Dec 30, 2022
Search This Site:
Foley Estates Vineyard & Winery
| Owner(s) | Foley Family Wines |
| Web site | www.foleywines.com |
| Link to this site |
This is a showcase property in the Napa mode located along Hwy 246 in the northern part of the appellation. The beautiful tasting room is open daily from 10-5. Owner William (Bill) Foley II, who built Fidelity National title into one of the most successful mortgage-title companies in the world, purchased the Rancho Santa Rosa in 1998 and planted 230 acres to Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah. The winemaker is Kris Curran (formerly Sea Smoke) and the enologist is Colin Murphy (all of whom also produce wine for Lincourt Vineyards in the Santa Ynez Valley which is also owned by William Foley II). The Rancho Santa Rosa Vineyard has 32 different blocks of Pinot Noir. Both composite wines and single clone wines are produced. The large acreage here and the extensive winery resources allow for considerable experimentation which should pay off down the line in the quality of the wines emerging from this winery.
Foley also owns Lincourt Winery in Santa Ynez that produces Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, Sebastiani Winery, and has purchased several other wineries in the western United States, Europe and New Zealand (as of 2012, he owns 13 wineries). Foley Wine Co. sells nearly one million cases a year. In December, 2012, Foley will launch the Foley Wine and Food Society, a unique club of restaurants, resorts and wine. The Foley winery has a large tasting room open daily.
Articles About Foley Estates Vineyard & Winery
Reviewed Wines
2015 Foley Rancho Santa Rosa Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., pH 3.52, TA 0.68, 2,326 cases, $40.
Harvest Brix 24.5º-27.0º. 100% de-stemmed with no crushing. 4-day cold soak in open-top fermenters, inoculated
yeast fermentation, manual punch downs, aged 18 months in French and Hungarian oak barrels, 28% new.
·
Moderate garnet color in the glass. Inviting aromas of strawberry, cherry and baking spices. Nicely composed,
with bright flavors of spiced dark red fruits and a hint of cola and tobacco. Well-integrated tannins, with a cherry
finish that really grabs hold.
Score: 92.
Reviewed October 8, 2017
ARTICLE »
2015 Foley Bar Lazy S Ranch Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir
14.3% alc., pH
3.48, TA 0.67, 609 cases, $45. Brand Series. Rancho Santa Rosa East
Vineyard. Harvest Brix 24.5º-27.0º. 100% gently de-stemmed, 4-day cold
soak in open-top fermenters, manual punch downs, free-run wine aged in
French oak barrels for 18 months, 50% new.
·
Moderate garnet color in the
glass. Lovely melange of cherry, strawberry, earth and sawdust aromas. A
distinctive wine with mid weight flavors of cherry, raspberry and exotic
spices shot through with a floral, tutti-frutti note. Barrel treatment is well
coordinated, and the wine finishes long and generous.
Score: 93.
Reviewed October 8, 2017
ARTICLE »
2015 Foley JA Ranch Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., pH 3.35, TA 0.71, 685 cases, $55. Brand Series.
Rancho Santa Rosa East Vineyard. Harvest Brix 24.5º-27.0º. 100% gently de-stemmed with no crushing, 4-day
cold soak in open top fermenters, manual punch downs, free-run juice aged in French oak barrels, 30% new, for
18 months.
·
Moderate garnet color in the glass. Aromas of raspberry, cherry and cola are echoed in the flavors in
this mouth filling wine that soars with fruit goodness and vibrancy due to high natural acidity. The oak treatment is
reigned in, the tannins are in step, and the fruity finish leaves special aromatic memories.
Score: 93.
Reviewed October 8, 2017
ARTICLE »
2015 Foley T Anchor Ranch Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir
14.3% alc., pH 3.49, TA 0.68, 691 cases, $55. Brand
Series. Rancho Santa Rosa East Vineyard. Harvest Brix 24.5º-27.0º. 100% gently de-stemmed, 4-day cold soak
in open-top fermenters, manual punch downs, free-run transferred to French oak barrels for 18 months aging,
40% new.
·
Moderate garnet color in the glass. Attractive aromas of dark red fruit compote, brioche and dusty oak.
Sleek and polished in the mouth, with a middleweight core of blueberry and cherry fruits backed by noticeable
oak input. The lightest sap in the 2015 Brand Series lineup, with a rather delicate character. My only nit would be
that the wine falls short of impressive mid palate and finishing presence, but is otherwise delectable.
Score: 90.
Reviewed October 8, 2017
ARTICLE »
2015 Foley Barrel Select Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir
14.3% alc., pH 3.54, TA 0.65, 521 cases, $60. Rancho
Santa Rosa East Vineyard. 100% de-stemmed, 4-day cold soak in open-top fermenters, inoculated yeast
fermentation, manual punch downs, aged 18 months in French oak barrels, 100% new.
·
Moderate garnet color in
the glass. The nose is quite reserved, offering only demure aromas of peppery spice, blackberry, underbrush and
seasoned oak. Sleek and silky in the mouth with weighty flavors of purple and black berries accented with
peppery, walnut oak. Ripe tannins ply the background, and the wine finishes with a quenching burst of fruit. The
wine picks up interest and expression over time in the glass indicating it needs more time in the cellar for full
enjoyment.
Score: 93.
Reviewed October 8, 2017
ARTICLE »
2010 Foley Bar Lazy S Ranch Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir
14.5% alc., $N/A.
·
Medium reddish-purple color in
the glass. Ripe dark red fruits with a hint of stem. Earth-kissed black fruits with a dose of dark chocolate on
the palate. Smooth with balanced tannins and a generous finish. Very good.
Reviewed April 13, 2013
ARTICLE »
2010 Foley T Anchor Ranch Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir
14.5% alc., $N/A.
·
Moderately dark reddish-purple
hue in the glass. Aromas of spiced cherries, black raspberries and a hint of stem. Juicy, with vibrant fruit, a
savory note in the background, a seductive mouth feel and commendable restraint. Very good.
Reviewed April 13, 2013
ARTICLE »
2005 Foley Estate Clone 2A Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir
$45. 2A is the Wädenswil clone.
·
An opulent Pinot Noir featuring
bright berry fruit with charming silkiness which is marred only
by a herbal and oak dominated finish.
Reviewed July 23, 2007
ARTICLE »
2015 Foley Rancho Santa Rosa Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., pH 3.52, TA 0.68, 2,326 cases, $40. Harvest Brix 24.5º-27.0º. 100% de-stemmed with no crushing. 4-day cold soak in open-top fermenters, inoculated yeast fermentation, manual punch downs, aged 18 months in French and Hungarian oak barrels, 28% new. · Moderate garnet color in the glass. Inviting aromas of strawberry, cherry and baking spices. Nicely composed, with bright flavors of spiced dark red fruits and a hint of cola and tobacco. Well-integrated tannins, with a cherry finish that really grabs hold. Score: 92. Reviewed October 8, 2017 ARTICLE »
2015 Foley Bar Lazy S Ranch Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir
14.3% alc., pH 3.48, TA 0.67, 609 cases, $45. Brand Series. Rancho Santa Rosa East Vineyard. Harvest Brix 24.5º-27.0º. 100% gently de-stemmed, 4-day cold soak in open-top fermenters, manual punch downs, free-run wine aged in French oak barrels for 18 months, 50% new. · Moderate garnet color in the glass. Lovely melange of cherry, strawberry, earth and sawdust aromas. A distinctive wine with mid weight flavors of cherry, raspberry and exotic spices shot through with a floral, tutti-frutti note. Barrel treatment is well coordinated, and the wine finishes long and generous. Score: 93. Reviewed October 8, 2017 ARTICLE »
2015 Foley JA Ranch Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., pH 3.35, TA 0.71, 685 cases, $55. Brand Series. Rancho Santa Rosa East Vineyard. Harvest Brix 24.5º-27.0º. 100% gently de-stemmed with no crushing, 4-day cold soak in open top fermenters, manual punch downs, free-run juice aged in French oak barrels, 30% new, for 18 months. · Moderate garnet color in the glass. Aromas of raspberry, cherry and cola are echoed in the flavors in this mouth filling wine that soars with fruit goodness and vibrancy due to high natural acidity. The oak treatment is reigned in, the tannins are in step, and the fruity finish leaves special aromatic memories. Score: 93. Reviewed October 8, 2017 ARTICLE »
2015 Foley T Anchor Ranch Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir
14.3% alc., pH 3.49, TA 0.68, 691 cases, $55. Brand Series. Rancho Santa Rosa East Vineyard. Harvest Brix 24.5º-27.0º. 100% gently de-stemmed, 4-day cold soak in open-top fermenters, manual punch downs, free-run transferred to French oak barrels for 18 months aging, 40% new. · Moderate garnet color in the glass. Attractive aromas of dark red fruit compote, brioche and dusty oak. Sleek and polished in the mouth, with a middleweight core of blueberry and cherry fruits backed by noticeable oak input. The lightest sap in the 2015 Brand Series lineup, with a rather delicate character. My only nit would be that the wine falls short of impressive mid palate and finishing presence, but is otherwise delectable. Score: 90. Reviewed October 8, 2017 ARTICLE »
2015 Foley Barrel Select Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir
14.3% alc., pH 3.54, TA 0.65, 521 cases, $60. Rancho Santa Rosa East Vineyard. 100% de-stemmed, 4-day cold soak in open-top fermenters, inoculated yeast fermentation, manual punch downs, aged 18 months in French oak barrels, 100% new. · Moderate garnet color in the glass. The nose is quite reserved, offering only demure aromas of peppery spice, blackberry, underbrush and seasoned oak. Sleek and silky in the mouth with weighty flavors of purple and black berries accented with peppery, walnut oak. Ripe tannins ply the background, and the wine finishes with a quenching burst of fruit. The wine picks up interest and expression over time in the glass indicating it needs more time in the cellar for full enjoyment. Score: 93. Reviewed October 8, 2017 ARTICLE »
2010 Foley Bar Lazy S Ranch Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir
14.5% alc., $N/A. · Medium reddish-purple color in the glass. Ripe dark red fruits with a hint of stem. Earth-kissed black fruits with a dose of dark chocolate on the palate. Smooth with balanced tannins and a generous finish. Very good. Reviewed April 13, 2013 ARTICLE »
2010 Foley T Anchor Ranch Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir
14.5% alc., $N/A. · Moderately dark reddish-purple hue in the glass. Aromas of spiced cherries, black raspberries and a hint of stem. Juicy, with vibrant fruit, a savory note in the background, a seductive mouth feel and commendable restraint. Very good. Reviewed April 13, 2013 ARTICLE »
2005 Foley Estate Clone 2A Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir
$45. 2A is the Wädenswil clone. · An opulent Pinot Noir featuring bright berry fruit with charming silkiness which is marred only by a herbal and oak dominated finish. Reviewed July 23, 2007 ARTICLE »