Far out on the ends of the Temecula wine region sits Foote Path winery (formerly Foote Print Winery). I discovered the place like I discovered several other hidden gems of the wine world, such as William Harrison of Rutherford, simply by driving past and deciding I was thirsty.

Foote Path is owned and operated by husband and wife, Deane & Christine Foote. When I arrived, Deane was pouring. He welcomed us but immediately gave notice that there would be no white wine. I decided to try his wines anyway. (They also have other disclaimers on their site, including no weddings, no events, no limos or buses. The refreshing message is that Foote Path is not corporate, Foote Path is family).

A portion of the wines are organically farmed, which owner, Deane was proud to let me know. I almost chucked as he used the phrase, "Organic Wine" when describing his grapes. Organic wine has to be free from sulfates in order to be called, "organic wine". Very rarely will you find even a drinkable "organic wine". In Foote Path's case, the grapes are farmed "organically", with the wine being made from "organic grapes" (you can thank the FDA for this fun wording and awkward food laws).

All of the Bordeaux varietals are represented at Foote Path: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cab Franc, Petit Verdot (pronounced Ver-doh), and Malbec. Foote’s expansive list also includes a Zinfandel and a Rhone varietal, the Syrah. In addition to all of the varietals bottled as single, the winery also has a series of blends, using an approach closely resembling the Bordeaux-style of blending.

All of Foote Path’s wines are good, very good. Though Foote Path is located in a wine region whose vineyards are still grappling with the timeless question of what exactly should be planted, Foote Path winery has got it down. I greatly enjoyed finding single varietal wines such as the Petit Verdot and my new favorite, the Cab Franc.

If I could sum up all of the Foote Path wines, their single varietals in particular, I would say that they are all textbook good.  Instead of reading about what a Cab Franc tastes like, you simply have to try Foot Path Winery's wine and you'll know.

Foot Path may not be the flashiest, or the one with the most medals (in the words of Doug Nalle, "Medals? We don't need no stinkin' medals”), but the warm family-style vineyard culture is refreshing to any visitor, and their wines, which are well made, will not disappoint you.

 

Cheers,

Haydn

For the record, Foote Path has won awards for their Late Harvest Zin (port-style) wine. I did not try it, and in retrospect, wish I had.  You can read further on their website, which you can reach at this link.

 

Haydn Adams is the author of the book, Wineries Beyond Napa Valley: Dry Creek and Alexander Valley, an insider’s tasting guide to the hidden gems region. He also contributes to the Beyond Napa Valley Wine Blog, writes for vinvillage.com, and can be found roaming the hills of Sonoma County looking for the next hidden gems. You can contact him at haydn@beyondnapavalley.com