($110) Bright ruby-red. Aromas of cassis, plum and licorice. Sweet and densely packed, with dark berry and graphite flavors along with a slight dried-fruit character. I find this a bit low-pitched for a Foley wine despite its sound ripe acidity. Finishes with chewy, slightly dry tannins that call for at least a few years of aging. This is all cabernet sauvignon in 2006, from vineyards on Howell Mountain, Mount Veeder, Atlas Peak and Calistoga.

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Foley's flagship cuvee, the 2006 Claret (a blend of Bordeaux varietals) exhibits a dense ruby/purple hue as well as a sweet bouquet of creme de cassis, blackberries, spice, and charcoal. Medium to full-bodied with gritty tannins in the background, but nice length, texture, and purity, it should merit an outstanding score after another 1-2 years of bottle age.

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Smooth, rich and complex, this is full-bodied, with firm, focused currant, sage and dusty berry fruit that runs deep with concentration, unfolding to reveal blackberry, mineral and light cedary oak flavors. Cabernet Sauvignon.

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Claret is the fundamental benchmark wine from Foley, who ran off a string of 93+ point reviews from The Wine Advocate over the last eight vintages. Here is another winner - Polished and intense chocolate, caramel nose with very dense black fruit on the palate. The wine needs another few months to fully flesh together but already carries well formed length that needs just a bit more finishing.

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Nice dark fruit, soft tannin, but brief on palate.