From Acrobat Chardonnay to Silverado Vineyards Merlot our wines are gaining top scores.
With Thanksgiving preparations underway for many homes, we wanted to draw your attention to the Foley family wines in our portfolio that are catching the attention of the world’s top critics. Any of these would make excellent additions to your holiday feast.
Scroll below to see some of the recent praise our wines have garnered, along with a buy button if available, or where to find these wines near you.
2020 Acrobat Chardonnay, Oregon
90 Points, Wine Enthusiast: #46 TOP 100 BEST BUY 2022
“This is an exciting new release from a challenging vintage. It’s sharp and crisp, packed with white peach and apple fruit backed by vivid acidity. Fresh and inviting, it’s a perfect cold weather aperitif and may well be your go-to white come spring.” – PAUL GREGUTT
2020 Chalk Hill Estate Sauvignon Blanc, Chalk Hill AVA
91 Points, Wine Spectator:
“Features honeysuckle, beeswax and marmalade notes that are rich and aromatic, with Fuji apple, peach, lemon meringue and a whiff of smoke. This has a fresh, crisp acidity that keeps the flavors youthful and juicy. Drink now. 6,992 cases made.” – MaryAnn Worobiec
“Presents pear drop, Fuji apple, ripe Bartlett pear and lemon blossom details that are elegant and restrained, but they weave in and out on a light, fresh frame that’s quite impressive. Gains a savory element, thanks to a touch of toasted sesame seed. Drink now. 98,000 cases made.”- MaryAnn Worobiec
Rich and round, opening with aromas of apricot, mango, Meyer lemon, vanilla and toasted marshmallow. The palate shows incredible depth with a full mouthfeel and layers of flavor. Peach cobbler, citrus, orange blossom, and butterscotch finish with lingering notes of toasted hazelnut.
2020 Chalone Estate Reserve Chardonnay, Chalone AVA
92 Points, Wine Enthusiast
“”A purity of lemon zest kicks off the nose to this bottling, followed by undertones of crushed chalk and tanwood. A toastier woody element on the palate backdrops the nectarine core.”– M.K.
“There’s an earthy streak to the nose of this bottling, with smoked pine needles, iodine and wild-currant aromas. The palate picks up an umami angle, offering savory nori, seared beef, more iodine and dried cherry flavors.” – Matt Kettmann
2018 Lincourt Pinot Noir, Rancho Santa Rosa, Sta. Rita Hills
90 Points, Wine Spectator:
“A fresh, savory-edged version, with copious herb and pepper accents throughout, which mix well with the core of bitter cherry and raspberry fruit. Friendly, open finish. Drink now through 2024. 5,026 cases made” – James Molesworth
2019 The Four Graces Valleyview Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley
92 Points, Wine Spectator
“Distinctive and savory, with keenly structured cherry and pomegranate flavors laced with forest floor and black tea. Finishes with medium-grained tannins. Drink now through 2030. 389 cases made.” – Tim Fish
2019 Silverado Vineyards Merlot Mt. George Vineyard, Coombsville
93 Points, Wine & Spirits
93 Points, James Suckling
“Aromas of pine, plum and redcurrant. Medium-bodied with fresh, mineral character and silky tannins. Bright and cool on the palate. Balanced and juicy. So approachable and delicious that its hard to put down. Drink now.” –JS
Ferrari-Carano and Banshee Pledge Donations to the Folded Flag Foundation.
There are many ways remember and honor the service and sacrifices of our Veterans. One of these is by assisting the loved ones of fallen military, known as Gold Star families. The Folded Flag Foundation is a non-profit organization devoted to raising educational scholarship funds for the surviving spouses and children of United States military and government personnel who died defending our country.
Too often, immediate surviving family members of fallen military find themselves struggling financially in the wake of tragedy. There’s a limit to existing governmental support that Folded Flag continually seeks to expand. Folded Flag not only helps raise money for Gold Star children to pay for K-12 and college expenses, but also for Gold Star spouses who suddenly find themselves needing to further their own education, expanding their career options to better provide for their children.
In honor of this Veterans Day, two Foley family wineries—Ferrari-Carano and Banshee—are stepping up for the cause. For the whole month of November, two dollars from every bottle of Ferrari-Carano or Banshee wine purchased will be donated to Folded Flag. This applies to all bottles of wine whether they’re sold in stores, at restaurants, or here online at the Foley Food & Wine Society website.
Purchases of these wines and others go a long way towards contributing to Folded Flag’s cause. In fact, one of the great aspects about Folded Flag is that unlike many other non-profits, all administrative costs towards operating the foundation are funded by sponsors and corporate underwriters, meaning that all donations made to Folded Flag by everyday donors like you go 100% directly towards educational costs for military family members.
The impact Folded Flag makes for the thousands of Gold Star family members in need is incalculable. If you’re moved to learn more, and to donate beyond the purchase of a Ferrari-Carano or Banshee wine, please visit their website at https://www.foldedflagfoundation.org/
Once your kid’s stash of candy is secure in the adult vault of candy rationing, it’s time to crack open the vino. Here is your guide to pairing Halloween candy with wine.
On Halloween night, after the crowds of ghosts, ghost-busters, naughty and nice fairies, Star Wars characters, zombies, skeletons, and vampires put away their ‘trick or treat’ declarations, the real fun begins.
While the kids are counting their candy bars, the adults who hold sway over those candy inventories—
are counting corks, and reminiscing over the great bottles of wine that helped keep the celebrations incredibly merry—if not a bit spooky.
And once the stash of candy has been placed securely in the adult vault of candy rationing, we all know why that stash is about half as big the next day—oh, yes, we know why.
So, while you’re keeping watch over those hard-earned candies—AHEM—keep handy this guide to pairing Halloween candy with wine. Because no one wants to be spooked by a bad pairing—especially if you have to explain that the blood stain on your favorite party dress is not vampire blood at all, but rather, you dumped wine on yourself because your six-year-old climbed out of bed and caught you rummaging through their candy stash.
Happy Halloween!
SUGAR BABIES and CANDY CORN
👉 Chardonnay 👈
While our first choice Halloween candy pairing for chardonnay would be the caramel taste of Sugar Babies, you just can’t overlook a Halloween classic like candy corn. After chocolate, candy corn is the favorite Halloween treat, according to the National Confectioners Association! A buttery Chardonnay will complement the candy’s butteriness without overpowering it, while the softer acidity typical of Chardonnay will cut through some of the sugary sweetness. Shop Chardonnay
SKITTLES and SWEETARTS
👉 Sauvignon Blanc 👈
Skittles deliver decadent, fruity pops of flavor, so match that flavor overload with the zesty, citrus-driven qualities of a Sauvignon Blanc (even those that run into tropical fruit territory). Also, most Sauvignon Blanc is high in acidity, which can sometimes produce the taste of powdered candy, like Sweetarts. So, bite into a Sweetart and wash it down with Sauv Blanc and see if you can tell the difference! Shop Sauvignon Blanc
SOUR PATCH KIDS and HOT TAMALES
👉 Rosé 👈
Sour Patch Kids are awesome—until you’ve had three, and then, like a bag of potato chips, you’re just consuming calories. So, at least liven up those calories with a lively glass of rosé, which, with its typically bright fruity, or candied-fruit profile will enhance more of the fruit flavors in the gummy worms and sour patch kids. Meanwhile, the acidity in the wine will do its best to combat the bitter, sour qualities in the Sour Patch Kids, but those kids might win the battle. No worries, keep sipping. Show them who is boss. Shop Rosés
PEANUT BUTTER CUPS
👉 Merlot 👈
Reese’s is a blend of sweet and salty perfection. You’ve got the sugar from the chocolate and the salty from the peanut butter. Peanut butter can be a little fatty too, which is why this is like the best steak and red wine pairing you’ve ever had. The secret to pairing red meat with red wine is the salt—salt enhances the richness of wine, and decreases bitterness and acidity, and astringency. So a plump Merlot when sipped after a salty-sweet bite of Reese’s is going to seem richer, fuller, and more aliiiiiiiiive! It’s aliiiiiiiiive!!!! Sorry. We had to. Shop Merlot
HERSHEY’S CHOCOLATE BAR, KISSES, and M&Ms
👉 Zinfandel 👈
There is nothing on earth like Hershey’s milk chocolate. It tastes the same today as it did 30 years ago. And the one wine that possesses a kind of timeless chocolaty-ness is Zinfandel. After a rush of ripe, jammy fruit, most Zins finish with a classic chocolate note, so, paired with anything Hershey will be like sipping down chocolate-covered berries with every sip. Bonus points if you follow each sip with a handful of M&M’s! Decadent! Shop Zinfandel
SNICKERS BAR
👉 Cabernet Sauvignon 👈
Snickers is pure satisfaction (like the commercials decree). Peanuts, caramel, nougat, and chocolate, combine to form a complex bite of candy bar. You need a wine equally complex and charismatic to draw out each of the flavors in the candy. Now, Cabernet Sauvignon with its ample dark fruit and typically chocolate or caramel undertones from oak aging is a good match for Snickers, which has a fair amount of saltiness thanks to the peanut elements. And it’s the salt that makes this pairing work. Shop Cabernet Sauvignon
NERDS ROPE PIECES, SWEDISH FISH, SPREE
👉 Sparkling Wine 👈
These sweet treats paired with sparkling wine create another favorite: pop rocks! Crack open the sparkling wine (with the saber, of course), pop a handful of any of these (Nerds are our faves), take a sip, and indulge yourself in the foamy burst of fruity flavor and pat yourself on the back for not taking yourself too seriously. After all—it’s Halloween, and we’re all kids again on October 31. Shop Sparkling Wine
Foley Family Wines hosted this year’s Sonoma County Vintners Foundation-sponsored auction at Chalk Hill Winery, benefitting local non-profits
If you’re a wine lover, particularly a wine lover of Sonoma County wines, this year’s event was a don’t-miss: uniting a who’s-who of the Sonoma wine world with the opportunity to raise much-needed funds for community health and childhood education to the emergency relief efforts of the pandemic, fires and floods. The price of admission offered access to exclusive events, dinners, parties, and to all the vintners who participated in the annual auction — including Jean-Charles Boisset, the enigmatic, passionate Franco-American owner of Buena Vista, De Loach, and Raymond—and who was honored this year as Vintner Honoree, as well as local celebrity Chef Honoree Dustin Valette of The Matheson and Valette in Healdsburg.
Bill Foley and Jean-Charles Boisset
And this particular year, had you attended, you’d have had plenty of chances to catch up on Vegas Golden Knights (VGK) stats with all the members of the Foley Family—the 2022 auction’s honorary chair and hosts. VGK and Chalk Hill estate owner Bill Foley, his wife Carol, and daughter Courtney were on hand in the Chalk Hill pavilion offering pours of so many great wines from the Foley Family portfolio of labels.
Estate Chef Alex Graham
But wait—we haven’t even talked about the food! Estate Chef Alec Graham—whose recipes are staples of any Foley Food & Wine Society member’s household—was dishing up plates himself. As guests arrived, they were greeted with a glass of Ten of Cups sparkling wine from Banshee, and then side-tracked by spoonfuls of decadent caviar, before Chef Graham plied auction-goers with an assortment of passed bites—can’t go wrong with risotto balls.
2022 SCWA by Alexander Rubin2022 SCWA by Alexander Rubin
Then, there was the Central Bar. Behold—a collection of remarkable Sonoma County wines, all available for tastes or full-glass pours. And once guests arrived at their designated tables, fresh, local-ingredient-driven plates began arriving and corks began popping. After lunch, ample conversation and plenty of pours, the auction kicked off with opening speeches from Michael Haney, Executive Director of SCVF, remarks from Congressman Mike Thompson (who sits on the Ways and Means House Committee), and Jean-Charles Boisset, before Auctioneer John Curley took to the stage to crank up the volume.
Auctioneer John Curley
Guests enjoyed the unparalleled energy, joyful charisma, and all-around infectious joie-de-vivre of Auctioneer John Curley who stepped into a cadence broken only by the “Sold!” declarations after tirelessly working, cajoling, and enticing those with paddles to give it their all—and to open their pocketbooks.
At the close of the auction, the highest selling lot was Lot #15—the Private Kauai Estate Getaway. The final bid of $182,000 nabbed this indulgent trip, which includes a stay at the Foley Family’s 15-acre luxury estate, Hale ‘Ae Kai, air travel, private chef, and dinners paired with Foley Family wines.
And in contrast to the lots on offer, the auction offers a modestly rich afternoon compared to the wealth of riches that are raised and the good that will come to the beneficiaries of the money. And given the large role and pride that the Foley family takes in supporting local causes—particularly local children’s organizations, like the Sonoma FFA—it was a natural fit to host. The full results of the auction are listed here.
The Sonoma County Vintners Foundation has posted dates for the 2023 auction—September 14-16, 2023. So mark your calendars, and start planning your adventure to Sonoma County to indulge in the wine and food treasures this county has to offer while doing an exceptional thing—supporting the community that you live in, love to visit, or relish from afar.
With inspiration from Ina Garten, a little improvisation, and inspired white wines, this will become a staple recipe in your house.
A few years ago, I stumbled across my favorite roast chicken recipe. And in the intervening years, I’ve improvised only slightly, adding a few ingredients, a side-dish of roasted potatoes, and a decadent beurre blanc sauce for finishing.
The original recipe is Ina Garten’s Perfect Roast Chicken, and in the instructions below, I explain the subtle deviations from her perfect process, along with how to prepare the potatoes and beurre blanc sauce.
This roast chicken dish has become so popular with my wife and daughter, that it has been requested almost weekly for over a year, affording me ample experimentation with wine. I have happily discovered that my all-time favorite wine pairing (and companion for the white wine sauce) is Chalk Hill Chardonnay—both the Sonoma Coast bottling and the Estate Bottled Chalk Hill Appellation label.
And I can’t decide which one I prefer. So, sometimes, I’ll open both. The Sonoma Coast style is a little brighter and tropical-fruit driven, while the Estate Bottled is richer, unfiltered, with stone and orchard fruit notes. I love them both. For the beurre blanc sauce, the Sonoma Coast style offers a slightly brighter, zippier sauce, while the Estate Bottled yields a richer, heartier sauce. My advice? Try it both ways. Ready?
Preparation Time: 20-30 minutes.
Cooking Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes.
Ingredient List:
Note: If you are able to source all the ingredients locally, especially from a Farmer’s Market — including the chicken — you will find that this dish just shines. Store-bought ingredients are just fine as well, as long as they are as fresh as possible, organically or sustainably-farmed, and from as close to locally-sourced as possible.
1 bottle of Chalk Hill Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, or,
1 bottle of Chalk Hill Estate Bottled Chalk Hill Appellation Chardonnay (or both!)
1 roasting chicken (4-6 lbs)
Coarse Kosher salt
Maldon finishing salt
Freshly ground black pepper (from a pepper mill if possible)
1 large bunch of fresh thyme sprigs, separated
1 large bunch of fresh rosemary sprigs, separated
1 lemon, halved
1 head of garlic, cut in half crosswise (optional)
3-4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1-2 medium size sweet yellow onions, quartered
1-2 shallots or small red onions, quartered
6 carrots, halved, and cut into 1-2 inch chunks
1 lb of fingerling or small round baking potatoes (red, purple, white, or a mix, you decide)
Just under half a cup of white wine (for beurre blanc sauce)
Olive oil
Meat thermometer, set of tongs, a fine mesh strainer, large and small stainless steel bowls
For cooking, a cast-iron pan is recommended, though any over-proof pan of similar size will work. Additionally, a baking dish will work too, but you’ll have to transfer the juices at the end to a frying pan to make the beurre blanc sauce. My favorite pan in the world is this cast-iron pan from Smithey. It’s the first (and last) cast-iron pan you’ll need in this lifetime.
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Pat it dry, then place on a plate and put back in the refrigerator for now.
3. Prepare the vegetables. Quarter the onions and shallots. Peel and slice the carrots lengthwise and then cut them into 1-2 inch pieces. Toss the onions, shallots, and carrots in a bowl with a couple good glugs of excellent extra virgin olive oil, 3-4 sprigs each of the thyme and rosemary, and season well with salt and pepper. Toss to coat, making sure the olive oil coats every piece of onion and carrot as well as the herbs. Pour into your pan.
4. Retrieve the chicken from the fridge and drop it right on top of the veggies in the pan. Sprinkle a generous amount of Coarse Kosher Salt into the cavity and nestle the bird into the veggies half an inch or so, and tuck the wing tips under the body, but — DO NOT tie the legs. Ina Garten suggests tying them, as do most recipes, but this is one of my improvisations that I find evenly cooks the darker meat to perfection.
5. Stuff the cavity with the remaining thyme, rosemary, and both halves of the lemon. I like to insert one half of the lemon first, and book-end the herbs with the other half. Ina’s recipe calls for adding garlic, which you are more than welcome to do. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. The garlic will add dimension to your beurre blanc sauce.
6. Melt 1-2 tablespoons of unsalted butter and brush over the chicken. Season with salt and pepper and roast in the oven on the top rack for 1hr and 10 minutes, up to 1hr and 30 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken. Just make sure the juices run clear and a thermometer reads 162-165 degrees when you take it out. Note: you do not need to rotate during cooking.
7. While the chicken begins roasting, prepare the potatoes. Cut them into quarter-inch-thick slices as pictured above. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and lay each potato evenly and flat out on a baking sheet, pictured below.
8. Place on the bottom rack and set the timer for 25 minutes. Don’t touch the potatoes until then! Don’t flip ‘em. Nothing. Let ‘em cook.
9. Time for some wine! Retrieve your wines from the fridge! Ideally, you’ve kept your Chardonnay in a wine cellar, and popped the bottles in the refrigerator as you began prepping the veggies. With this advance planning, the wine is the perfect temperature—not frigid-cold as to mute the aromas and flavors, but with a perfect chill.
10. After enjoying a glass (or two), your potatoes should be ready. When that 25-minute timer goes off, pull them out of the oven. You’re looking for a crisp outside and a tender inside. The side of the potatoes in contact with the pan should have a lightly golden-brown hue while the tops are still light, but the skins are visibly crisped, even slightly puffed. Let one cool for a minute and then taste. Pop them back in for 3-5 minute intervals to achieve your desired crisp level. Once you’re happy with the texture, set on the stovetop so the radiant heat keeps them warm. Set aside if the heat is too intense.
11. Once the chicken reaches 165 degrees F in the breast meat, or around 162 F in the thigh meat, remove from the oven. Let it rest on the oven top for 10 minutes.
12. After 10 minutes, using a set of tongs, remove the lemon from the cavity, but squeeze its hot juice into the pan. Discard the herbs. Tilt the chicken and cut slits in between the body and the thigh to let any juices run into the pan. Once you’ve let all the juice run into the pan, set the chicken aside on a carving board — no need to cover. Discard the onions and shallots (or set them aside and serve them as well if you prefer). Set aside the carrots for serving. You should be left with just the juices, herbs, and bits.
13. Prepare the Beurre Blanc sauce! I like to let the sauce sit for another 5-10 minutes as some of the fat from the chicken forms a thin layer on top, which you can then skim off with a spoon. Now, crank up the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, scraping up the bits. After about 2-3 minutes, pour in just under half a cup of white wine, continue stirring, and scraping up bits and allow the sauce to reduce by half. Once you think you’ve got it there, remove from the heat and stir in 1-2 tablespoons of unsalted butter. Being careful, pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, then into a serving vessel. You’ll be left with about one-half or three-quarters of a cup.
14. Time to plate! I like to fully carve the chicken, removing the bones from the breast meat and slicing it before plating. Nestle in a handful of potatoes, a good portion of the carrots, and drizzle some sauce over the chicken before serving and bring the remaining sauce to the table and pass it around — that’s liquid gold! Speaking of, offer up your best Chardonnay toast, and enjoy!
“If a picture is worth a thousand words, then being in the vineyards is worth a million. Walking the rows, smelling the air, feeling the warmth of the sun, seeing the contours of the vineyard, all help you envision the glass of wine which can be brought forth by the land and the diligent efforts of your team.”
From the steep slopes of the Rheingau and Nahe valleys, to the alpine foothills of the Alto Adige and across Napa Valley, Alison Rodriguez honed her wine making skills in diverse growing regions around the world.
At Silverado Vineyards, Rodriguez oversees all winemaking activities for the luxury winery and its four estate vineyards in Napa Valley’s top AVAs including the Silverado Vineyard in Stags Leap District, Mt. George Vineyard in Coombsville, Miller Ranch Vineyard in Yountville and Borreo Ranch in Napa. Rodriguez is proud to carry on the legacy of the Disney-Miller Family as only the third winemaker in Silverado’s history. Silverado Vineyards became part of the Foley Family Wines portfolio in July 2022.
A native of Baton Rouge, LA, Rodriguez remembers wine always being part of her family table (even if the bottle was labeled “Hearty Burgundy”) which inspired her passion. After graduating from Duke University with a degree in International Relations, she began her career path with an entry-level job in wine sales. After five exciting years in global wine sales and marketing in San Francisco, Portland, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, Rodriguez decided to follow her childhood dream of working in the natural sciences. She worked her way through Germany’s premier winemaking and viticulture school, the Fachhochschule Geisenheim, with winery and vineyard internships including winter pruning in the snow, and working as a Sommelier at the Hotel Krone in Assmannshausen.
After roles in the cellars and sustainable/organic vineyards of Quivira Vineyards (Sonoma), Schlossgut Diel (Nahe), Weingut Graf von Kanitz (Rheingau), Manincor (Alto Adige), and a practical thesis at Schloss Johannisberg (Rheingau), Rodriguez decided to put down roots in Northern California. She started in Sonoma County as harvest enologist at Gallo Sonoma in Healdsburg, followed by a position as enologist at Acacia Vineyards in Carneros. Rodriguez then joined Sterling Vineyards in Calistoga as associate winemaker working alongside consultant Paul Hobbs, moving on to Beringer Napa Valley to work on single vineyard and reserve tier Cabernet Sauvignon with Laurie Hook and Mark Beringer. Before joining Silverado Vineyards, she spent six vintages as winemaker at The Hess Collection, perfecting her skills in almost 900 acres of estate Napa vineyards with winemaker Dave Guffy and consultant Celia Welch.
For the devout consumer of wine, no camping trip is worth all the time and energy spent preparing if you don’t also pack the perfect camping wines.
Get yourself a set of GoVino firm plastic wine glasses and scope out the ice situation wherever you’re heading to ensure your whites and sparkling wines get a proper chill, right alongside the reds. Because chances are it will be warm where you’re camping, and a nice chilled red to wind down the night will be a welcome and beautiful thing.
As for the precise wine to bring, that depends on what you’re eating. We’ve compiled a list of some of our camp-favorite wine pairings below. Oh, one last thing—just don’t forget a corkscrew.
Watermelon and Rosé
Until you’ve tried this, you just don’t know what you’re missing. This is an especially appealing pairing because many rosé wines—not just American-made ones with their rich tropical flavors, but global examples from France, Italy, and Spain—tend to showcase gorgeous ripe red fruit aromas and flavors, typically ranging from strawberry to cherry and—watermelon. We certainly will not judge any of you who attempt to dunk your chunk of watermelon in your perfectly-chilled, watermelon-tinged rosé. After all, you’re camping, and experimentation is required.
Shop our Rosé Selections
Cheese and Charcuterie and Sparkling Wine
So many cheeses, so little time. Okay, you’ve got some hard cheeses, soft ones, and medium-soft ones. You’ve got tangy, tart, creamy, and rich examples. Some are grassy and wrapped in cedar, some are gamey and set in ash. You’ve got a mix of cow, sheep, and goat. You’ve got all these great cheeses, maybe some hard salumi or prosciutto, and now, you need a glass of sparkling wine to wash down each and every bite. Sparkling wine has enough bracing acidity to cleanse your palate with each sip so that no matter the cheese or charcuterie before, the next bite will offer its maximum flavor capacity to you.
You’ve got the shrimps on skewers and the charcoals glowing hot. Hopefully, you brought along some kind of herbed-up marinade for the shrimp, but even generous dashes of salt and pepper will do. Now, make sure you stocked up on ice and have your Sauvignon Blanc well-chilled. It will be a perfect match for those tender, seasons shrimp, especially those seasoned with herbs, which will bring out any grassy, tangy notes in the wine while providing a palate-cleansing rinse as you bite into that side of corn on the cob or scoop up a forkful of potato salad.
Speaking of potatoes… bags of your all-time favorite potato chips are de rigueur for camping. And you’ll want a mix—salt and pepper, sour cream, cheddar cheese, Maui-style. For these, look to rich, viscous, white blends that can match the oiliness in the potato chip while offering enough crisp acidity to cut through the fat of the chip. We love those with Semillon or Sauvignon Gris and any white blends treated to a generous amount of oak aging.
Forget the shrimp. Get serious with the freshest lobster tails while on your camping adventure. The best thing about lobster tails is that they are incredibly easy to prepare. Bring along some good shears, cut through the shell down the middle and then slice the tails in half with a good, sturdy knife. When the coals are hot, toss them on the grill, shell-side down, and smother them in tarragon-infused butter with a bit of salt and pepper. After five minutes, flip them so the tender lobster meat sears on the grill. Leave them that way for another three to four minutes, depending on how hot your grill is. Just don’t overcook those beauties! If you’ve nailed it, you’ll find that with a fork, you can extract the entire half tail with ease. Good thing you already poured that generous glass of Chardonnay because the richness, roundness, and buttery or oaky qualities of your Chardonnay will create fireworks in your mouth.
The move here is to layer ketchup, mustard, and relish onto your hot dog of choice. Now, you’re ready for the wine. With its mouthwatering acidity and tart orchard or stone fruit flavors, a Riesling will slice through the richness of this decadent hot dog and wipe a clean slate. You’ll be shocked at how great it is with the relish. Sure, go ahead, try it: a spoonful of relish, a sip of Riesling. Now, back to the hot dog, and notice how that touch of residual sweetness in the Riesling also brings out nuances to the ketchup you never noticed before. Even the hot dog itself is benefiting—a little char from the grill, and a fresh burst of clean fruit flavors with tart acidity brings everything into balance. Never mind that the kids have already trekked a lot of dirt into the tents… life is good right now with your Riesling and hot dog.
No matter the burger, no matter the preparation, although Cabernet Sauvignon might be your first choice for this pairing, skip it. Head straight for Merlot. The best examples are going to blend fleshy, plummy and black-fruit flavors with heady spices, herbs, and a touch of cacao powder, and the wines’ softness and roundness and gentle acidity make it the best gulp-able companion to mouthwatering grilled burgers. See for yourself.
It can’t be done, you say? S’Mores are just for the kids? Oh, come on! You can take down two S’Mores while your child (or children) are still working on one. And for that, you need something to match the graham cracker crust, melty chocolate, and gooey marshmallow. This calls for a dessert wine! Perhaps the Ferrari-Carano Baci Dessert wine that is comprised of 100% Zinfandel. This decadent sweet red offers a chocolate explosion of rich, lush flavors, full-throttle dark-berry fruit, jam, and ganache, and tinges of cinnamon, which will send those bits of graham cracker crust into a graham cracker fuelled lift-off into the stratosphere of satisfaction. Even a port will do nicely. Even a Sauternes. Even…a Moscato. You really cannot go wrong here. But best to match sweet with sweet on this one.
Shop our Dessert Selections
MORE FROM FFWS
LEARN ABOUT THE SOCIETY
Enjoy the best of the Foley Food & Wine Society! Receive invitations to events, tours, tastings, special offers on exclusive wines, and access to our partner properties.
PAIRING WINE WITH CUISINE
Great wine goes with great food. Explore our recipe section for great menu ideas to pair with our wines to create amazing flavors to be enjoyed by you and your guests.
Foley Family Wines today announced the acquisition of Silverado Vineyards, which sits near the town of Yountville on the Silverado Trail in the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley. The winery was founded in 1981 by the late Diane Marie Disney Miller, daughter of Walt Disney, and her husband the late Ron Miller, President and CEO of Walt Disney Productions. Over the last four decades, the Miller family has established Silverado Vineyards as a leading producer of luxury wines from estate vineyards across four Napa Valley appellations.
“As a family-owned company focused exclusively on highly-acclaimed wines from the world’s greatest vineyards, we are confident that Foley Family Wines is the right steward to lead Silverado Vineyards into the future,” said Chris Miller, owner and son of Ron and Diane Miller. “We hope that Silverado will continue to craft delicious estate wines and welcome guests to the beautiful property for another forty years.”
The 73,000-square-foot winery includes a state-of-the-art production facility and a visitors center whose tasting room and patio offer stunning north-facing views of Napa Valley. The sale also includes four of the winery’s estate vineyards, totaling nearly 300 planted acres. Estate vineyards include Silverado Vineyard (Stags Leap District AVA); Mt. George Vineyard (Coombsville AVA); Miller Ranch (Yountville AVA); and Soda Creek Ranch, also called Borreo Ranch (Napa Valley AVA).
“It’s a gem of a winery,” said Foley Family Wines Founder and CEO Bill Foley. “Great vineyards, great national and international reputation, and, of course, a spectacular location on the Silverado Trail in the Stags Leap District—we are delighted to bring Silverado Vineyards into the Foley Family Wines portfolio.”
“Silverado Vineyards has enormous potential in channels where luxury wines are sold across the country as well as consumer-direct,” said Foley Family Wines President Shawn Schiffer. “We intend to enhance an already enthusiastic wine club, and to develop additional vineyard-exclusive offerings, like the critically acclaimed GEO and SOLO labels, to leverage the distinctive quality of each estate vineyard. We also plan to expand production of the core wines in the portfolio while aligning the route-to-market with our wholesaler partners.”
“Silverado Vineyards shares our commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainable farming,” said Courtney Foley, Foley Family Wines second generation vintner. “The estate vineyards have all achieved California Land Stewardship Institute and Fish Friendly Farming certifications, and a full 40% of the winery is powered by solar energy. We are eager to carry forward their goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030.”
About Foley Family Wines
Established by Bill Foley in 1996, Foley Family Wines is a portfolio of highly acclaimed wines from some of the world’s greatest vineyards. The company owns more than two dozen wineries across the globe, each with its own distinct wine style, legacy, and approach to hospitality. In addition, the Foley Food & Wine Society offers members a luxury lifestyle community that celebrates culinary experiences, entertainment, and travel in the United States, New Zealand, France, and Argentina.
200 Concourse Blvd, Santa Rosa, CA, 95403 | 707-708-7600
Perfect pairings conversations usually address the best food to enjoy with your wine. But since we are officially in full summer swing, here’s some advice for how to pair your wine with, well, your pool. So grab your favorite bottle and a couple GoVino’s, and let’s head poolside.
THE DOS:
DO invest in an Ice Bucket. Get a large, sturdy, plastic ice bucket, or better yet, a giant Yeti or similar-type cooler, and keep it shaded if possible. Buy a big enough bucket or cooler to hold plenty of ice and plenty of bottles of sparkling, white, rosé, and red wine—yes, red wine, more on that later.
DO eat all day long. Offer easily accessible food options and heavily weigh the idea of eating and then pool-partying. If you are hosting and you have all the food ready when your guests arrive, you can encourage them to grab a plate and chow down first—with a glass of bubbly. And eat inside to avoid a yellow-jacket invasion.
DO pay attention to the sunscreen you use. You should, of course, be using sunscreen, but preferably one without all the tropical aromas—unless, that is, you enjoy tasting coconut in your strawberry-laced rosé. If the air is thick with the scent of tropical-fruit-scented partygoers basking in the hot summer sun, then every time you take a sniff of wine, you’ll think it smells like coconuts and sweet cream. Sure, it doesn’t sound so bad, but sacre bleu!
DO make a playlist. A pool party is not a party without a solid playlist. And it should include “Red, Red Wine,” by Neil Diamond; “Elderberry Wine,” by Elton John; and, naturally, “Champagne Supernova,” by Oasis and whatever Yacht Rock playlist floats your boat.
DO Hydrate. Offer beverages beyond just wine and drink plenty of water. This is a must. Two glasses of water for every full glass of wine. Mineral water is not the best because it often contains sodium. You need to keep hydrating because the sun is beating down and the alcohol is setting in, and drinking plenty of water helps keep all these things in balance. At the pool, you should always be in pursuit of balance.
THE DON’TS:
DON’T drink wine out of glass. Get the GoVino dishwasher-safe plastic wine glasses or the stainless steel, stemless wine tumblers you get at concerts—the ones that help maintain the temperature of whatever liquid you pour in them.
DON’T fret over food pairings. You might be studying for your WSET Level 3 exam, but really, it’s okay if the potato chips are flavored with truffle or jalapeno. Let it go. It’s fine if your best friend is enjoying a chocolate popsicle with her rosé. Truffle chips? Chocolate popsicles? Sounds like a good pool party.
DON’T forget the wine! Seems obvious, right? But when guests arrive and you realize you chose “pickup” instead of “delivery” on DoorDash, you will not be laughing then. Get the wine a day or days ahead of the party.
DON’T buy into Rosé All Day. Sorry, pink winemakers! But pool parties need a mix. So, mix it up — bubbly, white, and rosé. Have some of each.
DON’T go cheap. Just because you’re drinking at a pool party, and just because some of the pool water may accidentally end up in your wine glass, doesn’t mean you should be drinking cheap wine. Saving that $90 rosé for a rainy day? Don’t. Think opulent $50+ Chardonnay is just for special dinners? Think of how great you’ll feel drinking that delicious Chard while going blind staring at the sun’s reflection off those calm pool waters.
DON’T exclude red. Red wine at the pool is awesome — IF— it is properly chilled. You need A TON OF ICE or a solid Yeti-type cooler to keep the wines cold all day. And your favorite red wine, on ice, will warm up in the sun, and typically, when the wine is that cool, you’ll be tasting a lot of the winemaking if the red was aged in oak — think toasty graham-cracker oak, chocolate, and baking spice notes. Maybe some blue fruit too. It’s like you’re enjoying a glass of liquified blueberry pie drizzled in chocolate while floating in a giant unicorn.
DON’T stay in the pool the whole time. If you have room for shuffleboard or cornhole, put it all out and keep the party interesting—and moving.
There are several Foley family wineries up and down the west coast that are happy to open their doors to kids and pets and discerning adults looking for a great bottle of wine.
If you’re planning to travel along the wine trail with your two- and four-legged family members in tow, you won’t feel out of place at any of the beautiful wineries mentioned on this list.
Before you go, remember that dogs will need to be leashed in many cases and should remain in the outdoor areas, as per the Health Department’s decree. Also, as is the case with all our wineries, reservations are highly encouraged and can be made using Tock.
May this list be the inspiration for your next summer family vacation.
Foley Sonoma is in the middle of Alexander Valley, so dogs and kids should be able to enjoy the scenic natural beauty here. But if that’s not enough, they have Cornhole, giant Jenga (more outdoor games to come), and kid-approved snacks. Dogs can enjoy two big, grassy areas with lounge furniture right under the trees.
Opt for a Tasting on the Terrace and bring the family dog—all are welcome inside and outside at Roth. The tasting room staff offers water for dogs and asks only that you keep your dog on a leash. Families traveling with young children are welcome to bring them along—the staff will likely have board games to hand out! For adults-only fun, consider the ‘Adults at Play’ first Fridays of the month from May to September—these events feature live music, bold eats, live cooking demos, and of course, decadent Sonoma County wines. Complimentary for Roth and Connoisseur Members, up to four guests.
Chalone is more or less the last stop before Pinnacles National Park, so they’re very welcoming to adult, child, and canine hikers looking for a pit stop before or after their big adventure. There are no lawn games, but there’s lots of space to roam on this scenic property. They have bowls of water for the dogs, cups of water for the kids, and some glasses of excellent Chardonnay for the adults.
Dogs and kids are beloved here in this central California dreamscape winery with pristine mountain views. Wine tasters can grab their wine and bring it to the front garden area which is the best spot for canines. If possible, visiting mid-week when the tasting room isn’t as busy is a great time to bring the kids. There’s a lower terrace area overlooking the vineyards available for wine club members and private tastings that will be reopening this summer. Reservations are recommended for all experiences, but walk-ins are accommodated as best as possible. Firestone’s resident cat is the local celebrity here, a long-haired tabby named Meowbec that the little ones swoon over.
Foley Estates is happy to host your family and pets. There’s a great lawn with picnic tables, Cornhole is available, but management wouldn’t mind if you brought your own Frisbee to toss around.
Pets aren’t allowed inside the Three Rivers tasting room (so says the Health Department) but the winery has three acres of lawn—a pleasing amount of grass where families and pets can stretch out and picnic. Cornhole, a giant Jenga set, Frisbee Golf, and newly-installed horseshoe pits are all present for ample recreation. Peruse their food menu if you’re hungry, or go on a peaceful stroll among the Three Rivers garden to see what’s growing: flowers, garlic, peppers, and tomatoes are just some of the good stuff to be found. Kids here can really do their own thing while adults enjoy the wine.
Leashed pets can roam around on the lawn and outdoors spaces, while children are to be supervised indoors and out. The Four Graces likes to maintain its vibe as a quiet place to relax, so library volume voices here are preferred. Hyperactive dogs may not mesh well, so please use discretion. There is Cornhole to be played, but the real treat for the kids might be going for a walk through the vines where they’re welcome to touch the fruit.
Everyone knows that moms are meant to be celebrated all the time. Sure, Mother’s Day offers an opportunity to put in writing the sentimental things you wish to express to mom—either in your own words or through the tasteful or even whimsical words of an expertly written card.
But beyond the traditional offerings of a bouquet of flowers or chocolates that make mom’s eyes roll (“You know I can’t eat those,” many moms will be saying), consider what would make her truly happy: the promise of time spent together in a beautiful setting.
Here are our top six experiences across several of our wineries that will be sure to excite mom on Mother’s Day and beyond, as well as the lucky guests she chooses to accompany her—hopefully, you!
Sunday Wine & Brunch at Ferrari-Carano (Dry Creek Valley, California)
Come sit outside (or indoors at Villa Fiore) under the Sycamore Grove terraces and just let the indulgence of the day overwhelm you and mom—perhaps some Prosciutto Benedict or Brunch Pizza with fresh Mozzarella, leek cream, applewood smokes bacon, and estate egg yolk emulsion sounds nice? Croque Madame? Local sausages and garden greens? A sweet finish of TCHO Dark Chocolate Panna Cotta and a flight of wines to pair? This is what Sunday will look like at Ferrari-Carano, if you book now. And this experience is not limited to Mother’s Day—it’s offered most Sundays from 10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Terroir Vineyard Excursion at Lancaster (Sonoma, California)
Mom is ready to take the ATV ride of her life all over the Lancaster hillside estate because this is no ordinary ATV. No, this is a luxury ATV that will usher you and mom around the estate for expansive views, eventually depositing your party at the entrance to Lancaster’s wine caves to experience a special tasting of Guild exclusive wines paired with locally-sourced cheese and charcuterie.
Mother’s Day Brunch at Three Rivers (Walla Walla, Washington)
Yes, okay, this one is definitely held ON Mother’s Day. And the awesome thing that’s happening is that winemaker Holly Turner will be personally welcoming guests. From Bordeaux-style reds, to Columbia Valley Riesling, with Syrah, Malbec, and Merlot-blends in between, the wine and the fun will flow effortlessly in a pretty setting overlooking surrounding vineyards and Mill Creek.
Bocce, Bordeaux & Burgundy Experience at Chateau St. Jean (Kenwood, California)
Here is your opportunity to surround mom with all her loved ones—and several wines by the bottle! Take mom to a private outdoor area reserved just for your group and get ready to compete. You’ll all relax in comfortable lounge chairs and picnic tables when not competing for your honor on the bocce court! This experience is available for groups of 10-20 people, so no one will be left out. The only caveat—no matter what, mom must win at bocce. Don’t forget that point.
Rosé and Roses for Mom at Lincourt (Sta. Rita Hills, Santa Barbara, California)
On Mother’s Day Lincourt’s seated tasting will pair Rosé wine with Roses for Mom in a relaxed environment overlooking the vineyards. But to be clear—if roses are what mom wants, you do need to book for Mother’s Day! Otherwise, it’ll just be aromatic, delicious rosé and not a bouquet of roses to accompany that delectable drink. Also, be warned: there’s No food component, but that’s because you indulged in brunch and booked a rosé tasting for the afternoon. How smart of you!
Classic Caviar Pairing at Chalk Hill (Sonoma, California)
Sure, this one’s for mom, but really, this one is for all. If you really want to spoil mom on Mother’s Day (or any day of the year) do so by adding the Classic Caviar Pairing to any Chalk Hill tasting experience: this indulgent affair will have you pairing Chalk Hill’s world-class Chardonnays with a tin of decadent American White Sturgeon Caviar, alongside estate Chef Alec Graham’s housemade crispy potato chips, and Crème Fraiche. This is simply not to be missed—not by mom, not you, not anyone. All moms take home a special gift from our Estate Culinary Garden.
The month of April is a happy time for the at-home gardener. Two significant celebrations—National Gardening Day and Earth Day—fall within the last half of the month. These are two wonderful days that offer a real chance to reflect and act upon the outdoors—specifically, your outdoors. And particularly, the immediate area around your home.
Gardening is always on our agenda as we have three garden-focused wineries: Chalk Hill, Ferrari-Carano, and Chateau St. Jean. Last year, wine journalist Jonathan Cristaldi followed Chalk Hill’s Estate Culinary Garden Manager, Brad Agerter, around the winery’s two primary gardens to learn how gardenscapes can lend peace, tranquility, and harmony to the yard surrounding your home or the rooftop garden of your city apartment.
Bearing that in mind, for inspiration, we caught up with Antonia Mata-Marquez, who manages the gardens at Ferrari-Carano in Healdsburg, California. The immaculate gardens encompassing this iconic wine estate are something to behold. It’s easy to be intimidated by the perfectly manicured hedges, flower beds, and vegetable gardens. However, Antonia’s tips are accessible to even the novice gardener: soil amendments and positivity.
FFWS: Antonia, how did you get to gardening?
Antonia Mata-Marquez (AM): Ever since I was a little girl, I worked on a farm back in Mexico. As time passed by, my love for gardening kept growing. I have learned so much caring for plants, and the more I gardened, the more I liked it. When I came to the United States, I learned more ways to take care of a garden and how to appreciate nature even more.
FFWS: Can you describe the Ferrari-Carano gardens for those who have never visited them?
AM: For those who have never experienced our gardens, I highly recommend seeing them—it is an experience that you cannot miss with a garden that is transformed into different categories: full sun plants, shaded plants, perennials; annuals, and plants that are green all year. The best thing to do is relax outside while experiencing the gardens with a nice glass of wine in hand.
FFWS: What flowers are blooming in April?
AM: Right now, Azaleas, Camellias, Rhododendron, Magnolias, Tulips, Wisterias, Violas, Shasta daisies, and Geraniums are in full bloom. Other summer seasonal flowers will be worth seeing, so I say to the Foley Food & Wine Society members reading this— come see us!
FFWS: Can you offer some simple tips for growing flowers to the at-home gardener?
AM: For those who want to plant at home, I recommend perennials because they need less water than the annuals. Prepare the soil by adding a little chicken manure a week before planting any type of plants.
FFWS: Let’s talk about vegetables. You are about to make the transition from winter garden to spring and summer. What does that mean?
AM: It means that it is time to have share time with your kids! As a family, you all can prepare the soil for tomatoes, chilies, pumpkins, beans, corn, coriander, onions, and flowers. The list goes on and on. I highly recommend taking this time to create a vegetable planting project with your kids.
FFWS: What are your favorite vegetables to plant? And can you offer advice to the home gardener on the best way to grow your favorites?
AM: My favorite vegetables are chiles and tomatoes. The best way to have a better harvest is to plant all the vegetables with a lot of enthusiasm and positive energy. Above all, water appropriately so that your vegetables have a better flavor.
FFWS: Anything we left out that you want to share?
AM: When working in the garden, have a positive mindset. That positivity will be transferred to the plants; it will be better for you as well. Do not forget to share as much time as you can with your family and take care of our nature.
