There are few places more enchanting and soothing for the soul than beneath the old growth redwoods of Muir Woods. These breathtaking pillars of time, with their roots bathing in the Redwood Creek and their crowns reaching towards the alternating fog and sun, demand that you slow down for just a moment and simply take it all in - much like the first sip of a beautiful bottle of wine. It’s a rustic sort of comfort - a blanket of leaves to cushion your feet, the coolness of autumn air to keep you refreshed, and the perfume of nature in all its wild splendor.

This classic Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley is arguably the best representation of this grape and region you can find, and you’ll love the way it mirrors the rustic beauty of our wooded treasure across the Golden Gate bridge. With savory, earthy flavors, like black olive and roasted red pepper, balanced by dark cherry and a bright herbaceous quality that keeps you coming back for more, it’s the perfect wine for a picnic in the woods or a cozy evening by the fireplace with a comforting meal.

Pairs perfectly with:
~ Herb marinated lamb chops
~ Creamy polenta with mushrooms
~ Braised chicken legs with wild mushrooms
~ Osso buco with citrus gremolata

Domaine Raffault is unquestionably the reference point for top-quality wine from the Chinon appellation in France. With a reputation for consistency and quality, it’s no surprise that you’re sure to see bottles of Raffault at the finest Michelin restaurants all over the world. But we don’t need to dwell on reputations - stellar as they may be - when we can focus on the incredible story behind this domain instead.

Pierre Raffault pours a glass of wine for Olga in 1932 inside their wine cave.

Family operated for four generations, the property was initially run by Olga and her husband Pierre Raffault. But tragedy struck in 1947 and Pierre died unexpectedly just before harvest - leaving Olga with two young children scrambling to manage harvest and keep the business afloat. As the story goes, she found comfort and aid in an atypical employee - a German prisoner named Ernest Zenninger that had found refuge and work with the Raffault’s after the war.

          Harvest in 1951.

According to the family, the “courageous and generous German did not understand this war and soon found meaning through the deep friendship that he wove with his ‘Protectors,’ the family Raffault with whom he discovered a new vocation: to devote his life to Olga and her two children, a promise he had made at the last moments of Pierre Raffault.”

Olga and Ernest made it through that first harvest together and for decades afterward Ernest served as the winemaker for the property, working closely alongside Olga’s son, Jean. It was only about ten years ago that Jean’s daughter and husband, Sylvie and Pierre, became the new winemakers and began the latest chapter in the story of this beloved domain.

< Previous Wine       Next Wine >