2019 Hendry Cabernet Franc Blocks 9D & 26 Napa Valley 750 ml

“This literally stunned me for its value,” said our Master Sommelier Sur Lucero about this 2019 Hendry Cabernet Franc Blocks 9D & 26. “Most Cabernet Franc tastes or feels more like Cabernet Sauvignon,” he elaborated, “yet this wine’s silky dark red fruit and floral tones exuded the elegance and finesse of really well-made Cabernet Franc.” 

Cabernet Sauvignon fans might be shocked to learn that the most expensive grape variety in Napa Valley is in fact Cabernet Franc, averaging over $10,000 per ton. The grape plays a starring role in iconic Napa Valley bottlings like Dalla Valle’s Maya ($500+) and in Wine Access all-time favorites like Palazzo. Wineries like Realm and Detert fetch hundreds for their bottlings—which means Hendry’s might be the Valley’s greatest Cab Franc value. 

To walk through Hendry’s property is to walk through some of Napa’s most meticulously farmed vines. Set on 203 sprawling acres in the foothills of the Mayacamas Mountains, Hendry Ranch, beloved by longtime Napa locals, is a rural oasis in spite of being just minutes northwest of Wine Access HQ in downtown Napa. We bump into the affable third-generation vintner Mike Hendry all the time, and we always recommend his family’s ranch to first time visitors to the valley.

Vines have been planted on the Hendry site since 1859, making it one of Napa’s earliest commercial vineyards. The Hendry family has farmed it since 1939, meaning all their wines have been estate-produced for going on nine decades—an authentic snapshot of how Napa Valley planted its roots decades ago. The lessons learned in more than 70 harvests provide a level of knowledge and a connection to the land that is rare in today’s Napa.