the vineyard and I love being involved with the entire process of the fruit,” says Peter. “The vineyards I work with are very conscious of the environment they are in and take land management and the environment seriously, so any non organic additives are kept at a minimum and dry farming used as much as feasible.”

Selin Cellars Cab Franc and Alicante Bouschet

Selin Cellars Wines

  • 2020 Selin Cellars Fountaingrove Cabernet Franc, Fountaingrove District, Sonoma
  • 2021 Selin Cellars Alicante Bouschet, Puccioni Ranch, Dry Creek, Sonoma

Menu

2020 Selin Cellars Cabernet Franc, Fountaingrove District, Sonoma

2020 Selin Cellars Cabernet Franc, Fountaingrove District, Sonoma 

ABV: 14.9%
SRP: $65
Grapes: Cabernet Franc
sample for my review

“Cab Franc is an easy grape to mess up,” says Peter, “whether you pick too early or otherwise and I love it when the true flavor shines through.” Often cab franc is used primarily as a blending grape, and Peter says, “I like the odd varietals others just use to fix their wines.” While in 2020 Selin got fruit from Fountaingrove, he’s now getting his cab franc from Burnett which has “always sold all their cab franc to a large name that blends it with their cab sauv, so, I was the first to make it as a single.” Cody Burnett is a good friend and Peter says, “I will always work with them from here on and that started in 2022, that won SF Chronicle best of class and releases most likely in May. I will also be releasing the 2023 rose from the same vineyard.” Looking forward to checking these out!

Appearance:  Dark and dense, maroon, ruby rim

Aroma: Cherry, menthol, cocoa nibs, mossy greenness, 

Palate: Bright tart cherry, green tea, jasmine tea, oxalis, bright acidity, rhubarb, clay, nice minerality,  very satisfying, easy to enjoy without dominating the conversation over complexity.

Pairing: Very nice with our creamy cheese, the dry tart wine becomes engulfed in rich ripe fruit, the wine responds perfectly to the spices in the salami, the is very clean and fresh with the Mac and cheese which is a great palate cleanser for this ultra rich meal It also loved the crispy edges on the Mac and cheese, . Great with the meatloaf, amazing with the richness and the fruitiness of the sauce on the meatloaf, it was surprising that it all went so well. 

2021 Selin Cellars Alicante Bouschet, Puccioni Ranch, Dry Creek, Sonoma

2021 Selin Cellars Alicante Bouschet, Puccioni Ranch, Dry Creek, Sonoma

ABV: 12.2%
SRP: $65
Grapes: Alicante Bouschet
sample for my review

Alicante Bouschet is a grape that’s super rare everywhere in the world except Portugal, so I asked him what made him passionate about it:  “I love the earthy rustic nature, especially from the Dry Creek vineyard I source it from. I think any varietal can be made as a single, if you focus on its strengths and modify your process to make that fruit shine,” says Peter.

Appearance:  Dark and dense, maroon, garnet rim

Aroma: Red currant, potpourri, dried cherries, flashy and fun, herbs de Provence, dried pine, a bit of cinnamon

Palate: Tart sour cherry, very dry, lots of acidity and tannins, minty finish, fresh, clean and bright, European in style. 

Pairing: The wine brings out all of the incredible qualities in the salami, so good with the creamy cheese being an unexpected wow moment for us, tart bright fruit meets creamy funky cheese, the cheese tames the tart acidity and brings out the cherry fruit, the wine loves the herbs texture and intensity of this Mac and Cheese. This wine loves this meatloaf, the intense bold flavors from the dish are enhanced by the wine, the intense flavors in the meatloaf enhance the florals in the wine. 

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, check out this special!

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