24 Jun Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Armay Vineyard 2025 Cabernet Franc Blanc

A perfect summer activity in Los Angeles is attending a concert at the Hollywood Bowl. This past weekend, I went to the opening-night concert, an evening of Broadway favorites with performances by Brian Stokes Mitchell, Lea Salonga, Halle Bailey, Darren Criss, Renée Elise Goldsberry, and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, followed by fireworks. My friend and I picked up a few snacks, and I was in charge of the wine. Knowing we would be enjoying the warm evening air, I chose a white wine and a bottle with a screw cap for easy opening and closing. Inside the bottle was the delicious 2025 Cabernet Franc Blanc from Armay Vineyards, the Please The Palate wine of the week.

About Armay Vineyards

Armay Vineyards is the passion project of founder Shawn Teeter, who owns a Consumer Packaged Goods company. Shawn began making small amounts of wine in 2013, sourcing fruit from Livermore and Lodi, but took a break from making wine during Covid. At the end of 2024, Shawn and his wife purchased a five-acre vineyard in the Fair Play AVA of El Dorado County in the Sierra Foothills, planted in 2009. Today, they farm one acre each of Barbera, Grenache, Malbec, Petit Sirah, and Cabernet Franc.

Their 2024 Cabernet Franc marked the first commercial vintage from Armay Vineyards, and in 2025 Shawn took a different approach with the grape, producing a Cabernet Franc Blanc, a white wine made from red Cabernet Franc grapes. And in 2026, Shawn will add a Barbera to his lineup.

Tasting Notes

The Armay Vineyards 2025 Cab Franc Blanc is a white wine made entirely from Cabernet Franc. By pressing the fruit gently and minimizing skin contact, the juice remains clear and is vinified as a white wine. I find that wines made from red grapes in this style often have a beautiful texture with added complexity, which is one of the reasons I enjoy them so much. The 2025 Cab Franc Blanc offers crisp acidity and a lovely texture, making it both refreshing and satisfying. Fresh and vibrant, the wine balances brightness with enough body to stand up to food while remaining easy to enjoy on a warm summer evening.

Food Pairing

Our Hollywood Bowl picnic included cheeses, hummus, orzo salad, and tuna salad, and the Cab Franc Blanc handled everything beautifully. Its acidity complemented the richness of the cheese and tuna, while its texture worked seamlessly with the creamy hummus and orzo salad.

Where To Purchase

The Armay Vineyard 2025 Cabernet Franc Blanc retails for $32 and can be purchased directly from the winery. As a small winery, the best way to find this wine or the Cabernet Franc, is to email Shawn directly at info@armayvineyard.com.