DAY 1 - CENTRAL COAST TASTINGS - Central Coast - CA (8/15/2013)
Had a great day driving around the Santa Ynez Valley tasting some really great wines.
Palmina
This place is great. I will say, they would do themselves a huge service if they opened and decanted their wines ahead of time. We happened to be some of the first guests there and all of our wines were pop-n-pour.
-
2011 Palmina Arneis Honea Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
A very clean and refreshing Arneis. Bracing minerality accompanied a fresh fruit core. Not setting the world on fire, but this was quite nice. (87 pts.) -
2011 Palmina Malvasia Bianca - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
A real big fan of this. The nose had a melange of tropical fruits…tons of lychee and peaches. Palate was dry as a bone and very fresh. Just a perfectly balanced Malvasia primed for the summer time. Buy by the case. (91 pts.) -
2011 Palmina Dolcetto - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
As Dr. Steve Brule would say, “sweet berry wine!” (87 pts.) -
2010 Palmina Barbera - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
Just a beautiful Barbera with a sweet, floral nose. The palate was subtle, juicy, and really elegant. Had great depth of flavor and didn’t have too much oak or heat. Really nice. (90 pts.) -
2010 Palmina Barbera Walker Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
A beautiful Barbera from a single vineyard parcel in the Santa Ynez Valley. The tannins were pretty noticeable here, so some time is recommended. Already the red berries and smokey notes are showing quite well. (89 pts.) -
2010 Palmina Alisos - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
Wasn’t my favorite. Some of the fruit is dried before vinification, and the raisiny component to the wine just isn’t my style. -
2009 Palmina Sangiovese Undici - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
Killer stuff. The nose is pure elegance with lots of dried roses and other potpourri tones. Palate is expressive, feminine and floral. There was definitely a smokey component to this, but the elegance of the fruit kept that from being too distracting. Lovely stuff. (92 pts.) -
2007 Palmina Nebbiolo - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
Despite being a pop and pour, I thought this was pretty elegant. Sure it’ll be better in 3-5 years, but it already shows nice rose and earthy notes. Lots of structure in the mix too…if you’re shy with tannins, watch out! (87 pts.) -
2007 Palmina Nebbiolo Sisquoc Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
Another “strip the enamel off your teeth” type of wine. The tannins are so raw that it’s really hard to get a sense of what’s going on here. On the nose, however, the rose and earth components are quite nice. While the palate is unyielding at this point, the nose suggests a really elegant wine underneath.
Larner
-
2011 Larner Malvasia Bianca Larner - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
Lots of tropical fruits, specifically grapefruit on the nose. The palate was very fresh and juicy. Lacked character. (84 pts.) -
2011 Larner Grenache Rosé - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
Juicy with lots of red berries. The palate was clean and fresh. Wasn’t as steely or mineral driven as some Roses, but this was quite delicious. (89 pts.) -
2010 Larner Vineyard Viognier “Estate” - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
Aromas of honey and stone. The palate had a tropical punch to it…with some peaches, pears, and lychee. Alcohol was in check, this was nice. (86 pts.) -
2009 Larner Vineyard Grenache “Estate” - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
Lots of juicy berries on the palate, with a VERY dark palate. The fruit was rich and stewed and very smokey. Not my thing at all. (71 pts.) -
2009 Larner Vineyard Elemental - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
65% Grenache, 23% Syrah, & 12% Mourvedre. Lots of savory herbs on the nose and palate. The wine was dark, musty, and deep. Had some heat too…wasn’t overly enjoyable. (82 pts.) -
2009 Larner Syrah Larner Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
Seemed a bit disjointed to me. It had a big dose of meat, but the heat and prickly black fruit were such a turnoff. (73 pts.)
Dragonette Cellars
An address to watch.
-
2012 Dragonette Cellars Rosé - USA, California, Central Coast, Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara
A very clean, polished Rose. Had some really nice orange peel notes, subtle spice and cranberry. Delicious. (91 pts.) -
2012 Dragonette Cellars Sauvignon Blanc Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara - USA, California, Central Coast, Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara
Incredibly tropical. Nose has a melange of tropical fruits - mangos, peaches, and lychee. Despite the incredibly density of tropical fruits this is clean and fresh. Definitely a far cry from the clean and zippy Sancerre’s of the Loire, but this was quite nice in its own way. (87 pts.) -
2011 Dragonette Cellars Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills - USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills
Thankfully didn’t have the birch beer notes I usually see in pinot from this area…instead this had a lighter spice, with some cranberry, cherry, and rose aromas. Palate was elegant, balanced and layered. Some really nice things going on here with its red fruits, subtle earth, and spices. (88 pts.) -
2011 Dragonette Cellars Pinot Noir Fiddlestix Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills
A very clean and expressive wine. Had a good deal of red fruits, spice notes and some brown sugar. Palate was super clean with precise red fruits and floral notes. A very good pinot, although it did lack that second gear I was looking for. (90 pts.) -
2011 Dragonette Cellars Syrah Seven - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
A meaty syrah with lots of iron and violet notes on the nose. The palate was clean and rustic. Lots of fragrant herbs and fruit…really good stuff. (89 pts.)
Evan’s Ranch
I hated this place.
-
2011 Evan’s Ranch Chardonnay Las Brisas Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills
The palate of this wine had a lot of pears and apples. The palate was very juicy with a lot of sweet fruits. A vague wine…no definition. (82 pts.) -
2011 Evan’s Ranch Chardonnay La Marina - USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills
Thought this was terrible. In the tasting room this was described as their, “super buttery chardonnay”. At least they know their wines! Just an exaggerated, horribly buttery, chardonnay with nothing going for it. Serve chilled. (71 pts.) -
2011 Evan’s Ranch Pinot Noir Las Brisas Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills
“Our jammy pinot” is how this was described to us. Yep. Lots of jam. Lots of coca cola notes, Not much else. Soulless. (70 pts.) -
2011 Evan’s Ranch Syrah Lone Oak - USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills
A pretty simplistic syrah with all the wrong things. Dark fruits that were gummy and too juicy, not much acid, and severe tannins. This did have some good earthy notes…so I’ll give it that. (78 pts.) -
2011 Evan’s Ranch Syrah Las Brisas Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills
Another boring syrah. Had some meaty, dark fruit, but just too much heat and viscosity. Meh. (74 pts.)
Qupé
Impressive syrahs.
-
2012 Qupé Albariño Verdad Sawyer Lindquist - USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley
Nose has lots of white peaches, white flowers, and a distinct stoniness. The palate had great balance, lots of zesty citrus notes, and some peppery undertones. A really nice Albarino. (88 pts.) -
2010 Qupé Roussanne Hillside Estate Bien Nacido Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley
100% Roussanne and not what I was expecting. Didn’t have the gummy, honey notes that are so common with this varietal. Instead, this had really nice freshness and light fruit flavors. Aromatics were pretty sexy, though, with some honeycomb, white floral, and herbal notes. The cooler vintage certainly played a role here. (89 pts.) -
2011 Qupé Grenache Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley
I was impressed with this wine’s elegance and balance…not two descriptors you typically look for with Central Coast grenache. This did have really spicy, fresh red berries on the palate with some underbrush and herbs. Good stuff. (88 pts.) -
2008 Qupé Syrah Alisos Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley
Lots of savory, and meaty notes on the nose. Palate was nicely balanced with decidedly cool fruits, some bloody notes, and provencal herbs. Definitely showing nice balance. (89 pts.) -
2008 Qupé Syrah 30th Anniversary Bien Nacido Vineyard X Block - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley
A serious Californian syrah. Gushes with cool, dark, fruits layered over more animale notes of blood, funk, and earth. The palate had a beautiful touch of roasted meats, underbrush, and earth. Tannins are still there, but are sweet. Gorgeous stuff. (93 pts.) -
2012 Qupé Grenache Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley
Streamlined with strawberry and cream. Nice minerals and fresh fruit on the palate…this was another really great Central Coast rose. (89 pts.) -
2009 Qupe and Verdad Grenache, Sarah, tempranillo Sawyer Linquist - USA, California, Central Coast
A pretty raw tempranillo with lots of red berries, earth, and smokey notes. The palate was firm and dark(ish) with some floral lightness, but mostly this was just big red fruits and smoke. Didn’t really hit the high notes for me. (82 pts.) -
2010 Qupé Syrah Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley
Savory nose of herbs and earth. Nicely balanced, with some meat and dark fruit. Lots of pepper too - a bit more zesty than the other Qupe syrahs. (90 pts.) -
2008 Qupé Syrah Bien Nacido Hillside Estate - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley
A really dark, young, tannic syrah. While it wasn’t easy to enjoy on this 100 degree day, you could tell the material in the glass was classy and cool. Nice potential here. (87 pts.) -
2010 Qupé Syrah Sonnie’s Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley
Lots of plums and meat on the nose. The palate was ripe and dense with big meat, anise, and clove notes. This is a seriously good syrah in the Central Coast, but is a bit out of my comfort zone…the fruit seemed to be a bit too big and heavy for me this time. Out of all the syrah from Qupe I tried this day, this was the only one that seemed just too heavy. (82 pts.)
Tercero
-
2011 Tercero Grenache Blanc Camp 4 Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
I was very fond of this. Beautiful crushed stones on the nose with some pear and melon notes. The palate was super fresh and savory at the same time. Probably the best Grenache Blanc I’ve had from the US. (90 pts.) -
2010 Tercero Viognier White Hawk Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
Not what I was expecting from a Central Coast Viognier…guess I tried too many Alban Viognier bottles. This was, far better than anything I’ve found from the Central Coast. No hint of high alcohol, just steely minerals on the nose with subtle honeycomb notes. The palate was crisp and gulpable. A breath of fresh air for Central Coast Viognier! (89 pts.) -
2012 Tercero Mourvedre Rosé - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
Nice salinity on the nose with some light strawberry and cranberry tones. The palate was a bit sweet, almost gummy…a hair more forward than what I’m usually looking for with Rose. Loved the nose, but the palate was a bit too much for me. (85 pts.) -
2012 Tercero Gewürztraminer The Outlier - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
Tasted this blind. The incredible perfume had me guessing that Larry bottled some Verdelho or Torrontes! Turns out this was Central Coast Gewurztraminer! Super rich palate of pears and apples with some peach and mango adding a bit of exoticism to it. (88 pts.) -
2009 Tercero Grenache Watch Hill Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
Juicy red fruits, super spicy with some cedar and leather notes. Thought this was really good, but just a hair outside my zone…maybe it was the spiciness of the fruit? (85 pts.) -
2009 Tercero Syrah Thompson Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
Was told that this bottled was opened the day before to decant. Thank you! It’s about time a winemaker opened up their wines ahead of time so they show their muster. Lots of meat and dark spicy fruits on the nose, this was a pretty serious syrah. The palate still had its tannins, but the flavors were a bit more fleshed out. This showed nicely. (91 pts.)
Liquid Farm
-
2012 Liquid Farm Mourvedre Rosé Vogelzang - USA, California, Central Coast, Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara
Still the best Rose in California. (92 pts.) -
2011 Liquid Farm Chardonnay White Hill - USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills
A bit more steely than the Golden Slope, Nikki and Jeff appropriately compare this to the wines of Chablis. Has some saline qualities to it, all the while showing off the beautiful Californian richness. Always great stuff. (91 pts.) -
2011 Liquid Farm Chardonnay Golden Slope - USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills
Thought this showed very well again. The fruit is incredibly fresh and vibrant. While subtlety sweet, this has a great deal of acidity which provides it great balance. (91 pts.) -
2007 Lucien Crochet Sancerre Le Chêne - France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre
Fierce and zippy. This had a ton in the acidity and structure department. Lots of fresh fruits and herbal notes made this a gorgeous accompaniment to the 90 degree Santa Ynez afternoon. (90 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
![[snort.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/b/bdc3944606213c4dca6c1169cf0a166c8bc4f8c9.gif "snort.gif"){kind=small}
