After decades running an Italian restaurant in San Francisco, Giuseppe Mussio returned to his homeland in Friuli and planted vines in the village of Zoppola shortly after the Second World War. Here, gravel soils and gentle Adriatic influences had inspired vignerons for centuries to plant grapes native to Bordeaux, a favorite style of wine for the Venetian aristocracy. Today, Max Mussio oversees the same vineyards where he produces simple, everyday wines with surprising depth of flavor. This Cabernet Franc is aged in stainless steel and offers pure berry aromas of blackcurrant, rosehip and raspberry jelly, lavender and earthy clay. The palate renews these notes of clay and potting soil, with back raspberries and cherries soaked through this full bodied wine with stern tannins and a distinctly peppery finish. This wine will appeal to Cabernet Franc fans and hearty Italian fans alike, perfect for the first stews of the fall, both in the broth and alongside.