Sky Devil Reisacher Vineyard Cabernet Franc Knights Valley 2020

Sky Devil is spear-headed by two friends, Jeff Goldberg and Matt Vogt, whose lives intersect through Marine Corps Aviation. Jeff's grandfather was a Marine who served in the South Pacific during WWII. Matt is a third-generation Naval Aviator who served as an attack pilot during Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. Since WWI, Marines have proudly referred to themselves as Devil Dogs, and in time, some Marine pilots began calling themselves Sky Devils. The label proudly features an F4-U Corsair, a legendary gull-winged fighter plane of WWII and an iconic and enduring symbol of Sky Devils worldwide. Matt and Jeff have three common interests at Sky Devil Wines: a love of history and country, a desire to serve others chasing their dreams, and a passion for excellent, terroir-inspired wine.

Behind the winemaking of this epic project is Kirk Venge, a Napa native whose name has become synonymous with rich, bold, extravagant wines. Growing up in Rutherford, in the heart of the Napa Valley, some of Kirk's earliest memories are of helping his father, Nils (another Napa Valley winemaking legend), with basket-pressing Cabernet and operating the pump switch on late-night barrel racking projects. Kirk pursued a degree in viticulture and enology at the University of California in Davis. Ever since, he's made some of the most well-regarded Napa wines, including Macauley, Hunnicutt, B Cellars, Bacio Divino, and his label, Venge Family Vineyards.

Sky Devil only made one barrel of this classic varietal expression, all from Reisacher Vineyards. It aged for 21 months in 100% new French oak, with the barrels imparting flavors of toasted baking spice and black pepper. Aromas of wild raspberries, spearmint, and charred jalapeño open fully on the nose and set the stage for bolder fruit on the palate with smooth, Mexican chocolate flavors and the tang of strawberry fruit leather. Medium-bodied with fleshy tannins, this wine floored us with its rich and welcoming profile that exemplifies the best of California Cabernet Franc.