Winemaker Notes
Effusive ripe black cherry aromas with a hint of vanilla and violets. The palate floods with rich ripe berry flavors, a full mid-palate and super soft tannins. The finish goes on and on.
Blend: 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
-
Jeb Dunnuck
The 2017 Claret checks in as 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot that was sourced from a handful of sites (mountain and valley floor) and spent 20 months in 30% new French oak. Medium to full-bodied, flawlessly balanced, and with an upfront, charming style, it gives up impressive notes of darker currants, tobacco leaf, dried herbs, and chocolate. This was a difficult vintage for the valley, but Foley has turned out a bevy of terrific wines, and the tannin quality in all of these is impressive.
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.