The Debate 'Stagecoach' Cabernet Franc 2018 - 750ml

95pts Jeb Dunnuck

From a larger site on Pritchard Hill, the 2018 Cabernet Franc Stagecoach sports a deep purple hue as well as sumptuous notes of red and black currants, smoked tobacco, spice box, and loamy earth. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, this spicy, complex, up-front, and beautifully textured Cabernet Franc is going to evolve for 15-20 years if stored correctly. It's another impressive Cabernet Franc from Napa Valley.

94pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Opaque garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Cabernet Franc Stagecoach Vineyard is a little closed to begin, soon unfurling to reveal fragrant notes of red currant jelly, Morello cherries, mulberries and forest floor with nuances of cedar, pencil lead, lavender and wild thyme. Medium-bodied, the palate has a wonderful intensity of red fruit dominant flavors and loads of savory accents, supported by firm, grainy tannins and a lively backbone, finishing long and earthy.

93pts James Suckling

Aromas of blackberry, walnut, dark tobacco and mahogany follow through to a full body with firm, chewy tannins that are polished and fine. Pretty finish. Drinkable now, but better in a year or two.

Tasting Notes

The color is a deep, dark slate with candy red and garnet on the rim. A voluptuous nose of cinnamon and chili flakes, which evolves into roasted strawberries and basil.  A rich and silky entry with a structured and savory mid-palate. Flavors ever evolving from caramelized strawberries and smoked blackberries to French thyme and sun-ripened tomato.

About the Wine

If Stagecoach were a performer, it would walk onstage like Lady Gaga: fearless, unapologetic, and willing to reinvent the rules. Carved into volcanic rock high above the valley floor, it isn’t the easy road; it’s the one someone chose because greatness is rarely found where the path is smooth. If Stagecoach were a city, it would be Mexico City, vast, high-altitude, gritty, alive with determination and impossible to ignore. A place where culture and history are built on stone, sweat, and altitude, and the result is extraordinary.

Winery Notes

The Debate is a premium Napa Valley wine project created by third-generation vintner Jean Hoefliger in collaboration with the Beckstoffer family, designed to showcase how vineyard site influences Cabernet Sauvignon. Each vintage is produced from three iconic single vineyards—Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville, Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard in St. Helena, and Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard in Oakville—with identical farming, harvest timing, and winemaking methods. By controlling every variable except terroir, the wines create a “debate” about which vineyard expresses the most compelling character. The resulting Cabernet Sauvignons are powerful yet polished, typically showing dense dark fruit, structure, and layered complexity while clearly reflecting the distinctive personality of each site. Produced in limited quantities, The Debate wines are aimed at collectors and enthusiasts interested in exploring the nuances of Napa Valley’s most historic vineyard terroirs.