2004, Folie a Deux Ménage a Trois Review 

Over All Rating - "Highest Recommendation"

Where we got it and how much it cost. 

Cosco for 7 dollars and change.  Another highly distributed wine you should be able to find with out looking too hard for it.

Where is this wine made. 

Folie A Deux winery in St. Helena, Napa County California.  (one I plan to visit some day)

General Impression of Folie a Deux Ménage a Trois, 2004

When I see a bottle labeled "table wine" even though I know better it always prejudices me a bit against it.  In the US Table Wine simply means the wine is a blend and does not have enough of one grape to call the wine legally a Zinfandel or Merlot and has an alcohol level of 7-14%.  Thinking this three grape blend of my top favorite US Red Varietals (Merlot, Cabernet and Zinfandel) might be similar to a light burgundy or decent Meritage I picked up a bottle.  

My one regret?  I now have to go back to Cosco and buy more.  This is an excellent red wine with a lot going on.  I am sure even the snobs would rate it in the upper 80's.  If you take the time you can actually taste and smell the three different contributions to the wine by its' three participants.  Yet if you just want to eat a bacon cheese burger and have a nice glass to quaff it is easy drinking enough to do that too.

What Flavors are Most Dominant or Evident In This Wine?

There are quite a few, lots of berry obviously with all these different reds.  Jam like flavors are evident as well.  The Zinfandel really is clear with its blackberry flavor and that peppery spice so well known from Zin.  Oak is in there too as the wine in aged in both French and American oak.

What foods will this wine go well with?

To be a bit obtuse let me say just about anything!  Perfect matches include chicken (spicy or rich marinades).  Take a bottle and glass out to your back yard grill and about any meat you toss on the grill will go nice with it.  I had a few glasses with Chef Adel's "Roasted Corn and Red Pepper Sausage" off my grill.  I have to say the match was great.  It's a fun playful red as the name and may not stand up well with a really big steak but you could do worse then this wine and a steak in fact I have the other half of the bottle reserved for a bacon wrapped sirloin tonight.

What's Grapes are In Folie a Deux  Ménage a Trois, 2004?

I can tell you want but not the quantity so I will give them to you in the order my tasting would indicate they are used by quantity.  I would say going from the highest percentage down to the lowest it would go

• Zinfandel

• Merlot

• Cabernet Sauvignon

Will I keep it In My Wine Rack, If So How Much?

Yes indeed to the tune of I am going to grab a case and put it in my secondary rack (the one I don't walk past every day) so I don't drink it all up to fast.  I is a wine meant to drink young but I would say keeping it 2 years won't let too much go out of it since it is only two years old now.  That way I am going to have some to compare to the 05 and 06 when they come out.  I will keep a few in my day to day rack too.

Who Is Going to Enjoy This Wine?

I'll put it this way, if you have ever had and enjoyed a nice light French Burgundy or say a lower priced Meritage (Estancia for example) and enjoyed them but didn't like the price tag you are going to LOVE this one.  If you enjoy Zinfandel in general this is a nice lighter red that doesn't loose the berry and pepper that probably turned you into a Zin hedonist in the first place.  

What Does the Bottle or Vintners Web Site Say About this Wine?

From the Bottle:  A delightful blend based on three varietals - Zinfandel, Merlot and Cabernet.  

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