When Brett and Denise Isenhower moved to Walla Walla to make a winery in 1998, they came for the innovative and adventurous spirit in the local wine community, for the wide open skyline reminiscent of their youth in Indiana, and the chance to grow together with a relatively new wine region. Now almost 30 years on, Isenhower Cellars remains one of the gems of the valley. Brett and Denise never went chasing scores, never hired a flashy enologist or an even flashier winery architect. They just made good wine, vintage after vintage. They buy grapes by the acre rather than the ton, an important distinction that encourages their farmers to produce the highest quality grapes rather than hitting an artificial yield mark. They work with limited inputs to make balanced wines that change from vintage to vintage and show off the character of the grapes. For their Cabernet Franc, that means an earth-forward nose with clay and pepper, violets, blueberries and baker’s chocolate. The palate is medium bodied and powerfully fresh, with ripe blackberry pudding and black cherry wrapped around tight grained tannins, with finishing notes of earth, vanilla and chocolate. This one is ready for ribeye, burgers, or potatoes.