Folie à Deux or Ménage à Trois

As wine should be a fun experience, a winemaker oftentimes will select a name that reflects his/her interests or just their whimsical side. Such is the case of the Napa Valley wines named Folie à Deux and Ménage à Trois.

Folie à Deux is from the French meaning "a madness shared by two". A paranoid or delusional belief transmitted from one person to another. The winemaker suggests that they "craft wines that will deliver a delightful shared experience". Clever and unique enough to make you try out their different varietals. Their prices are quite reasonable per bottle (around $22), so you are getting a quality domestic wine at an affordable price. The reds they offer include: a Cabernet that is rich with a dark berry taste, a Zinfandel that is more on the spicy side (as Zinfandels are) and a Merlot that is full bodied with earthy aromas and hints of both berries and spice.

Folie à Deux also offers white wines including a Chardonnay and a Sauvignon Blanc. The Chardonnay is creamy with a bit of pineapple to it. The Sauvignon Blanc, as most are, is full-bodied with a grassy nose. These two wines are really good choices as we move into warm weather as they are light and easy to drink either alone or paired with a good meal.

Ménage à Trois is produced by the Folie à Deux winery and is described as "...what happens when you put three attractive, single, young grapes together in one exquisite bottle". "Three saucy grapes make up the blend. Zinfandel adds a juicy character, Merlot mellows and Cabernet adds backbone. Forward, spicy and soft, this delicious dalliance makes the perfect trio", all this goodness for a reasonable $12 a bottle.

Ménage à Trois also has a Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Muscat grape combo that makes a fantastic white. Finally, they also offer a Rosé that is described as a "like a carnival in your mouth".

Try out one of the bottles of the Ménage à Trois or Folie à Deux with a friend, if for no other reason than the name is intriguing, and see if you can share the madness or feel the sauciness of the grapes. Cheers!