Frank Family Zin & Cab - Delightfully Drinkable 2016s

90
Frank Family Vineyards 2016 Zinfandel Napa Valley 14.8% $38
Boisterous and youthful, this über everything save heavy. It's the kind of Zinfandel that makes me wish more of us drank more Zin more often. It's tasty and pleasure-giving. Not lacking in color or fruit intensity, this blackberry and cassis scented wine is a beacon of youthful vitality. Of course, it isfull-bodied, but it is neither ponderous nor clumsy, even at 14.8% abv. The palate delivers an enticingly diverse array of flavors, from Mission fig skin to menthol and spicy black licorice. The smartly integrated refreshment highlights this wine's supremely clean fruit tones.
Drink: 2019-22

92 
Frank Family Vineyards 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 14.5% $58
This ticks every box. It's a bewitchingly ripe and super pure, well-proportioned Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. It's a scintillating one to taste, between its larger-than-life flavor and structural verve. Vibrant, toothsome black fruits taste like they've been super-charged by the sinewy tannins and bustling acidity. Black plums and black currants are highlighted by the stylish, integrated mocha nuances of new (33%) and once- and twice-used French oak as the wine gently fades into a lingering finish.
Drink: 2019-24