The Taste with Doug Shafer – a Podcast About Wine, Food, and Friends

What Robert Foley Learned From Napa's Legendary Winemakers

The Taste with Doug Shafer – a Podcast About Wine, Food, and Friends

Show Notes

Winemaker Robert Foley knows exactly when wine won him over – it was 1969 when he got the rare chance to visit the cellars at Inglenook and taste classic wines out of casks. With this inspiration, he went on to study winemaking at UC Davis with a who's who of future winemaking stars.

His story is legendary. Straight out of Davis, he landed a job at Heitz Cellars, working with Joe Heitz. He went on to help launch Markham Vineyards, where he became one of Napa's first to craft indelible Merlots, igniting the Merlot boom. He then helped launch Pride Mountain Vineyards, where he learned the intricate vine-by-vine approach needed to make wine from high atop Spring Mountain, overlooking both Napa and Sonoma valleys.

Today Robert Foley produces wines of beautiful character and distinction from another Napa Valley mountain source – Howell Mountain. He pours decades of experience and care into his wines, whether for his own Robert Foley Vineyards or for clients such as Hourglass and Padis.

Bob is also a talented, longtime musician, performing and touring with lifelong friends in the Robert Foley Band. Check out their albums on Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Music.

For more on his story and his wines, visit robertfoleyvineyards.com.

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