As in years past, the 2019 Lithology Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Cabernet Franc is a stunner in the glass with deep saturated dark purple colors. Blackberry cobbler, vanilla, violets, and lavender aromas green your nose and start your mouth watering. It has a firm dense mouthfeel of chocolate-covered strawberries, fine cocoa, blood orange, and brown sugar notes with a faint suggestion of clove cigarette smoke. It showcases an elegant balance of acid while displaying hints of strawberries, citrus rind, fine cocoa, clove, and brown sugar. This all is supported by powdery and plush tannins and brought to conclusion with a lengthy, almost perfumed finish. A wine which you can enjoy for years to come.
97 POINTS -Jeb Dunnuck
"You don’t see many Cabernet Franc-dominated wines from this site, but the 2019 Cabernet Franc Lithology Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard is certainly impressive. Offering more herbal, chocolate, gravelly earth, and espresso aromas and flavors, it has full-bodied richness and, as expected, is a powerful, opulent expression of this noble variety. The blend is 83% Cabernet Franc and 17% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged 20 months in 80% new French oak. It will benefit from short-term bottle age and drink nicely for 20 years."
94 POINTS - Antonio Galloni
"The 2019 Cabernet Franc Lithology Dr. Crane Vineyard offers a good deal of varietal character along with the mid-weight structure that is typical of Dr. Crane. Dried herbs, licorice, spice and blood orange lend striking lift. Even so, I am not sure Franc here can fully carry a wine over the long term. We will see. Regardless, the 2019 is quite striking today."