2015 FOLEY JOHNSON RUTHERFORD ESTATE MERITAGE

Anybody seeking value in Napa Cabernet has likely come across Foley Johnson wines, but what some don’t know is that they also produces a Meritage.  It’s their Meritage that earned a spot on the Wine Spectator’s List of the Top 100 wines of 2018 last year.  The new 2015 Foley Johnson Meritage is unbelievably stunning and sports a dense, velvet lined core that’s packed with inky dark berries, cassis, and mocha.  The wine is sourced exclusively from Estate Vineyards in Rutherford, which is one of the most revered regions for Bordeaux varietals in Napa Valley.  The area is long celebrated for producing wines with palpable, distinct character, superior elegance and of course classic Rutherford dusty tannins.  Paragons Quintessa, BV and Scarecrow all set a precedence for quality in Rutherford.  At $36, the value is simply unmatched.

Rising from a blockbuster vintage in Napa Valley, and one Vinous describes as producing “opulent, voluptuous wines with real personality,” Foley Johnson’s 2015 Meritage brims with each of those qualities.  The wine perfectly marries 57% Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot and Petit Verdot, and after 22 months in barrel and over 2 years in the bottle, this wine really shines It’ll absolutely compete with the best in the Valley at under $40.