Before anyone says “Oh no, not another tempranillo!” let us explain. Tempranillo has already shown its versatility as a red wine and as a rosé. It has more than one flavor profile and adds a great deal to any number of blends. But here is another flavor set for this grape if leather, blueberry and herbs don’t excite you. This 2006 from Robledo came from grapes grown in Sonoma and it introduces itself with red currants and redwood aromas. The berry fruits in the taste are rich and are complemented by a balance of tannins and acids with subtle
When we first met Penny Gadd-Coster, now owner and winemaker for Coral Mustang, she was still working at Jordan Winery as the enologist. She and her husband Frank had invited us to meet with them and tour the winery, which was closed to the public. When Penny took us up to the lab and pulled out several Riedel glasses and a wine thief, we knew this was not going to be your ordinary tour.
Some years (and another winery job) later, Penny decided it was time to strike out on her own with the Coral Mustang label. Coral is
We love blends. They can express the full palate of a terrior – think Burgundy or Bordeaux. They can also demonstrate the combined skills of a winemaking team that includes vineyard staff and cellar rats alike. As a bonus, every winery has the option of creating its own brand of cola product.
As in Twisted Oak’s Murgatroyd (and if you know the cartoon reference, post a comment). The wine is a blend of four varietals and five vineyards: two cabernet sauvignons (accounting for the extra vineyard), a petit verdot, a tempranillo and a grenache, which means there’s a potential
Twisted Oak’s 2005 Tempranillo is one of those wines that just seems to fit in anywhere. It’s rich, but not overpowering – the subtle kind of wine that stands out just enough to be memorable without taking over.
Tempranillo is one of those up and coming grapes. We’ve seen it here and there for a number of years. In fact, tempranillo seems to be about where syrah was almost 10 years ago. People had heard of it, but you rarely saw it on the shelf at the supermarket. Of late, in places like California, tempranillo is getting the treatment
