WINE COUNTRY WEEKEND

This weekend we have some major events going on, all throughout our portfolio! Check out what’s going on in  Napa, Central Coast, Sonoma, and Pacific Northwest Wine Country this weekend! 

SONOMA WINE COUNTRY

ROTH ADULTS AT PLAY

Friday, March 2nd, 4 PM – 7 PM
Roth Estate at 10309 Chalk Hill Road, Headsburg, CA

“Adults at Play” is held the first Friday of every month and is one of FFWS’ most popular recurring events. Guests gather on the large patio with a glass of wine, while listening to one of our local bands. We’ll have our lawn games available for play, including “large scale” jenga and bean bag toss, while serving some of Chef Larry Forgione’s favorite small bites! Our creative team at Roth always has some fun promotions, making this event the perfect time to add to your collection. This event is complimentary for all, making it a great way to kick off the weekend, or maybe event wrap up your first day of Barrel Tasting Weekend!
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BARREL TASTING

Friday, March 2nd – Sunday, March 4th, 11 AM – 4 PM
Chalk Hill, Roth, Lancaster and Foley Sonoma

Barrel Tasting in Sonoma Wine Country will be happening the first and second weekends in March! This is a great time of year to visit Sonoma Wine Country and taste wines straight from the barrel at over 100 participating wineries. Foley Food & Wine Society wineries Chalk Hill, Roth, Lancaster and Foley Sonoma will be participating Friday – Sunday of both weekends.
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NAPA WINE COUNTRY

FOLEY JOHNSON PNV BARREL TASTES

Saturday, March 3rd – Sunday March 4th, All Day
Foley Johnson at 8350 St Helena Highway, Rutherford, CA

Stop by Foley Johnson for a tasting this weekend and enjoy a taste of their PNV Auction wine that sold for 18,000 at  auction last weekend (ten cases). The Foley Johnson PNV Wine is 2016 Vintage 100% Cabernet. It is currently in tank and not expected to be released until 2019. 
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CALIFORNIA’S CENTRAL COAST WINE COUNTRY

WORLD OF PINOT NOIR

Friday, March 2nd – Saturday, March 3rd
The Ritz-Carlton Bacara at 8301 Hollister Ave, Santa Barbara, CA 93117

The annual World of Pinot Noir event gathers the planet’s foremost Pinot Noir wineries and winemakers, renowned chefs, sommeliers and leading wine scholars in a weekend-long seaside celebration of this delicious and storied wine.

Several of our Foley Food & Wine Society wines will be featured throughout the weekend, including Chalone Vineyard, Foley Estates and Lincourt Vineyards.
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PACIFIC NORTHWEST WINE COUNTRY

WESTSIDE WALLA WALLA WINE CLUB CELEBRATION

The entire month of March
Three Rivers Winery at 5641 Old Highway 12, Walla Walla, WA

Our Three Rivers Members are invited to enjoy the club benefits at several of our neighboring wineries, throughout the entire month of March. From complimentary tastings to special member discounts, we’re spreading love, wine and good times across the Westside of Walla Walla.

Stop by Three Rivers to pick up your Westside Wine Club Celebration Card, then simply present it at any of the following participating wineries to start enjoying their membership perks immediately! Not a Three Rivers Member? Join Now. 
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Barrel Tasting in Sonoma Wine Country will be happening the first and second weekends in March! This is a great time of year to visit Sonoma Wine Country and taste wines out of barrel at over 100 participating wineries. Foley Food & Wine Society wineries Chalk Hill, Roth, Lancaster and Foley Sonoma will be participating Friday – Sunday of both weekends.

We would like to invite you to come out and taste our barrel samples and take advantage of exclusive offers on futures and library vintage wines. You can learn more about the Barrel Tasting and purchase tickets online at WineRoad.com. 

Foley Family Wines helped kick off Premiere Napa Valley week by hosting a barrel tasting at one of its three Napa Valley estates, Foley Johnson. Guests enjoyed samples from Foley Johnson and FFW’s two other Napa properties, Merus and Kuleto, along with several courses of small bites provided by our Executive Chef and Foley Family Wines Culinary Director.

On hand was FFW Chief Operating Officer Bruce Cousins and recently-appointed President of Foley Family Wines Hugh Reimers, who talked about the importance of hosting the annual event at one of the company’s premier estates. “Foley Johnson represents kind of the flagship of what we do within Foley Family Wines,” Reimers said.  “Not only is it important because it contains the Foley name, but also, one of Bill (Foley) and Carol’s sons is the winemaker here at Foley Johnson. So, it’s something that is near and dear to the heart of the family, and it is a big part of what we do here. It is legacy.”

The wines poured were the 2016 barrel lots for Foley Johnson, Merus and Kuleto. All three are 100% cabs, aged in new French oak and will be released to the public beginning 2020. All three estates share a propensity for growing exquisite Bordeaux varietals and are known for producing some of the top Cabernet and Cabernet blends in all of Napa, earning several 90+ scores from Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast in recent years.

Foley Johnson Winemaker Patrick Foley spoke about the vision behind their hand crafted wines, “Stylistically, I’m trying to bring more fruit-forward, approachable wines that you can drink now, or you can also lay down. There’s plenty of tannin in the wines that I’m making, but also more bright, vibrant, fruit-forward wines, and that’s kind of my goal going forward. It’s all estate fruit. I don’t source any fruit from anywhere else, so everything is here. I live on the property, so I’m very adamant about the vineyards, and the wine and the fruit.” 

Cousins and Reimers are expected to lead an aggressive growth strategy focused on adding high-value brands to the organization’s portfolio, which already boasts such iconic brands as Chalk Hill, Roth, The Four Graces, Kuleto, Sebastiani and the recently-acquired Banshee and Rickshaw.

“Premiere Napa Valley is a great way for us to meet new people in the trade and media who are not yet familiar with us,” remarked Cousins, who also stressed the importance of the event to the greater Napa Valley community. “Most importantly, we are going to raise a ton of money for all of the great Napa Valley Health Organizations.”

Wine Country Weekend

Looking to get out of the house, have some fun, maybe event celebrate Valentine’s Day with your sweetheart? We got you covered! Check out what’s going on in Sonoma, Napa, Central Coast and Pacific Northwest Wine Country this weekend! 

SONOMA WINE COUNTRY

RECORDS + ROSÉ HAPPY HOUR

Wednesday, February 14th, 5-7pm 
Banshee Wines at 325 Center Street, Healdsburg, CA

Banshee Wines will be hosting a record swap and rosé happy hour event in their Tasting Room to kick off the release of our 2017 rosé! Bring some old records and trade for something new, funky, and fresh, and enjoy $5 glasses of rosé! No RSVP needed. 
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JOHNNY MATHIS THE VOICE OF ROMANCE TOUR

Thursday, February 15^th, 7 PM
Luther Burbank Center for the Arts at 50 Mark West Springs Rd., Santa Rosa, CA

Iconic recording artist Johnny Mathis returns to Luther Burbank Center for the Arts to celebrate 62nd years of hits! Spend the evening with the world’s most romantic singer as he performs the greatest hits throughout his entire career including Chances Are, It’s Not for Me to Say, Misty, Twelfth of Never, Wonderful! Wonderful! and many more. For 60 years now, Mathis has been a giant in the music industry – a platinum-selling hit-maker and one of the most accomplished and endearing interpreters of American song. The recipient of a Lifetime Achievement GRAMMY® Award and an inductee in the Great American Songbook Hall of Fame, he is “The Voice of Romance.”
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CLOVERDALE CITRUS FAIR

February 16^th –  February 20^th
Cloverdale Citrus Fairgrounds at 1 Citrus Fair Dr, Cloverdale, CA

Cloverdale’s bright, fun Citrus Fair features 3-D exhibits made of citrus fruit and other food products. The Citrus Fair Queen will be crowned on the Friday evening. Gourmet food, arts, crafts, and a carnival bring fun for the whole family. Visit the website for information about special performances, like the Cabaret Players or the Country-Western dance with Paulie’s Garage and the Kick’n Country Girls. A parade will go through town on the Saturday morning at 11 a.m.
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NAPA WINE COUNTRY

FOOD & WINE ENTHUSIAST: NAPA WINE

February 15^th 5 PM – 7 PM
Napa Valley Cooking School at 1088 College Avenue, St. Helena, CA

The more we understand wines, the more we can recognize, not only our personal preferences, but those wines that can fully satisfy our guests, friends or family members. Napa wines can be the perfect guide to learn the art of wine appreciation. This class will teach you the meaning and importance of the balance between all the factors that contribute to the flavor and character of the wine, applicable to wines from other regions of the world. This will teach us to speak intelligently about wine.
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CALIFORNIA’S CENTRAL COAST WINE COUNTRY

FOLEY FOOD & WINE SOCIETY PICK UP PARTY

Saturday, February 17th, 2 PM – 5 PM
FFWS Tasting Room at 8301 Hollister Avenue, Goleta, CA 93117

Enjoy an afternoon of tea sandwiches, strawberries and chocolate truffles paired with pours of our Wine Club Releases. We will have your January allotment of wines packed and ready for you to take home and enjoy, along with a souvenir glass.

Tickets to this event are $30 for Foley Food & Wine Society Club Members, or $45 for general admission.
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WINE COUNTRY WEEKEND

February 16^th – February 20^th
Lincourt and 13 Other Tasting Rooms in the Santa Ynez Valley

During this 4-day fun-filled weekend, you can visit 14 participating winery tasting rooms in the Santa Ynez Valley, including our own, Lincourt. Guests will enjoy estate and library wines, delicious appetizers, and meet the winemakers and owners. You’ll also receive a souvenir wine glass and a wine tote bag. This is the perfect weekend to try new wines and to revisit old favorites.  Wine Country weekend has it all!
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PACIFIC NORTHWEST WINE COUNTRY

FEBRUARY IS FOR FOODIES

February 15^th – February 20^th
Three Rivers Winery at 5641 Old Highway 12, Walla Walla, WA

Visit Three Rivers Winery to enjoy chocolates or truffles with your Three Rivers tasting, featuring Seattle Chocolate Company and house-made truffles. Enjoy 10% off your wine purchase when you mention February Is for Foodies during your visit. 
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OREGON TRUFFLE FESTIVAL

February 16^th – February 18^th
Yamhill Valley, OR

Native Oregonian James Beard was a longtime champion of Oregon truffles and proclaimed them as equals to their more expensive and established European counterparts. As an ode to James Beard and his advocacy for Oregon truffles, the 2018 Oregon Truffle Festival’s wine country weekend will celebrate James Beard’s culinary legacy. 
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Chalk Hill Estate has earned yet another 90+ score from one of the wine industry’s leading publications. Wine Spectator recently announced it has awarded 93 points to the 2015 Chalk Hill Estate Chardonnay. Wine Spectator Senior Editor James Laube shared the following tasting notes with his score:

“Lots of spice, apricot, fig and honeydew melon flavors combine for a full-bodied, mouth-coating experience, with a finish that sails on and on, gaining depth. Drink now through 2022.”

When informed of the 93 point score, Chalk Hill Estate Winemaker Steve Nelson said, “2015 was a low yielding year at Chalk Hill, so the vines focused all of their energy into a smaller amount of fruit. The resulting wine was more concentrated, dense and full bodied, especially noticeable on the mid palate. Our 2015 Estate Chardonnay is extra smooth, creamy and luxurious.”

This score follows up the 92 points awarded to the wine’s predecessor, the 2014 Chalk Hill Estate Chardonnay. 

2015 was another prime vintage with moderate temperatures throughout the spring and summer. The 2015 Estate Chardonnay expresses aromas of lemon, orange blossom and a hint of vanilla bean from the oak influence. Balanced, complex and full flavors of lemon oil, orange zest, and crème brûlée follow on the palate. The Chalk Hill Estate Chardonnay is known for its long, rich and elegant finish, and this vintage is no exception.

MORE ON CHALK HILL ESTATE CHARDONNAY
The 2015 Chalk Hill Estate Chardonnay captures the vibrant, complex and classic character of their estate-grown grapes. Chalk Hill Estate is dedicated to making exceptional Chardonnay, and no detail is overlooked. In the vineyard, focused planting of the ideal clone on each vineyard block, managing yields for optimum ripeness and balance, and the work of a dedicated crew are among the keys to our success. Chardonnay is a winemaker’s grape, molded into its most interesting self by native yeast fermentation and aging in carefully chosen French oak barrels and frequent lees stirring. It is a labor-intensive wine, but the rewards are most certainly worth the hard work and attention. 

Hugh Reimers, President of Foley Family Wines, and Baron Ziegler, CEO and co-founder of Banshee Wines, announced  yesterday the creation of a new strategic partnership between Foley Family Wines and the Banshee and RICKSHAW brands, nationwide.

Banshee CEO Baron Ziegler said, “When we founded Banshee and RICKSHAW back in 2010, we knew that if we were successful, we would eventually need to align ourselves with a strategic partner who could help us grow beyond the amazing foundation that we established with our small, core team.  Our partners along the way have helped create something very special in these brands, and we are confident that Foley Family Wines will help us to continue the crusade of bringing great, authentic, wines to consumers.”

This partnership between Banshee, a boutique producer of Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and Foley Family Wines, the owner of extensive premium vineyard holdings and estate wineries, leverages the strengths of both organizations. Banshee’s model since inception in 2010 has relied on buying grapes from independent growers throughout California’s top wine regions. Ziegler says, “The partnership of our two companies will provide Banshee access to grapes from premium FFW vineyards located in the best growing regions along the California coast, while also providing Banshee access to Foley Family Wine’s vast network of sales and distribution.”

This newly formed partnership is an exciting step for Foley Family Wines, as it continues down the path of becoming one of the country’s top luxury wine purveyors.

Foley Family Wines’ President Hugh Reimers remarked, “Banshee Wines and RICKSHAW Wines have been hugely successful ventures that we’re proud to partner with. We look forward to working very closely with Baron and his winemaking team to help expand their successful business model. Their fresh, on-trend labels and unique approach to premium winemaking is something we’re excited to showcase in the Foley Family Wines portfolio.”

Ziegler and his team will retain continued interest and ownership with both the Banshee Wines and RICKSHAW brands. Banshee plans to continue to source grapes from their current stable of top vineyards, and the wines will be under the direction of the current Banshee winemaking team.

About Banshee/Rickshaw Wines

Banshee Wines was started in 2010 by three young wine industry veterans who pooled their money to start producing cool climate Pinot Noir in the Sonoma Coast; From day-one, Banshee has been all about creating wines that outperform their price, while keeping true to their original spirit of letting the Banshee brand reflect the irreverent ethos of the new wave of young producers in Sonoma County. The founders work in-step with dedicated grape growers who farm cool-climate, hillside, and primarily Sonoma Coast vineyards located in Occidental, Sebastopol and Fort Ross-Seaview. Banshee Wines are crafted with elegance, focus and deliciousness in mind and can be found nationwide in select stores and online at www.bansheewines.com, or in their tasting room in downtown Healdsburg, CA.

* Please note that the Banshee wines are not yet available through the Foley Food & Wine Society. Stay tuned for updates. 

The Vegas Golden Knights label has officially launched, and the first two bottlings include our 2015 Chalone Chardonnay and our 2015 Foley Johson Meritage. 

Vegas Golden Knights 2015 Chalone Chardonnay

This 2015 Chardonnay begins with a delicate bouquet of lemon, nectarine and a warm toastiness. The palate is finessed and balanced with flavors of orange zest, apricot and a hint of vanilla. The age of the vineyards together with the limestone terroir delivers complexity and minerality unique to the Chalone AVA. 

Vegas Golden Kinghts 2015 Foley Johnson Meritage

The 2015 Meritage is a rich and concentrated wine. Ripe black fruit and toasted nut aromas lead you into the glass. The palate is dynamic with black plum, currants and cherry notes that transition into a long satisfying finish of toast baking spices and vanilla accents.

These wines are only available to ship to Nevada at this time, but stay tuned for additional states.

Four of Foley Family Wines’ best celebrated the new year by recently earning top honors from both Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator.

The 2016 Chalk Hill Mt. Eden Clone Pinot Noir was awarded 92 points from Wine Spectator, who offered the following:

“Refreshing with its cast of wild raspberry and jam, blackberry, currant and floral scents. It’s rich, mixing flavors with textural nuance and complexity. Drink now through 2026.”

Chalone and Foley Estates were recognized separately by Wine Enthusiast with 90+ scores and inclusion in their coveted Best of Year issue for 2017. The 2013 Chalone Estate Grenache received 92 points from Wine Enthusiast, who wrote…

“Classic and compelling aromas of rose petal, candied boysenberry, hibiscus reduction and vanilla brioche show on the nose of this wine from a rugged appellation east of the Salinas Valley. The firmly structured palate shows rose petals and tart berries dusted by fennel pollen, white pepper and chaparral spice.”

The 2015 Foley Estates JA Ranch Chardonnay drew high praise along with its 92 points rating.

“The tang of orange rinds and fresh lemon cake meet with hints of toasted coconut and white flowers on the nose of this solid bottling by Bill Foley’s eponymous winery. The texture is crisp but grippy and tense on the sip, with seared orange slices and oak smoke flavors.”

The inclusion of a second Foley Estates Chardonnay in the same Best of Year issue shows just how strong and consistent Foley Estates winemaking is across all their vineyards. Its 2015 Foley Estates T Anchor Ranch Chardonnay secured 91 points, eliciting this from the publication:

“Buttercream, sweet butter, marmalade, baking spice, brown sugar and sea salt converge on the nose of this bottling, named after the Foley family’s Texas ranches. Sea salt, vanilla, lemon peel and frozen-butter flavors show on the sip, which is fatter in the midpalate but cut by the savory saltiness.”

All four of these wines may be purchased directly by clicking on the links below or contacting their respective tasting rooms.

2016 Chalk Hill Mt. Eden Clone Pinot Noir
Purchase Online – 92 Points Wine Spectator
Visit Chalk Hill or call the tasting room at 707-657-4837 for more information.

2013 Chalone Estate Grenache
Purchase Online – 92 Points Wine Enthusiast
Visit Chalone Vineyard or call the tasting room at 707-933-3235 for more information.

2015 Foley Estates JA Ranch Chardonnay
Purchase Online – 92 Points Wine Enthusiast

2015 Foley Estates T Anchor Ranch Chardonnay
Purchase Online – 91 Points Wine Enthusiast
Visit Foley Estates or call the tasting room at 805-737-6222 for more information.

The Four Graces earned two separate 90+ scores from Wine Spectator in December, adding to an already banner year for Foley Family Wines. The 2015 The Four Graces Pinot Noir Willamette Valley was awarded 93 points, while the 2015 The Four Graces Pinot Noir Dundee Hills Reserve received 92 points.

“An expressive and supple version, with a complex core of lively tannins and acidity, plus accents of black cherry, cinnamon and spice that linger toward the minerally finish,” accompanied the 93 score for the ’15 Willamette Valley selection.

The Dundee Hills Reserve elicited similar praise from Wine Spectator noting, “Focused and well-built, with expressive cherry, loam and orange peel flavors that take on depth and structure toward refined, stony tannins.”

Each of these exceptional wines can be purchased directly from the Foley Food and Wine Society by clicking on the link below.

The 2014 Lancaster Estate Cab has been awarded one of the highest honors in the world of wine, a spot on the Wine Spectator 2017 Top 100 list. The ‘14 Cab, rated 94 points by the Wine Spectator, comes in at No. 86 on this year’s list, and is described by Wine Spectator’s James Laube as, “A big, rich Cabernet, with firm, structured tannins that are powerful and edgy, framing the core of blackberry, black cherry, plum and espresso flavors. An impressive effort. Best from 2019 through 2029. 4,075 cases made.”

When asked about the 2014 Vintage, Winemaker David Drake said, “I think it is just the perfect representation of what this property is capable of, in a good vintage, and apparently the ‘14 was a good vintage. The growing conditions were just ideal. It’s not what I did, it is what the property did, I just didn’t mess it up. We did all the same stuff we do every year, we didn’t do anything different. We did it the way we do everything.”

David is humble, but no one knows what the terroir is capable of better than him, he has been with Lancaster for nearly 20 years. David may not sing his own praises, but fellow Foley Family Winemaker Steve Nelson, at Chalk Hill Estate, has no problem parading his accolades. When Steve first heard the news that the ‘14 Lancaster Cab had made the Top 100 List, he said “I think David Drake is an incredible Winemaker, and he is definitely the most interesting man in the room. I think the 2014 is phenomenal! It walks that tightrope between power and elegance, which is the mark of a great cabernet! It’s really challenging to make a cabernet that has all that density, packed with tannin, color and flavor, and still have it come off smooth and seamless on the palate!”

Foley Family Wines Master Sommelier  says, “The 2014 Lancaster Estate is a reflection of the Estate. Beautiful, reserved, slightly tucked in, hidden and shy in the beginning; but somehow stands out when you give it some air. It is strikingly beautiful and strong, but profoundly elegant, and shows her true nature with expressive manner. David Drake understands and translates this natural approach to what Lancaster delivers from the land to the wine. This is a wine that everyone wants to get their hands on. It shows depth and concentration.”

This is the second time a Foley Family wine has been awarded a place on the Top 100 list, preceded only by the 2005 Merus Cabernet Sauvignon, which made an appearance in 2008 at No. 95.

Lancaster Estate Wines have a rich history, and are representative of the best qualities Alexander Valley has to offer. The 2014 is well deserved of its place on the Wine Spectator Top 100 List. It is a great honor, and we are beyond proud to share our 2014 Estate Cabernet with the world of wine.