TN: TAPAS (Tempranillo Advocates Producers and Amigos Society) Seminars and Grand Tasting

WINE TALK
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TAPAS (TEMPRANILLO ADVOCATES PRODUCERS AND AMIGOS SOCIETY) SEMINARS AND GRAND TASTING - Fort Mason, San Francisco, California (6/14/2009)

I thought this seminar and tasting, the 2nd annual gathering of a California trade group of Spanish and Portugese varietal producers, would be a terrific opportunity to test my working hypothesis, based on the Spanish and Portugese varietals I’d tried to date, that Portugese varietals do pretty well in California, while Tempranillo and other Spanish varietals perhaps are not best expressed through California terroirs.

After the seminar, and tasting several dozen wines, I continue to believe that there is great potential for Portugese varietals in California, and that Santa Cruz Mountain Winery’s Portugese varietal adjunct, Quinta Cruz, is doing the best job with these varietals to date. I was also impressed with the Albariños I tasted, and I think they can do well in California terroirs, and that there are some very good, high acid, versions currently available. Finally, while I hadn’t been impressed with any California versions of Tempranillo prior to this tasting, and was wondering why anyone was bothering, I started to understand why some committed growers were experimenting with Tempranillo here, after more than a few dozen samplings. Totally key, though, would be for these Cali Tempranillo producers to adhere to Randall Graham’s injunction, in the last speech at the morning seminar, that Tempranillo needs some years of aging before it resolves enough to show properly, and that West Coast producers should consider holding it for three or more years in barrel before offering it for tasting or sale.

Trade Seminar - Albariños

Randall Graham, Bonny Doon

  • 2008 Abacela Albariño Estate Grown - USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Umpqua Valley
    Very light yellow color; light lemon, citrus peel, ripe grapefruit nose; tart citrus, mineral, briny, tart peach, tart orange palate with light oily texture, medium acidity; short-medium finish 90+ pts. (100% Albarino, picked at 22.3 brix, 13.3% alcohol, 8.00 acid) (90 pts.)
  • 2008 Bokisch Vineyards Albariño Terra Alta - USA, California, Central Valley, Clements Hills
    Pale yellow color; apple, citrus blossom, lemon custard nose; tangy lemon, apple, lemon custard, almond palate, medium acidity; medium finish (100% Albarino; picked at 22.9 brix, 13.8% alcohol) (88 pts.)
  • 2008 Bonny Doon Vineyard Albariño Ca’ del Solo - USA, California, Central Coast, Monterey County
    Light canary yellow color; high pitched floral, orange blossom, orange cream nose; tangy tangerine, citrus blossom palate with lime edge, medium-plus acidity; medium finish (75% Albarino, 21% Loureiro, 4% Treixadura; 12.8% alcohol) (89 pts.)
  • 2008 Verdad Albariño Ibarra-Young - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
    Pale green tinged yellow color; narrow lime, herbal and oak nose; tart, banana, lime, green apple palate, medium acidity; short-medium finish (60% Edna Valley, 40% Santa Ynez Valley; 100% Albarino, 12.5% alcohol) (84 pts.)
  • 2008 Tangent Albariño - USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley
    Very light yellow color; herbal, light lime, lime cream nose; tangy, tarty, tart citrus, tart lemon, lime palate with medium acidity and good balance; medium finish (91 pts.)

Trade Seminar - Tempranillos

  • 2007 Callaghan Padres - USA, Arizona, Sonoita
    Dark red violet color; big, grapey, Satsuma plum, black fruit, berry nose; big, ripe berry and plum palate with some chocolate oak and dirt; medium finish (58% Tempranillo, 25% Petit Verdot and 17% Cabernet Franc) (84 pts.)
  • 2006 Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyards Tempranillo Pierce Ranch - USA, California, Central Coast, Monterey County
    Dark raspberry red color; big, focused, boysenberry, blackberry and oak nose; boysenberry, herbal, charcoal, tart plum, berry and mineral palate with medium acidity; medium finish 87+ pts. (94% Tempranillo, 4% Syrah, 1% Grenache; 30% new oak - American, French and Hungarian) (87 pts.)
  • 2005 Red Lily Tempranillo Rogue Valley - USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Rogue Valley
    Dark red violet color with pale meniscus; narrow, mineral, earthy, tart red fruit and plum nose; deep tart plum, berry, blackberry, black fruit, briary, green herb palate; medium finish (needs a few years; 100% Tempranillo; 2 years in French and American oak, 30% new) (88 pts.)
  • 2006 Six Sigma Ranch Tempranillo - USA, California, North Coast, Lake County
    Dark magneta color; black fruit, blackberry, berry nose with a touch of sage; tart, puckery, plum, berry, raspberry, briary, mineral palate with medium acidity; short-medium finish 88+ pts. (88 pts.)
  • 2006 Twisted Oak Tempranillo - USA, California, Sierra Foothills, Calaveras County
    Dark magenta color; herbal, blackberry, berry, mineral and oregano nose; tart black fruit, dense flavor, tart berry, graphite palate with a touch of oregano, medium-plus acidity; medium tannic finish (needs time; 88% Tempranillo, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon) (88 pts.)

Abacela

  • 2006 Abacela Tempranillo Umpqua Cuvée - USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Umpqua Valley
    Baked berry, berry pie nose; soft, ripe, berry, plum and black fruit palate; medium finish (86 pts.)
  • 2006 Abacela Tempranillo Estate - USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Umpqua Valley
    Smoky, berry nose; tart berry, plum and clove palate; medium finish 88+ pts. (88 pts.)
  • 2005 Abacela Tempranillo Reserve - USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Umpqua Valley
    Appealing blackberry, floaty black fruit nose; tasty, deep black fruit, blackberry and smoke palate; medium-plus finish 90+ pts. (90 pts.)
  • 2006 Abacela Port - USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Umpqua Valley
    Chocolate, berry nose; rich, chocolate, berry palate; medium-plus finish (89 pts.)

Alta Mesa Cellars

Barreto Cellars

  • 2007 Barreto Cellars Verdelho - USA, California, Central Valley, Lodi
    Light oily, quince and spice nose; light lime, orange palate; short finish (87 pts.)
  • 2005 Barreto Cellars Tempranillo - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
    Nice blackberry, herbal nose; tasty, tart blackberry, herbal and black fruit palate with medium acidity; medium finish (88 pts.)
  • 2005 Barreto Cellars Vinho Tinto - USA, California
    Deep blueberry, berry nose; blueberry, black fruit, herbal, mineral palate; medium finish (90 pts.)
  • 2005 Barreto Cellars Touriga Nacional - USA, California, Central Valley, Alta Mesa
    Orange spice, berry nose; earthy, tart orange, spice, boysenberry palate; medium-plus finish 88+ pts. (88 pts.)
  • 2005 Barreto Cellars Regala de la Vina - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
    Deep boysenberry, baked berry nose; ripe baked berry, boysenberry palate; medium finish 87+ pts. (87 pts.)
  • 2004 Barreto Cellars Silvaspoons Vineyard - USA, California, Central Valley, Alta Mesa
    Berry, boysenberry nose; tasty, berry, blackberry, port palate; long finish (89 pts.)

Boeger Winery

  • 2006 Boeger Winery Tempranillo - USA, California, Sierra Foothills, El Dorado
    Black fruit and smoke nose; black fruit, berry palate; medium finish (87 pts.)
  • 2005 Boeger Winery Milagro - USA, California, Sierra Foothills, El Dorado
    Deep berry, boysenberry nose; tart berry, black fruit and mineral palate; medium finish (60% Tempranillo, 35% Graciano, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon) (88 pts.)

Bodega del Sur

  • 2006 Bodega del Sur Winery Verdelho - USA, California, Sierra Foothills, Calaveras County
    Baked apple, peach nose; nectarine, tart peach palate; short-medium finish (87 pts.)
  • 2006 Bodega del Sur Winery Tempranillo - USA, California, Sierra Foothills, Calaveras County
    Plum, berry nose; berry and graphite palate; medium finish (85 pts.)
  • 2006 Bodega del Sur Winery Carmesi - USA, California, Sierra Foothills, Calaveras County
    Plum nose; berry, plum palate; short medium finish (50% Tempranillo, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Syrah) (84 pts.)

Bokisch Vineyards

Bray Vineyards

Callaghan

  • 2005 Callaghan Padres - USA, Arizona, Sonoita
    Big plum nose; plum, dirt and tar palate; short-medium finish (83 pts.)

Clos du Bois

  • 2005 Clos du Bois Tempranillo Reserve - USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley
    Baked cherry, sage and smoke nose; tart black fruit, sage, tart berry palate; short-medium finish (87 pts.)

Coral Mustang

Curran

  • 2007 Curran Grenache Blanc - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
    Lime nose; tart lime palate; short-medium finish (87 pts.)
  • 2007 Curran Grenache Rosé - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
    Nice, spicy, tart red fruit palate (86 pts.)
  • 2005 Curran Tempranillo - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
    Earthy, baked plum, tart black fruit and tar palate; medium finish (87 pts.)

Dancing Coyote

  • 2007 Dancing Coyote Albariño - USA, California, Central Valley, Clarksburg
    Baked apple and lemon nose; apple, lime palate; short-medium finish 85+ pts. (85 pts.)
  • 2007 Dancing Coyote Verdelho - USA, California
    Ripe apple, citrus nose and palate, with a touch of TCA (this was the 2nd bottle they opened, claiming it was fine, after strong TCA on the first sample) (83 pts.)

Forlorn Hope

Hovey

  • 2007 Hovey Wine Tempranillo Rolleri Cuvee - USA, California, Sierra Foothills, Calaveras County
    Nice blackberry, berry, charcoal nose; tasty black fruit, tar and blackberry palate; medium finish (88 pts.)

Irish Vineyards

  • 2006 Irish Vineyards Grenache - USA, California, Sierra Foothills, Calaveras County
    Blueberry, berry, black fruit nose; tart berry, blackberry palate; medium finish 88+ pts. (88 pts.)
  • 2006 Irish Vineyards Tempranillo - USA, California, Sierra Foothills, Calaveras County
    Earthy plum, black fruit, sage nose; tasty black fruit, berry and sage palate; medium finish (88 pts.)
  • 2007 Irish Vineyards Touriga Nacional - USA, California, Central Valley, Lodi
    Barrel sample - big lavender, berry nose; berry, herbal palate; medium finish 87-89 pts. (87 pts.)

James Judd & Son

Murrieta’s Well

Parador

Pierce Ranch Vineyards

Quinta Cruz

Six Sigma

  • 2007 Six Sigma Ranch Rosé - USA, California, North Coast, Lake County
    Sweet berry nose; light, earthy, black fruit and plum palate; short finish (84 pts.)

St. Amant

Tejada

  • 2005 Tejada T - USA, California, North Coast, Lake County
    Black fruit and oak nose; tart black fruit, plum palate; medium finish (58% Tempranillo, 42% Garnacha) (86 pts.)
  • 2005 Tejada Tempranillo Reserve - USA, California, North Coast, Lake County
    Deep black fruit, tar nose; tart black fruit, tar palate; medium-plus finish (87% Tempranillo) (88 pts.)

Tesouro

Trenza/Tangent Wineries

  • 2008 Trenza Winery Blanco - USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley
    Nice lime, honey palate (Albarino/Grenache Blanc) (88 pts.)
  • 2008 Trenza Winery Rosado - USA, California, Central Coast, San Luis Obispo County
    Herbal, spicy plum, blueberry palate; medium finish (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedre) (87 pts.)
  • 2007 Trenza Winery Tinto - USA, California, Central Coast, San Luis Obispo County
    Baked plum and blue fruit nose; baked plum, black fruit palate; medium finish (Tempranillo/Syrah/Grenache/Mourvedre) (88 pts.)
  • 2008 Tangent Grenache Blanc - USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley
    Clove, ripe melon palate; short-medium finish (87 pts.)

Truchard

  • 2005 Truchard Tempranillo - USA, California, Napa Valley, Carneros
    Roasted plum, black fruit nose; tasty tart plum, black fruit palate; medium finish 88+ pts. (88 pts.)
  • 2004 Truchard Tempranillo - USA, California, Napa Valley, Carneros
    Roasted plum, black fruit nose; deep tart plum, black fruit and tar palate; medium finish (89 pts.)
  • 2000 Truchard Tempranillo - USA, California, Napa Valley, Carneros
    Deep berry, smoke and plum nose; smoky, savory, graphite, tart plum palate; medium finish (89 pts.)

Twisted Oak

  • 2008 Twisted Oak Verdelho Silvaspoons - USA, California, Central Valley, Alta Mesa
    Apple peel nose; apple, citrus palate (85 pts.)
  • 2005 Twisted Oak Tempranillo - USA, California, Sierra Foothills, Calaveras County
    Big berry, black fruit nose; tart black fruit, graphite palate; medium finish 87+ pts. (87 pts.)
  • 2006 Twisted Oak The Spaniard - USA, California, Sierra Foothills, Calaveras County
    Berry and plum nose; black fruit, blackberry, Satsuma plum palate; medium-plus finish 88+ pts. (Tempranillo, Graciano, Garnacha blend) (88 pts.)
  • 2007 Twisted Oak Grenache Torcido - USA, California, Sierra Foothills, Calaveras County
    Spicy plum nose; tart plum, spice palate; medium finish (Grenache and Petite Sirah) (86 pts.)

Valley View

Verdad

  • 2008 Verdad Rosé - USA, California, Central Coast, Arroyo Grande Valley
    Tart strawberry nose and palate; short finish (90% Garnacha, 10% Tempranillo) (85 pts.)
  • 2006 Verdad Tempranillo Santa Ynez Valley - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
    Tart black fruit, berry nose and palate; medium finish (86 pts.)

Villa Creek

  • 2007 Villa Creek Garnacha Denner Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
    Rich berry nose; ripe berry, plum palate; medium finish (88 pts.)
  • 2007 Villa Creek La Boda - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
    Charcoal, black fruit nose; ripe black fruit, clove and tar palate; medium-plus finish (87 pts.)
  • 2006 Villa Creek Vulture’s Post Denner - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
    Smoky black fruit, berry and clove nose; smoky black fruit, berry, clove and tar palate; medium finish (80% Mourvedre, 15% Syrah, 5% Grenache) (89 pts.)
  • 2006 Villa Creek Mas de Maha - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
    Tasty, deep black fruit, blackberry palate; medium finish (60% Tempranillo, 30% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre) (88 pts.)
  • 2007 Villa Creek Mas de Maha - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
    Tart plum and berry palate with structure (whole cluster Tempranillo) (88 pts.)

Vina Castellano

Vina Robles

  • 2008 Vina Robles Verdelho - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
    Lime cream nose; simple, lime cream palate 85+ pts. (85 pts.)
  • 2008 Vina Robles White4 - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
    Okay, citrus, apple palate (41% Verdelho, 26% Vermentino, 22% Sauvignon Blanc, 11% Viognier) (85 pts.)
  • 2007 Vina Robles RED4 Huerhuero - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
    Earth, plum palate (51% Petite Sirah, 43% Syrah, 4% Tannat, 2% Touriga) (83 pts.)

Yorba

Posted from CellarTracker

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Great notes, Richard…I’m still working on my notes from the TAPAS event and should have them together soon. I agree with the conclusions in your second paragraph - very similar to what I’ve been writing - and I actually spoke with a couple of producers during the tasting who agree with Randall Grahm’s view about more barrel aging for Tempranillo.

Also agree that the Quinta Cruz wines were most impressive - first time I’d tasted them. I liked some of the other wines better than you did, and thought that Bokisch in particular had another strong group of wines.

And I’m jealous that your photo of Randall Grahm turned out so much better than mine, my shots were a waste - nice job! [berserker.gif]

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Thanks Ken. It was great to see you and Al at this event. I’m glad you enjoyed it. I look forward to your notes.