Robert Foley Vineyards Claret

The 2018 Claret is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 8% Petit Verdot, sourced from Howell Mountain, Mount Veeder, Atlas Peak, and Calistoga. It combines the structure and spiciness of the mountain sites with the lush, rich fruit of the lower elevations. Blending is focused on texture, with Merlot adding mid-palate flesh and bright currant flavours. The nose is expressive and layered, showing pure cassis, violets, tobacco, and white pepper, leading into a full-bodied palate of intensity and drive. Silky yet powerful, it builds with salted dark cocoa and a long, wet-slate minerality framed by saline acidity and tension. For all its rich fruit and dark, powerful complexity, this is a gorgeously layered and structured red wine with remarkable energy and depth. Fermented in stainless steel and aged for 22 months in one-third new French oak.