Foley Johnson

A singularly delicious bottle of wine. Deep dark fruit aromas lure you into the glass. There’s a hint of something akin to dark chocolate and cocoa before it opens up to reveal classic black currant and berry syrup aromas.
Merus is handmade in every sense of the word. It is composed primarily of Cabernet Sauvignon from the Coombsville Viticultural Appellation in the Southeastern corner of the Napa Valley. The individual vineyards selected for Merus are owned by a handful of serious growers who possess extraordinary terroirs and a willingness to implement our strict farming and harvesting protocols. Severe pruning, cluster sorting, small-lot fermentations and careful lot selection combine to create a wine that is dense, concentrated and nuanced.

A favorite of Winemaker Gio Verdejo, our 2019 Handmade Petit Verdot is dark and inky in the glass and opens with bright and floral aromatics of violet, lilac and plum. Bold and full on the palate, this wine has flavors of black currant, olive and dried sage. The 60% new French oak aging softens the bold tannins and provides lingering notes of creamy vanilla and roasted coffee beans on the finish.

Our 2012 Handmade Alexander Valley Malbec is a deep purple and rich wine composed of our oldest hillside block of Malbec. Beautiful floral aromas of lilies and dried sage complement blueberries and cherries with a touch of vanilla and leather on the nose. The fruit from our estate vineyard blocks meld together to create a combination of power and restraint on the palate. Black cherry, bramble fruit, dried herbs, and cola are nicely balanced with juicy acidity wrapped around a tannic core.

On the nose, strong notes of black cherry and black currant are complemented by hints of dark chocolate and vanilla. A viscous palate filled with flavors of ripe fig and blackberries with a pleasant acidity.
The 2018 growing season was one of the mildest and smoothest in recent memory. Mild spring weather led to good fruit set in most varietals and moderate weather throughout the year made for ideal growing conditions. There were no major heat spikes, which gave us longer hang-time and great ripening on the vine. While a fairly long harvest, the 2018 crop delivered fruit with complex flavors and was of excellent quality.

Aromas of ripe plum, black cherry, clove, and cocoa dust. These enticing aromas complement the vivid raspberry, red currant, dried herb and tobacco flavors present on the palate.

A vibrant ruby red color in the glass, our 2018 Foley Johnson Handmade Zinfandel opens with big bold blackberry notes followed by winter pine aromas. On the palate perfectly ripe plum flavors are accompanied by full soft tannins.

This wine is dominated by mouth-watering notes of ripe red raspberry and maraschino cherry. Inspired by Burgundian style, it delivers a lean body and pronounced acidity with black pepper on the finish.
The 2018 vintage kicked off with an extremely unusual heat spike in February that sent the vines into a rapid, early start but was quickly followed by a cold spell. Frost events had longer duration than prior years and the season continued its cold to moderate temperature pattern through May. The first pop of real heat finally arrived mid-June and temperatures remained moderate the rest of the growing season allowing the grapes to gradually ripen. We started picking 3 weeks later than typical but the rich flavor profiles were worth the wait.

On the palate, bold tannins are balanced with concentrated flavors, bright acid and savory notes. Well structured and full bodied, our Cabernet Sauvignon is approachable now, but will age beautifully over the next 5-10 years.
Our Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon is a wonderful expression of the classic Bordeaux varietal. Upon opening, striking aromas of black cherry and tobacco fill the nose and provide a gateway to the sophisticated palate. The palate is well balanced with succulent acidity, with flavors of fresh wild berries and subtle savory notes. Bold, round tannins and notes of toasted vanilla from the oak aging linger on the elegant finish.