Robert Foley Vineyards Claret 2016
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Dunnuck
Jeb -
Parker
Robert
Product Details
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Winemaker Notes
Robert Foley’s flagship wine, Claret is their left-bank Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Ripe black cherry aromas mingle with a hint of camphor. Finely balanced extract, alcohol and natural acidity coat the palate with flavors and gentle tannin.
Blend: 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2016 Claret checks in as 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot. Like the Merlot, it too is a mix of mountain and valley floor vineyards. Loads of ripe currants, violets, graphite, and chocolate emerge from the glass, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, ripe, velvety tannins, and a great finish. This ripe, sexy 2016 can be drunk today or cellared for 15-20 years, if you’re so inclined. There are only 612 cases.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Foley's 2016 Claret is sourced from vineyards in the Calistoga, Howell Mountain and Mount Veeder AVAs, a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot, with about 30% new oak. Super ripe and concentrated, it delivers slow-moving swells of cassis and dark chocolate, being impressively full-bodied and almost fudge-like but lacking a bit of liveliness.
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Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.