​Fishnet restraint stretched tight over silky thighs, an engorged corset loosly laced under ample bosom. Beautiful spice and funk, fudge brownies fresh out of oven with dense Rutherford mintiness over dank corridors of horse-stall sweepings. Fruit perfect, high-heels, leather and velvet piquing all eyes lustily toward not-over-ripe cherry barely thinning to medium tannins almost polished out. 

Bought a bunch of these at the fire-sale when Foley bought the winery for a family project a couple years ago. A fun drop, nothing earth-moving, but solid. Not going anywhere fast–even at 10. No brick, bright ruby out to clear edges and a minimum of tertiary bouquet.  

This was never a massively-structured wine, something which drank easily on release and continues to age gracefully if not imperceptively. “Boring” comes to mind, and probably could be effectively utilized in this instance. “Safe” is always a potential judgement, but “thoroughly enjoyable” trumps both. Still, I need to drink them, as there is a sweet flabbiness  in the absence of tannin which can’t translate well over another half-decade. Or can it? I love wine.

2006 SAWYER CELLARS Bradford Meritage Red Wine Rutherford Napa Valley 14.0

www.foleyjohnsonwines.com