2023 L'Autre Côte - Livermore Valley

2023 L’AUTRE CÔTE — LIVERMORE VALLEY            
This wine is our flagship Cabernet Franc-dominant wine. With the great Right Bank appellation of St. Emilion as an old world model, this blend is as fine an example of the world-class quality of Cabernet Franc from the Livermore Valley as there is.

A BLEND OF CAB FRANC, MERLOT, and Cabernet Sauvignon from the Livermore Valley and the Santa Cruz Mountains, 2023 L’Autre Côte is a stand-out result of an auspicious growing season and the way that a relatively cool and long growing season manifested itself in widely disparate fruit sources. 

Leavened by the gorgeous acidity and complex herbal notes of Cabernet Franc from Ghielmetti Vineyar, focused Cabernet Sauvignon tannin from Bates Ranch, and the opulent plushness of Merlot from Zayante Vineyard both in the Santa Cruz Mountains leads to an extremely age-worthy and elegant wine.  With the proper aging, this wine will evolve beautifully and deliciously for the next 20+ years.  

The 2023 GROWING SEASON was cooler than 2022, somewhat similar to 2021 and 2025 with the net effect of producing wines that coupled mid-palate richness with great acid-driven length. Although the vineyards are separated by 60 miles, The quality of fruit from all three vineyards was as fine as any vintage in the past 25 years.

The MIRASSOU FAMILY is the oldest family of winemakers in the US. Seven generations have been fortunate enough to have worked in the vineyards and cellars of California to produce wines that, even if in only a small way, change people’s lives.  

HARVEST DATE
October 9 – November 1

PRESS DATE
November 6 - 29

BLEND
85% Cab Franc; 10% Merlot; 5% Cabernet Sauvignon

VINEYARDS
Ghielmetti, Bates, & Zayante

FERMENTATION
1.7-ton, open top, hand punch 19-21 days

pH
3.60

TA
.61 g/l

ALC
14.0%

AGING
18 months in second-use French oak puncheons & barriques

PRODUCTION
135 Cases

RETAIL PRICE
$125

RELEASE DATE
March 5, 2026