Robert Foley Vineyards : Charbono 2013

A Single-Varietal Charbono with Silky Smooth Tannins

This single-varietal red wine is produced by Robert Foley Vineyards in the Napa Valley wine region of California, using exclusively the rare Charbono varietal, which first inspired Foley to become a winemaker in 1969. The first Charbono cuttings were brought over in the 1880's to Calistoga from the Savoie region of France, where most of it was later wiped out by phylloxera. The biggest producer of Charbono wine in the world, Foley sources his fruit for this wine from the Heinz Family in Calistoga.

The Charbono 2013 from Robert Foley Vineyards presents a beautifully deep and opaque ruby color, indicating a perfect ripeness of the fruit. The aromatic palette reveals a nice mix of strawberries, pomegranite, cherries, berry jam and a touch of vanilla from the oak. On the mid palate, this Napa Valley wine is very full-bodied, offering a lively acidity and velvety soft, beautifully structured tannin in the finish. A very versatile wine, the Charbono 2013 is the perfect pairing with a wide range of dishes, especially grilled lamb or roasted vegetables.