Foley Johnson
For years, Bill Foley and his wife, Carol Johnson Foley, had dreamt of opening a winery bearing their name in Napa Valley. They both enjoyed the grandeur of Napa’s scenery and the rhythm of its lifestyle, and, more importantly, the couple loved the opulence and complexity of Napa’s wines. With the launch of Foley Johnson in 2012, the Foleys have created a world-class winery with premier vineyards and a historic tasting room right in the heart of America’s preeminent winegrowing region. Located along Highway 29 in the prestigious Rutherford AVA, Foley Johnson exemplifies the understated elegance and casual warmth of the Valley.
Rutherford AVA: Foley Johnson has 50 acres of estate vineyards in the heart of Rutherford, one of the most heralded AVAs in America. In addition to its historical importance, Rutherford is recognized as one of California’s greatest regions for luxury-class wines. The appellation encompasses six square miles and possesses a total of 3,518 acres of vineyards of which 71% are planted to Cabernet Sauvignon. The climate is an arid Region II, with warm days and cool nights throughout the summer months. The soils are primarily gravel, sand, and loam. The combination of conditions makes this the perfect place for Bordeaux varieties.
Main Ranch: The original vineyard (nearly 40 acres) surrounding the winery extends east from Highway 29 down to the banks of the Napa River. It is divided into 29 blocks based on soils, exposure, and aspect. Until 1984, when the first vines were introduced by Bill and Lila Jaeger, the original estate was planted to plum and walnut orchards. Today the site features 14.35 acres Cab Sauv, 12.34 acres Merlot, 1.27 acres Petite Sirah, 1.74 acres Petit Verdot, 1.55 acres Cabernet Franc, 1.10 acres Malbec, 3.38 acres Sauvignon Blanc, and 1.57 acres Sauvignon Musque.
Peral Vineyard: The neighboring 10-acre estate parcel, just south of the original vineyard, offers similar conditions with excellent drainage and a shade more adobe in the soil. It is planted exclusively to Cabernet Sauvignon.
Sustainable Farming: All of our vineyards are farmed sustainably. Our goal is to preserve the local ecosystem and minimize our impact on the land. In addition to our proprietary farming program, we have helped rejuvenate and protect the Napa River bordering the eastern edge of our estate by removing non-native plants and reestablishing indigenous species. We also have built bird and owl sanctuary houses in our vineyard for insect control. Beyond the beneficial effects sustainable farming has on the environment, it also results in superior grapes that more accurately reflect our terroir.
