It’s that time of year again….!! Graileys’ 6th Annual Bob Foley Party was a blast and what an amazing turnout it was last Friday night! Bob is a Napa legend and his personality matched his wines to the tee. Just like his wines, he was generous, relaxed, and easy going. We tasted through an awesome line-up of his current release wines; from the crisp and clean Pinot Blanc to the deep, concentrated Kelly’s Cuvee Syrah, each and every single sip was as bold and luscious as the last. Each wine was loaded with its distinctive flavors, what’s not to love about the Foley wines? Here’s the lineup of the wines we tasted. For those who couldn’t join us, be jealous.
2010 Robert Foley Vineyards Pinot Blanc: Brilliant apricot, soft peach and tangerine. This crisp, yet rich white was a great starter for the night.
2011 Robert Foley Vineyards Pinot Noir: Silky mouthfeel, ripe black cherries and a layer of smooth sweet vanilla and a touch of spice had the crowd wanting more!
2012 Robert Foley Vineyards Charbono: Always the favorite, the intense aromas greeted me with wild berry and sweet bluebell charm as I poured around the room before the event even started. As the wine opened up later on that night, the flavors were even more expressive and this mouth-coating wine was thoroughly enjoyed by all.
2011 Robert Foley Vineyards Merlot: Blockbuster Napa Merlot! Loads of black cherry and blueberry dominated the palate with inviting warm spices, with wonderfully integrated oak in the mid. With its spices, blue and black fruit, and sweet vanilla tones, this full-bodied Merlot was also reminiscent of Dr. Pepper, which I love.
2011 Robert Foley Vineyards Claret: From the top of Howell Mountain, this rich Cab blend offered more savory elements with its deep, dark fruit, layers of leather, oak, and dark chocolate integrated perfectly in this very balanced, rich, smooth wine.
2012 Robert Foley Vineyards Kelly’s Cuvee Syrah: Last but definitely not the least, this Syrah was a kickass push and pull of sweet wild berries, big spice, and rose as it was magnificently balanced and a great finish to the tasting.
There is another reason to be envious for those who could not come to Graileys at all this Friday night, as there was a Champagne Campaign being held in the boardroom with close friends. On the opposite spectrum of Foley, many great vintage Champagnes and Burgundies were opened and enjoyed. The 1999 Billecart-Salmon ‘Cuvee Nicolas-Francoise Billecart’ Brut Champagne was showing spectacularly well- crisp crabapples and lemon, white flowers with nuances of baked pastries. Toasted ginger spice, pear, and a savory nuance and smoke added a complexity to the chalky freshness of this Champagne.
Another favorite of mine was the 2008 Marcel Deiss Altenberg de Bergheim Grand Cru- co-planted with a variety of Alsatian grapes, this was an amazing glass of pure Alsace. More exotic fruits of white pineapple, guava, and honey-toned spice hit the nose as the palate was rich in viscosity, yet radiant in acidity to counterbalance the texture and exotic ripe fruit.
The 1990 Domaine Rossignol-Trapet Chambertin Grand Cru showed just as beautifully as it has in past openings. A great year in Burgundy, this wine is always appreciated when opened. Bright red cherry fruit with concentrated dried strawberry, like a home-made strawberry fruit-roll up if you will, gave this wine it’s lift while dried herbs, earth, mushrooms, and that good ole’ Burgundy funk gave this classic Grand Cru its deep complex tones.
Such a great night was had by all in the front room and the boardroom on this lively Friday night! With great wines like this opening up throughout the night, what’s not to love about Graileys Fine Wines.
Other amazing wines of the night…
2005 Godme Pere et Fils ‘Les Champs Saint Martin’ Champagne
2002 Palmes d’Or Champagne
2005 Louis Roederer ‘Cristal’ Champagne
1996 Dom Perignon Champagne
1998 Dom Ruinart Champagne
1989 Georges Noellat Nuits St. Georges Premier Cru ‘Les Boudots’
1993 Domaine Dominique Gallois Gevrey Chambertin Premier Cru ‘La Combe aux Moines’
1994 Chateau Margaux
2001 Chateau Calon-Segur
1999 Pride Mountain Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon