🎬 From Disney Legend to Napa’s Top 10 Best Value: Frank Family
Ships Nationwide
|
|
|
|
WHY FRANK FAMILY MATTERS It Started with Dinner at Tra Vigne. It Became One of Napa's Most Celebrated Stories.In the early 1990s, Rich Frank — then President of Disney Studios — was eating dinner at Tra Vigne in St. Helena when he asked his server to identify a Chardonnay he couldn't stop thinking about. It was Rombauer. His server suggested he go meet Koerner Rombauer directly. Rich showed up unannounced at Koerner's home the next day, found him watching a ballgame, and the two spent three hours talking about wine. A friendship was born. Then a partnership. In 1992, Frank and Rombauer partnered to purchase Kornell Champagne Cellars on Larkmead Lane — a historic 1884 stone winery in Calistoga. Their first Cabernet went to market under the label "Frank-Rombauer Larkmead Cellars." The name had to change — too much confusion with the already-famous Rombauer brand. So they renamed it. Then in 2000, a catastrophic electrical fire burned through the property for three days, destroying 84,000 cases of wine. Koerner and Rich parted as business partners. Rich rebuilt. And Frank Family Vineyards was born. What emerged from that fire is the winery you see today — and the three wines now at Artisan, all scoring 90–93 points, all at prices not seen in Napa Valley in decades.
|
SIX REASONS TO ACT NOW Three Wines. Three Categories. All the Right Reasons.
|
THE INSIDER VERDICT The Chardonnay Is One of the Best Values in California White Wine. The Cab Has 21 Bottles Left. The Zinfandel Is 93 Points for $34.99.Frank Family has been delivering at every occasion for decades — under winemaker Todd Graff, who has just completed his 17th vintage with the estate. These are not experimental wines. They are not winery darlings that overdeliver in one year and disappoint the next. They are consistent, carefully crafted, food-friendly Napa wines that score 90+ points across the board and stay within reach of anyone who wants to drink well at prices not seen in Napa Valley for decades. Buy a case of the Chardonnay for everyday elegance. Grab the last bottles of the 2019 Cab before they're gone. Add a few of the Zinfandel for the nights when you want something a little different. This is how a serious cellar gets built — one great value at a time.
|
|
THE PRODUCER — BUILT FROM THE ASHES OF A PARTNERSHIP Rich Frank Met Koerner Rombauer at Dinner. Their Partnership Became a Winery. That Winery Burned Down. What Emerged Is Frank Family.In the late 1980s, Rich Frank was President of Disney Studios — overseeing Aladdin, The Lion King, Pretty Woman, and Cheers — when he fell in love with Napa Valley on weekend escapes from Hollywood. In 1990 he purchased a home in Rutherford that would become Winston Hill Vineyard, one of Frank Family's most prized estate parcels. Word spread that his hillside vines were exceptional. Winery inquiries followed. Rich started to wonder if he was sitting on something special. Then came the dinner. At Tra Vigne in St. Helena, a glass of Chardonnay stopped him mid-conversation. His server told him it was Rombauer. The next day, Rich drove to Koerner Rombauer's house unannounced, found him watching a ballgame, and spent three hours talking wine. Their friendship became a business: in 1992, the two men partnered to buy Kornell Champagne Cellars on Larkmead Lane — a historic 1884 stone winery in Calistoga. Their first Cabernet went out under the label "Frank-Rombauer Larkmead Cellars." The name caused confusion with Koerner's already-famous Rombauer Winery. It changed. Then in 2000, a catastrophic electrical fire tore through the property and burned for three days, destroying 84,000 cases of wine. Koerner and Rich decided to part ways as business partners — but remained the best of friends. Rich rebuilt the damaged portions of the winery, the 1884 stone building still intact. And that is when Frank Family Vineyards was born. Winemaker Todd Graff has been with Frank Family since shortly after — now 17+ vintages in, named Napa Winemaker of the Year by the North Bay Business Journal in 2020 and recognized with Winery of the Year honors by the Connoisseur's Guide in both 2012 and 2017. The Chardonnay, the Cabernet, and the Zinfandel now at Artisan are what two decades of that dedication look like in a bottle.
|
|
WINE ONE OF THREE 2024 Carneros ChardonnayFrank Family Vineyards · Carneros, California · JS 92 · WS #10 Best Value 2024 The 2024 vintage in Carneros is being called a return to classic Napa style — a rare intersection of high natural acidity and deep flavor concentration that critics and winemakers are describing with words like "precision," "purity," and "electric." Record winter rains replenished the water tables, giving the vines a moisture bank to survive the summer heat without stress. Then, because Carneros sits in the direct path of San Pablo Bay fog, the Chardonnay grapes were shielded during 2024's summer heatwaves — retaining the bright, electric acidity that balances the vintage's rich fruit. The harvest was fast and focused, primarily in September, before the grapes could lose their zip. Todd Graff blends as many as 20 different Carneros sites — including fruit from the Sangiacomo family (the same generational growers Rombauer itself uses) — barrel-fermenting roughly a third in new French oak with extended sur lie aging for the signature creamy Frank Family texture. 14.4% alcohol. 3.50 pH — an excellent balance of weight and freshness that the vintage made possible. Wine Spectator ranked it among the Top 10 Best Values of 2024.
|
|
WINE TWO OF THREE 2019 Napa Valley Cabernet SauvignonFrank Family Vineyards · Napa Valley, California · JS 93 · VM 92 · WA 91 · JD 90 Four critics. Four separate endorsements of the same wine. James Suckling at 93 calls it "fresh and clean" with "varietal" character and real authenticity. Antonio Galloni at Vinous gives it 92, calling it "bold, juicy" with "black cherry, mocha, new leather, licorice and bittersweet chocolate." Wine Advocate at 91. Jeb Dunnuck at 90, calling it "a classic, old-school-like expression" with "plenty of fruit, silky tannins, and lots of character." This is a 2019 Napa Cabernet with a decade-plus of runway — and 21 bottles left at Artisan.
|
|
WINE THREE OF THREE 2023 Napa Valley ZinfandelFrank Family Vineyards · Napa Valley, California · JS 93 Napa Zinfandel at its most refined. James Suckling gives the 2023 a 93 and calls it "fresh, vibrant and spicy" with "polished tannins and a lovely fruit-driven finish supported by underlying floral notes." It's a 90% Zinfandel, 10% Petit Sirah blend — built for structure without sacrificing the generosity that makes great Zin irresistible. At $34.99, it's the best argument for adding Napa Zinfandel to a cellar that usually only stocks Cabernet.
|
PERFECT PAIRINGS Three Wines. Three Occasions. From the freshest white table to the most serious red dinner — Frank Family has all three covered.
|
⚠ 21 BOTTLES LEFT ON THE 2019 CAB — ALL LOWEST PRICES IN THE U.S.
|
TWO QUESTIONS SERIOUS COLLECTORS ASK Q: Is the Frank Family connection to Rombauer just a story, or does it show up in the wines? It shows up in the approach. Koerner Rombauer's philosophy was about generosity, opulence, and accessibility — wines that reward you immediately but don't sacrifice structure. Frank Family refined the style further with their Chardonnay, which blends multiple Carneros sites (including the Sangiacomo family, growers Rombauer itself uses) and barrel-ferments with precision and restraint.Todd Graff has carried that forward through 17 vintages. The result is one of the most consistent programs in Napa at any price point. Q: Why buy the 2019 Cabernet now rather than waiting for a newer vintage? Because 2019 Napa Valley Cabernet is broadly considered one of the finest vintages of the decade — and because these 21 bottles are the last of what was a critically acclaimed release. Vinous says drink it through 2034. Jeb Dunnuck says it's worth following for 10–12 more years. It's drinking beautifully right now and has years of runway. At $54.97/bottle on a case — the lowest price in the U.S. — it's an exceptional buy that won't be available much longer.
|
FRANK FAMILY VINEYARDS · THREE WINES A Chardonnay. A Cabernet. A Zinfandel.
|
| ● ONLY 21 BOTTLES REMAINING ON THE 2019 CABERNET |
| PURCHASE NOW AT ARTISAN.WINE |
Cheers,
— James Tran
Artisan Wine & Spirits · sales@artisan.wine · Text 650-880-3553 · Call 650-917-8080
ARTISAN WINE · ARTISAN.WINE
2495 Old Middlefield Way · Mountain View, CA 94043
Leave a comment