Stratus is known for their assemblage method of winemaker. What that means is they assemble the wines from different components to make the best wines possible – the French have been doing it for years, not just in Bordeaux but also in the south of France in the Rhone Valley. Bordeaux does it for simple survival reasons. A blend is better than producing a single varietal because if one of your single varietals is weak the others can help prop it up, and the finished product makes for a more complete wine. Bordeaux limits itself to 5 varietals, the Rhone can use more than a dozen grapes in a blend, Status puts themselves somewhere in the middle. Not limiting themselves to five, Stratus uses a number of grapes and their philosophy is to blend to make the best wine possible. But JL Groux, winemaker, can also pull certain wines from the blend to make a single varietal wine when he deems the wine is deserving of its own bottling. 2007 was one of those years, and this Cabernet Franc is one of those wines. The nose is smoky, black currant and blackberry oriented with a bit of old leather and harsh spice. However, where the smells attack the senses, the palate does the exact opposite, it caresses them. Lovely, sweet red fruit coats the tongue with plump cherries and red plums all wrapped in silky tannins and just the right amount of mouthwatering acidity that delights the palate and makes you take sip after sip trying to squeeze every last drop out of the glass. Price: $38.00 – Rating: *****