Philosophy

I wrote the following sentence many years ago, but it still embodies what I continue to believe. As a winemaker my greatest satisfaction comes when I see a smile and hear the simple comment, "this is delicious." At first I thought it was a comment mainly reserved for Zinfandel, and in that sense Zinfandel has been a wonderful educator. It reaffirmed my notion that wine is a sensual experience, and my goal remains to provide as much pleasure as I can, whatever the wine.

Distinctive wines can only come from outstanding fruit which is limited to certain unique sites and microclimates. Grapes from these sources do not require a lot of manipulation and have the greatest potential to produce the most exciting wines on the market today. I have the good fortune to work with some of the best growers anywhere who are pleased when their grapes do not disappear in massive blends.

For my Sauvignon Blanc, I turn to Doug Hill's and Jim Fore's Stewart Vineyard in Carneros. Terrence Wilson's Rancho Chimiles and Truchard Vineyard are the sources of my Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Brandlin Vineyard on Mount Veeder and Rancho Chimiles are now the exclusive sources of my Zinfandel.

All the great wines I have ever enjoyed have several features in common--richness, complexity, harmony, and an invitation to come back for more and discover something new with each taste. I personally enjoy wines that are elusive, ones that you cannot quite put a finger on or explain completely. These thoughts guide my winemaking style. I have a great respect for tradition, and I rely largely on intuition and feelings to guide my winemaking decisions. I try to intervene as little as possible in a wine's evolution.

I made my first Franus wine in 1987, a Zinfandel. I added Cabernet Sauvignon to the line-up in 1992, and then began producing a small amount of Sauvignon Blanc in 1996.

The Winemaker

I grew up in Greenwich, Connecticut and graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with a degree in journalism. My increasing passion for wine led me to enroll in the viticulture and enology program at Cal State Fresno in 1978. I worked at Chalone, Veederhills Vineyard (Hess/William Hill) and Chateau St. Jean before going to Mount Veeder Winery in 1981 where I was winemaker until the end of 1992. At the same time I worked for Franciscan Vineyards from 1989 through 1992. At Mount Veeder I developed a great love for Zinfandel which the winery produced until 1982. It became the inspiration and the opportunity for my first wine, a Zinfandel, in 1987.

The Winery

Currently, I make my wines at the Laird Family Estate, a Napa custom crush facility that serves the wine making needs of small wineries like Peter Franus.