Excerpt:

Soleno sources the grapes for her cabernet franc from the small Amivida Vineyard in Santa Margarita, which she describes as close enough to the coast to have a marine influence.

“I like to make what I like to drink, and I love me a good cabernet franc,” she said.

Since Soleno only makes red wines and primarily works with Bordeaux varietals, she calls her use of cab franc “a natural choice.” The grape is one of her single-varietal bottlings, and she also utilizes it to add a feminine quality to her red blends.

Furthermore: “If cabernet sauvignon is known as the ‘king’ of grapes, then I would say cabernet franc is the ‘queen.’ The grape tends to have a beautifully soft mouth feel, not as gripping as that of cab sauv. It’s elegant, fruit driven and somewhat ethereal, carrying a beautiful gracefulness,” she said.