Champoux Vineyard Cabernet Franc
⏳ Drinking Window
2019 - 2027
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted duck, grilled lamb chops, rosemary-infused roasted pork loin
✨ Technical Specifications
Hailing from one of Washington State's most legendary sites, the JM Cellars Champoux Vineyard Cabernet Franc is a profound expression of the Horse Heaven Hills AVA. Champoux Vineyard, originally planted in 1972 as Mercer Ranch, is revered for its wind-swept, silty loam soils and dramatic diurnal temperature shifts, which allow Cabernet Franc to develop intense aromatic complexity without losing its signature vibrant acidity. JM Cellars masterfully captures this terroir, crafting a wine that balances the grape's classic herbaceous notes of dried herbs and graphite with rich dark cherry and plum flavors. The old-vine heritage of Champoux lends a structured, velvety tannin profile and remarkable depth, making this a benchmark representation of Washington State's potential for world-class Cabernet Franc.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1998 by John and Peggy Bigelow, JM Cellars is a benchmark family-owned artisanal winery centered at Bramble Bump, a wooded sanctuary in Woodinville, Washington. Initially mentored by prominent Washington vintners Mike Januik and Charlie Hoppes, the Bigelows evolved from basement garagistes into leading producers of small-lot, site-expressive Pacific Northwest wines. While production operations are based in Woodinville and Maltby, estate fruit originates from Margaret's Vineyard—a certified sustainable and Salmon-Safe site perched within Walla Walla's acclaimed SeVein development. Complementing their estate plantings, JM Cellars selectively sources from venerated Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley, and Red Mountain vineyards, including Boushey, Stillwater Creek, and Quintessence. Winemaking under John and his son Tommy emphasizes precision and texture, utilizing small-batch fermentations in stainless steel, concrete eggs, and French oak barrels. Benchmark cuvées include their signature Tre Fanciulli red blend, Margaret's Vineyard Bordeaux varietals, and vineyard-designated Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay, consistently distinguished by vibrant fruit purity and structured finesse.
🍇 Grapes
Cabernet Franc