Disclaimer: The Foundry Wines reviewed here were samples.
Foundry Wines are the sister brand to Anarchist Wines. We reviewed a couple of their wines in a previous post and really enjoyed their style. The two wines we review here are more conventional blends; a Tuscan style red and a sparkling wine.
When writing the previous paragraph I thought about putting it in quotes. The Foundry’s red blend is conventional in so far as the choice of grapes reflect those used in Super-Tuscan wines. However, Super-Tuscans were originally a rebellion by Italian winemakers against convention. Strict rules in Italy limited the use of non-indigenous grape varieties, such as Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Super-Tuscans blended Sangiovese, the traditional grape of that region. This failed to meet the requirements needed to label the wine as Chianti. Winemakers had to label the wine as table wine. The Super Tuscan name was coined to distinguish these wines from the cheap plonk that usually bears the table wine description. Regulations changed and now these blends are described as IGT or Bolgheri DOC.
The Winemaker
Patrick Saboe is the winemaker of both the wines that we review in this post. Patrick spent ten years at “Slightly North of Broad”, a famous Charleston restaurant. Amber and I had the pleasure of eating dinner there with our friend and fellow wine blogger, Rick Dean. We can whole-heartedly recommend a visit to this superb restaurant.
Foundry Red Wine
We tasted the 2015 Eidola. It is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Sangiovese, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petite Sirah. Grapes sourced from Napa Valley and Dry Creek Valley. The wine aged for twenty-eight months in 70% new French oak.
The nose was luxuriant with big wafts of blackcurrant and a sprinkling of pepper. The mouth feel was velvet soft with rich layers of dark fruit, subtle herbs, and dancing tannins. Drinking it with Amber’s homemade lasagne emphasized the acidity.
This is an excellent wine, lush enough to drink on its own but with the structure and acidity to stand up to and complement rich dishes. Briased beef comes to mind here.
Blanc de Noirs
The second Foundary wine we tasted was the 2015 Blanc de Noirs. A 100% sparkling Pinot Noir from the Sangiacomo Vineyard in Sonoma’s Petaluma Gap AVA. We have written before about excellent wine from this new AVA when we visited Keller Estates.
The wine had a pink tinged golden hue with tight, lively bubbles. A nose of honeysuckle planted in wet stones welcomed us. It was dry, crisp, and so inviting. The first impression was of green apple. Tropical fruit opened up in mid-palate. Light brioche notes emerged in the finish.
This is an elegant sparkling wine. Ideal for celebrations. It sells for $58
Summary
Both of these wines are beautifully crafted, approachable, and simply delicious. You can buy the wines from here. Until the end of February ground shipping is free for orders of four or more bottles.
