It was 9:00 am on a Tuesday morning in June. The task at hand – tasting twenty-two library wines ahead of our release of Angela Osborne x Folded Hills Library Wines. Tough work, but someone has to do it!
We were so excited to sit down and taste the wines Angela had made for Folded Hills from 2016 to 2019. I wish we had a video of the four of us tasting because it was filled with joy and anticipation. We are all so excited to be making new vintages with Angela. There was also a bit of silliness as we couldn’t help sipping (instead of spitting) these amazing wines.
These are not your typical wine-tasting notes. No wine snobs here, just a few good noses, a discerning palate or two, and genuine enthusiasm for the wines.
When this wine was first released, emphasis was on the red fruit, bright red cherry. It has now mellowed to soft, delicate ripe cherries, fall spice, and cherry cola with floral aromatics.
Click HERE for more about carbonic wine.
Aromatics of savory bacon fat, accompanied by herbaceous undertones. Bright and fresh, with a lighter sensation on the palate compared to the intensity of the nose, offering a well-balanced and refreshing experience.
Crisp and refreshing with vibrant acidity. Delicate notes of gardenia and a subtle hint of summer melon on the nose. A perfect sipper for warm weather.
Ripe dark cherry, raspberry leaf, red currant, and boysenberry. Love the acid profile on this vintage. Very cool!
First vintage of August Red using 100% estate fruit. Pepper on the nose, mineral influence and a hint of ocean mist. Very pretty floral notes that run through the whole palate, and black licorice on the finish.
Beautiful ripe fruit and lovely aromatics. Bright and fresh with a bergamot finish.
Lighter handed approach that is a great example of the vineyard site. Cool climate Syrah with notes of pepper and tobacco.
Fresh and crisp with hints of green apple and lemon verbena. Nice structure, stellar acid. Notes of baking spice and cardamom. Lovely mid-palate rolls into a nutty lift from the Roussanne. People raved about this wine in the tasting rooms when it was first released.
Delicate white flower aromas and fresh stone fruit notes, complemented by hints of spice. An invigorating tasting experience.
Ah! Here’s the nose! Bright red fruit and zesty freshness. Explosive mid-palate balance of acid and texture, coats your whole palate leaving a red licorice finish. Nutmeg spice, hibiscus, and a “cool herbaceousness that I can’t put my finger on.”
Bright cherry and bright, lovely fruit. Hints of rose petal with a strawberry jam mid-palate and juice raspberry on the finish. “OMG I am drinking this one!”
Syrah dominant. Gorgeous, bright, and spicy just begging for barbecue. Finish almost has a turmeric finish…a chalky spiciness.
“I love the spice complexity on this wine!” Huckleberry, strawberry shortcake, purple plum, freshly steeped black tea leaves, and red cherries. Pairs beautifully with Moroccan dishes – click HERE for our favorite Moroccan chicken recipe.
Fresh herbs, soft spice notes, and delightful perfume. Floral aromatics with hints of yuzu.
A tiny cuvée of two barrels. Complex layers of inky ripe dark fruit, eucalyptus, boysenberry pie, spice and herbaceousness.
“Oh Wow” at the piña colada nose. Plumeria wafts out of the glass.Hawaiian flowers, and sunscreen (but in a good way). Really cool, unripe mango and key lime with a bright finish. Transforms people to a tropical place.
Our very first vintage from the l’oeuf (concrete egg). Click HERE for what a l’oeuf is in winemaking.
Bright and clean on the palate with notes of jasmine, orchard fruit, summer melon, and lemon confit.
Our first vintage of 100% Estate Marsanne. Hints of lychee and lemongrass, with honeysuckle, white tea and beeswax. Palate shows quince, lemon grass, and crushed roasted nuts with a great texture and a lingering velvety finish.
Amazing plumeria aromatics. Delicious bright young cherry, red fruit, and just picked cranberry. A bright mid-palate with a long mineral finish. “Yummm!”
Our only vintage of carbonic Syrah. Hints of pepper and lingonberries with some soft tannins and balanced acid. “Is anyone else getting BBQ kettle chips?” Colorado loved this wine and it sold out quickly in both of our tasting rooms. “Ooh! I want this wine with some BBQ smoked meat.”
Cherry Jolly Rancher vibes. Pomegranate, red cherries, and bright red fruit with woodsy notes and a Red Hot candy finish.
Beautiful aromatics, a rose petal nose. Juicy fruits, olallieberry, ripe plum, and an incredible balance of spice, structure, and brightness. Preserved freshness, aged beautifully. “Wow!”
There you have it! All twenty-two of these spectacular library wines. We apologize for our somewhat unconventional tasting notes. Despite the early hour, we didn’t spit nearly as much as we should have. Don’t judge, just enjoy and try one or two of these spectacular library wines for yourself.
There are so few of these wines in the library, they’ll be gone before you can say, “Angela’s back!”
Cheers!
