Pinotage was created when Dr Perold crossed Cinsault and Pinot Noir, and Phoenix's back label carried that information on their 1998 vintage. Some oxidation, browning, good depth and length with tannins, some fruit but rather like an aged Rhone. Unfortunately Aaron opened this to sample when we phoned to arrange our visitĪ couple of days previously. Pinotage 1994 (barrel sample stored in half bottle)
Starting to thin, more elegant - a good dinner wine. Lighter colour, browning some, peppery nose. Excellentīottled 3/1999 Unfined, unfiltered. Lovely warm spicy and mouthfilling, slight alcohol warmth at end. He made three barrels and one will be blended with Sangiovese.Īlmost black colour, fruit upfront, fuller mid palate with a herby minty tang. Excellent.Īaron will rack it and bottle it in August. They have been growing Pinotage since 1990, using it in blends until their first varietal bottling in 1998.īlack purple colour, sweet fruits, chocolate minty flavours, clean fresh with some mid-palate acidity. Phoenix currently make Zinfandel, Merlot, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, a Bordeaux blend and Sangiovese, as well as olive oil, but it was the Pinotage I had come to taste.
Aaron likes to experiment with less common varieties, and was intrigued when I told him about the English wine made from the Phoenix grape variety. Behind barrels were tightly packed into all available space. Inside the winery we stood in what will be, when Aaron has finished building it, a tasting room. Even the driveway was lined with grapevines. They lost one vintage when the land on which they had planted a vineyard was sold and the new owner harvested the grapes for himself. Land is at a premium in this area and the Bader's have deals with friends and neighbours to plant vines on their spare land. Aarons father, David, moved to this location when they outgrew their first vineyard.
We parked next to a wooden barn bright yellow with new wood. The winery on Dry Creek Road in Napa isn't open to the public and thus we missed the small sign and had to turn around. We had an appointment with Aaron Bader, the winemaker at Phoenix Vineyards and maker of Pinotage. Showcasing vibrant aromas and flavors, they offer a striking balance of intensity and accessibility and are made to be enjoyed upon release.Home > Article Menu > Northern California 2002 > Core wines include: Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Zinfandel. The majority of the grapes selected for the Folie à Deux varietals come from the acclaimed vineyards of Sonoma County, and each offers a great expression of the varietal. Since 1981 when two psychiatrists founded the winery, Folie à Deux has proven that it is okay to be a little crazy about wine.įolie à Deux offers a variety of red and white wines to tantalize the palates of its tasters. Named for the French term meaning “a passion shared by two,” these wines represent the fulfillment of a dream to create a beautiful dance of flavors and true varietal expression. Folie à Deux has always held a passion for creating wines that deliver a delightful shared experience.
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