2014 Tercero Marsanne Camp 4 Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley (8/1/2018)
– cracked and poured –
– tasted non-blind over 3 hours on Day 1; revisited on Day 3 –
NOSE: honeysuckle; mineral; faint mortadella. Richer on Day 3, but same aromatic profile as Day 1.
BODY: rich, green-tinged golden yellow color; medium to medium-full bodied.
TASTE: dry — almost a touch tannic; not much fruit; hay; 14.3% alc. not noticeable; medium-low acidity; light oak. Same on Day 3. Hold.
Brian, Thanks for the note. Just bought some of this and the rosé for late summer drinking. Might have to rethink that.
I have a few of these on the “do not touch” list.
Thank you for the notes on this. It certainly is one of the most interesting wines I’ve ever made, and it’s my first Marsanne. This is a great that I never really liked when I worked for another Winery. When picked too ripe, it makes a very boring wine that has way too much alcohol. If picked under-ripe, it doesn’t develop the richness that the variety is known for.
Even though this is a 2014, it is still quite Young. I always pour it between cellar and room temperature but never really chilled. It is a textural wine with a touch of earthiness, and if you close your eyes when drinking it, you might think you’re drinking a red wine, not a white.
It certainly is drinking well now, given a good amount of air. It might show a touch of reductive quality upon opening, but this will go away with a little bit of air. I will say that I’ve had bottles of this wine open up to 5 days, unrefrigerated, and it is remains quite fresh and enjoyable.
I am doing a winemaker dinner tonight, and this is being paired with a foie gras Taco 
I can’t wait!
Please reach out if you have any further questions about this wine. Cheers!
We had a bottle of this last week. No notes, but I do recall it being a bit tight and reticent on opening. We enjoyed it quite a bit on nights two and three, so I would say if you have the option to give it a couple of hours of air, don’t be afraid to open one now. I would agree that it is best slightly chilled, but not cold.
Cheers!
Steve