tangent Winery

Albariño is a white grape traditionally grown in Spain’s Galicia region, but it seems to have found another suitable home in California’s Edna Valley. The Niven family, longtime Edna Valley growers and the owners of the Tangent brand, have made a major commitment to Albariño, with plans to cultivate more than 50 acres of it. Until their own fruit starts to become available in 2008, the Nivens are sourcing the grapes from the Jack Ranch Vineyard, owned by the Weyrich family of Martin & Weyrich in Paso Robles. (Jack Ranch has a little more than five acres of Albariño.)

The idea behind the Tangent brand is to create fresh, vibrant whites of intense varietal character, so the Albariño spends no time in oak, nor does it go through malolactic fermentation. The wine is bright and racy, with flavors of tangerine and lime, a slight stony note and persistent acidity. Winemaker Christian Roguenant suggests drinking this Albariño as an aperitif or pairing it with any simply prepared shellfish. And don’t worry about a corkscrew: All the Tangent wines are sealed with a screw cap.

Reviewed August 29, 2007 by Laurie Daniel.