Tanner Vineyard Rosé
Rosés have long been a favorite of mine, especially ones coming from the Bandol region in Provence. They are Mourvèdre-based and tend to show off the subtle floral and anise qualities that a red wine from the same grape typically loses in the meatiness and richness of the wine. And because I enjoy them so much, I knew it was a wine that I was going to make someday. During the 2018 vintage, I experimented with a small batch of grapes to test a new blend.
As with our Viognier, the fruit was from the Tanner Vineyard in the Sierra Foothills, where Rhône and Italian varietals grow and ripen beautifully. When it came time for the 2019 vintage, I secured the same fruit and planned to make a rosé, but added my own twist and used two varietals that don’t normally go together: Mourvèdre and Barbera. The Mourvèdre would be the backbone and dominant driver of flavor – as it is in Bandol – while the Barbera would bring the acidity and fruit, balancing the wine out in style, aromatics, and mouthfeel.
Varietals: Mourvedre + Barbera
AVA: Sierra Foothills
Elevation: 2000'
Year Planted: 1999
Release Notes for the 2019 Rosé
Lean and light with bright acidity the 2019 Rosé has beautiful aromatics that explode out of the glass amidst its melon and subtle salmon color. Aromas of pale strawberry, floral, and tropical notes like melon echo from the nose and into the mouth.
Cases Produced: 115
Tanner Vineyard Viognier
The 2017 vintage is the first year of the Tanner Vineyard Viognier. This is a beautiful vineyard made of rocky volcanic and schist soil.
The wine was born on the eclipse of 2017. Harvest began at 2 AM on August 21st and the grapes were pressed whole cluster during the eclipse.
Release date: Spring 2018.
AVA: Sierra Foothills
Elevation: 2000'
Year Planted: 1999
Release Notes for the 2018 Viognier
The 2018 growing season was as near perfect as you can get, with steady temperatures and a cooling spell at the end that helped with some balanced ripening. The 2018 Viognier is a beautiful wine. Not so different in style from the first vintage, but this vintage has such a tremendous sense of elegance. With our second vintage, we are noticing the consistencies of place. There is such a beautiful inherent pale gold color to the wine and the consistency of bee pollen and salinity are there in both vintages as well. With that said, the 2018 is another classic Viognier in its aromatics and flavors. This vintage weaves you through the florality of acacia flowers and honeysuckle and into delicious white peaches. Retaining its fair amount of viscosity, this vintage is balanced up front by the jaw-tingling and mouth-watering acidity.
Cases Produced: 135
Release Notes for the 2017 Viognier
The Tanner Vineyard in the Sierra Foothills AVA rests on a hillside near the town of Murphys, CA. At 2000 feet elevation, this vineyard is rich in its mixture of granite, schist, and volcanic rock. It’s this soil that helps develop the minerality in this wine.
With the Tanner Vineyard Viognier, we want to vinify the wine to bring out the qualities that make Viognier such an alluring wine while allowing the wine to guide itself to its elegant end. The aromatics of wines made from the Viognier grape can be enchanting, captivating, and downright sensual. This wine embodies all of that. The aromatics are stunning.
Like Claude Debussy’s Claire de Lune, the 2017 Viognier soars with eloquent fluid notes of cascading florals and eloquent white peaches. Amidst its dramatic pauses it echoes aromatics of fennel pollen and white peppercorns as the languid mouthfeel elevates the cords of acacia flowers and apricots. Yet, it’s the soft and bright acidity that ties it all together and suggests that food will be its best companion.
Along with the acidity, a saline minerality runs through the core of the wine. These two elements help it pair wonderfully with a wide variety of food. Some suggestions include: chicken (roasted or seared), octopus, scallops, pork tenderloin, fennel pollen, fennel, herbs, and black garlic. These are just the beginnings of the pairings.
Cases Produced: 115