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2005 Robert Foley Claret
2005 Robert Foley Claret
40 miles due north of San Pablo Bay in Napa County lies the sleepy town of Angwin, California. A short jaunt up the meandering stretch of Summit Lake Drive, nestled inside gently-treed clearings, stands Robert Foley’s Howell Mountain wine facility. After decades of crafting for others the highly acclaimed Switchback Ridge, Hourglass, Paloma, School House, and Engel Family wines, Foley sets off on his own with his first crush facility and cave. “Here I can make the best wines possible,” Foley stresses. “That’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.”
Foley’s chosen terroir features mountainous, well-drained soils draped over high elevations, a combination proven to concentrate aromas, flavors, color, and density. Foley’s goal is to create the most expressive wines conceivable using traditional techniques and hands-on care. “As one might expect from Robert Foley,” Robert Parker avers, “these are all massive wines, opaque purple in color, and filled with personality and concentration.”
2005 Robert Foley Claret $124.99
“Saturated bright ruby color. Liqueur-like aromas of black cherry, raspberry and mocha; high-toned in a positive way. A sweet, powerful fruit bomb on the palate, with perfectly integrated acidity giving shape and grip to the dark berry and cherry flavors. Firm underlying minerality contributes to the wine’s very fresh impression. Finishes with terrific aromatic persistence.” 93 points, Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar, May/Jun 08
“A gorgeous nose of creme de cassis, spring flowers, and sweet black cherries emerges from the full-bodied, opulent 2005 Claret. Revealing more concentration, sweeter tannins, and more nuances and complexity than the 2006, this elegant beauty can be enjoyed over the next 10-15 years.
Now that the highly talented Robert Foley is no longer the full-time winemaker at Pride Mountain Vineyards, he appears to be focusing on his own label as well as consulting for other wineries.” 92 points, Wine Advocate # 180 Dec 2008
Tequila 101
“One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor.” ~ The late, great George Carlin
Do you find yourself staring blindly at the tequila aisle? “Blanco? Anejo? Hrmmmpph…”
Here’s a quick what’s what on tequila styles:
Blanco (white) is the same thing as plata (silver); it’s stored in stainless steel tanks for two months or less and then bottled, unaged. This style retains the intense earthy, peppery flavor of the agave.
Joven (young) or oro (gold) is simply unaged silver tequila that has been colored or flavored with caramel.
Reposado (rested) is aged up to eleven months in oak barrels, often purchased from distillers such as Jack Daniel’s. .
Añejo (aged) spends 1-3 years in oak.
Extra Añejo, a relatively new category, spends a minimum of 3 years in oak.
From Sammy Haggar’s Cabo Wabo to the rifle-shaped Tommy Gun, B-21 has a vast assortment of fine tequilas for your judgment impairment. Cabo Wabo, Patron, Milagro, Herradura, Don Julio, Don Eduardo, El Mayor, Tres Generations, Asombroso, Frida Kahlo, Gran Centenario, El Tesero, Tres Rios, Tezon, Tommy Guns, Oro Azul, Corralejo, and Corzo, to name a few.
Now you know why tequilas get more expensive as they go…somebody has to babysit them while they soak in the oak. The rest is a matter of personal preference. I tend to like the brash, peppery nature of a silver. My philosophy is, if you’re going to slap yourself with a shot of tequila, you may as well feel it. Others prefer the smoother nature of aged tequilas. Whatever your jam is, just enjoy yourself. And put away the training wheels; lime and salt are for sorority girls on Spring Break.
~Shawn
The ’07 Chappellet Signature Cab is Back!
2007 Chappellet Cabernet Sauvignon Signature
On November 16 – with a score of 94 – Chappellet’s 2006 Signature Cabernet garnered the # 6 spot in Wine Spectator’s coveted Top 100 of 2009. We took delivery of our first few cases of Chappellet’s new 2007 vintage a week or so prior. This might normally be something on which to keep a casual eye, but when you consider the stellar 2007 California enjoyed – a climatic juggernaut Robert Parker described as “a textbook growing season” – the 2007’s potential to eclipse the award-winning 2006 vintage is significant.
Perfect harmony on the palate, lush and velvety with soft tannins, followed by a long, smooth finish, the ‘07 Signature Cab is a full-structured wine with a huge upside for cellaring. Though quite impressive at such an early stage, it’s expected to build over the next ten years with the potential to carry past 2020.
This is a huge opportunity. Reasonably priced and as yet unscored by major reviewers, this is your chance to get a jump on a wine that will likely muscle its way into the top 5 of Wine Spectator’s 2010 Top 100. Cellar a few while supplies are ample and the price is right. Next fall, while your friends are scrambling for the remaining 2007s, just smile, pop a bottle and tell them: “I told you so.”
We recently received another shipment and have 4 or so cases on hand. Call or email me direct to secure some before it’s gone. 727-722-9108 or shawn@b-21.com
~Shawn Reynolds, B-21 California Correspondent
2005 Simi Cabernet Sauvignon Landslide (Alexander Valley, California)
“Founded in 1876 by Italian immigrants Giuseppe and Pietro Simi, the Simi Winery was one of the few in California tenacious enough to survive the suffocating grasp of Prohibition. This well-balanced Cabernet begins its life in Simi’s Landslide Vineyard, the product of a prehistoric volcanic landslide. Visually it’s a deep garnet with a rosy fringe. Rich current and plum notes comingle with cocoa and a touch of mocha. The tannins don’t overpower as it slowly drifts off. Overall this is a very smooth Cabernet that should continue to impress over the next few years.”
2005 Simi Cabernet Sauvignon Landslide Alexander Valley ($24.99)
- 91+ Points, Shawn Reynolds, Email: Shawn@b-21.com, Direct #: (727) 722-9108