Winemaker Notes
Aromas of black currant, cherry, dark plum and violets are balanced by notes of sage, fennel, olives, black tea and tobacco—all layered over soft, fine-grained tannins. Rich, round and robust, this wine showcases ripe, concentrated flavors of strawberry jam, molasses and anise notes complemented by chocolate. Cherry tobacco notes with a hint of vanilla
on the balanced finish.
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
Red fruit is unleashed in a bath of violets and the perfume stays through the palate. High-toned acidity shows a youthfulness – but in a bold, mineral-driven expression. Graphite and leather waltz in mid-palate. Elegance reigns…and over-delivers in this red.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2016 Folie à Deux Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon brings loads of ripe fruit to the fore. TASTING NOTES: This wine offers bold black fruit, licorice, and earth in its aromas and flavors. Pair it with a robust and savory beef stew. (Tasted: November 10, 2020, San Francisco, CA)
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Jeb Dunnuck
The star of the lineup is the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon and it’s another well made, charming wine from this label that has plenty to recommend. Impressive notes of cassis, lead pencil, and graphite all give way to a medium to full-bodied Cabernet that has ripe tannin, some smoky oak, and a good finish. Aged 22 months in French, American, and Hungarian oak, drink it over the coming 4-5 years.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
Nearly a northern extension of Napa Valley, Alexander Valley starts just north of the small, Knights Valley, and is just a few minutes drive from the Napa town of Calistoga. It is Sonoma County’s hottest AVA. But the Russian River, which runs through the valley, creates cooler pockets and its soft, alluvial soil is ideal for grape growing, especially Cabernet Sauvignon. In fact, some believe that Alexander Valley Cabernets truly rival the best from Napa Valley and many of the heavy-hitter producers have largely invested here.
In addition to Cabernet Sauvignon, which makes up over 50% of plantings, Merlot and old vine Zinfandel thrive here. Ample, fleshy Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc dominate white wine production. Some old-vine plantings of Grenache have also been discovered and more recent experiments with Sangiovese and Barbera show great promise.