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Wine Recommendation
Verdad
2005 Tempranillo(Santa Ynez Valley)
Looking around for a red varietal as a counterpoint to Albarino, winemaker Louisa Sawyer Lindquist did what seemed like the only logical thing: she planted Tempranillo and, in fact, she planted it in the same Santa Ynez vineyard (Ibarra-Young) as her Albarino. The learning curve for Tempranillo has proven a bit steeper and she admits it’s a work in progress.
Tempranillo is a prodigious producer and she ended up dropping over half the fruit on the ground to get the desired intensity and flavors. Since Tempranillo is a low acid varietal, the 2005 version is augmented with 15 percent Syrah (from Bien Nacido) to give the wine some snap and a lusher middle palate, as well as 10 percent Grenache (from Purisima Mountain) to give an aromatic lift to the nose. Rose petal, road tar, ripe cherry and berry fruit come through on the nose, while the black cherry, cocoa powder and smoky toast flavors are balanced and easily accessible, as the sweet oak and spice caresses the ripe fruit.
Reviewed February 6, 2008 by Dennis Schaefer.
Other reviewed wines from Verdad
The Wine
Winery: Verdad |
The Reviewer
Dennis Schaefer
Dennis Schaefer has been tasting and writing about wine for over 30 years, propelled by a continuing curiosity and burgeoning enthusiasm for discovering what’s in the bottle. Blessed with catholic tastes, he enjoys everything from the obvious to the sublime. A major requirement is that the vineyard, winery and winemaker consistently perform well and fulfill their potential. Balance, concentration and complexity are key to the tasting experience but, in the end, the purpose of wine is simply to give pleasure. |