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tercero wines in Houston | the drunken bike owner


Many instances on this area, I’ve alluded to the truth that I’m a quite lucky particular person: I’ve a loving spouse, two wholesome children, an obedient canine, and nonetheless have most of my colleges (most?).

It doesn’t cease there (though that’s already a lot). Over the course of penning this weblog, I’ve been very lucky to go to some fascinating components of the world, drink some superb wines, and, most significantly, grow to be pals with some unimaginable individuals.

Many of the interactions I’ve with these individuals are on their dwelling turf, which is ok with me; getting out of Houston is normally a constructive, notably in the summertime. Every now and then, nevertheless, a few of these pals pay me a go to right here within the Bayou Metropolis.

Such was the case final week when Larry Schaffer, the proprietor and winemaker at tercero wines in Los Olivos, CA got here to Texas. [On an aside, if you are a wine-lover and have never been to Los Olivos on the Central Coast, you should add it to your bucket list.] I first met Larry a dozen years in the past, when, as a nascent blogger, I attended my first Wine Bloggers Convention.

We had numerous enjoyable at that convention and maintained contact on and off for the following dozen years. When he contacted me a couple of weeks in the past that he was coming to Houston and had some free time, we shortly determined {that a} wine tasting/dinner was so as. Thus, this previous Friday, I invited a couple of different wine writers over, cooked up slightly fajita bar, and tasted via ten of Larry’s wines.

tercero wines in Houston | the drunken bike owner

Larry on the fajita “bar”.

Larry focuses primarily on Rhône varieties and his wines are simply a number of the most fascinating wines you should purchase. Starting from his racy whites to his strong and reflective reds, tercero produces low-production however high-caliber wines at greater than cheap costs.

I can’t converse for Mr. Shaffer, however I’ve a sense this won’t be the final such get-together.

2023 Tercero Picpoul Blanc, Santa Barbara County, CA: Retail $35. Very Accountable Bottle (478g, 16.8oz). Below screw cap. Considerably muted on the nostril with some refined apple and a touch of citrus. On the palate it’s fairly tart and fruity. Whoa. This is likely to be the perfect Picpoul exterior of France I’ve tried. Excellent. 93 Factors.

2022 Tercero Chenin Blanc Jurassic Winery, Santa Barbara County, CA: Retail $35. Very Accountable Bottle (475g; 16.7oz). On the nostril? Pleasant. Wealthy and layered with beeswax and even cinnamon on the nostril. Beautiful. Oak noticeable on the palate with loads of acidity and a zingy tartness. Yowza. That is in contrast to most home Chenin and I prefer it. Wonderful. 91 Factors.

2017 Tercero Verbiage (Blanc), Santa Barbara County, CA: Retail $40. Accountable Bottle (571g; 20oz). Below screw cap. 50% Grenache Blanc, 30% Roussanne, 20% Marsanne. A little bit of beeswax and a touch of petrol on the nostril, fairly pretty and intriguing. Whoa. The palate is weighty and layered with peach and inexperienced apple. However it’s greater than that with a zingy acidity and a tremendous end. Yowza. Excellent. 93 Factors.

2021 Tercero The Outlier, Carrari Winery, Santa Barbara County, CA: Retail $35. Very Accountable Bottle (468g; 16.5oz). Below screw cap. 100% Gewürztraminer. Floral and expressive. Known as “The Outlier” as a result of “Gewürztraminer” is just too arduous for Individuals to pronounce. Basically fully dry at 0.5% grams of sugar per liter. Stainless-steel fermented and aged. Great. I’m not an enormous fan of Gewurz however that is pleasant, wealthy, and weighty but additionally pretty gentle on its toes. There isn’t a doubt that that is Gewurz, however it’s not in any respect overdone like most home variations of the range. Wonderful. 92 Factors.

2023 Tercero Counoise, Santa Barbara County, CA: Retail $35. Very Accountable Bottle (483g; 17oz). Below screw cap. 100% Counoise (pronounced coon-WAHZ). Foot stomped by the winemaker/proprietor, Larry Schaffer. Pretty gentle in coloration however full in aromas and flavors. Vibrant purple fruit, an excellent acidity, very easy to drink, and fairly incredible. I’ve had a couple of Counoises and that is notably fulfilling. Excellent. 94 Factors.

2020 Tercero Grenache Spear Winery, Santa Barbara County, CA: Retail $35. Very Accountable Bottle (481g; 16.9oz). Below screw cap. A cool local weather Grenache from the Sta Rita Hills appellation on the Central Coast. Surprisingly, extra black fruit than purple however with a beautiful brightness, appreciable raise, and a touch of black pepper. Tart and on level, that is fairly pretty with oodles of fruit on the palate and a super-zingy acidity. Wonderful. 92 Factors.

2021 Tercero Pinot Noir, Kessler-Haak Winery, Sta Rita Hills, CA: Retail $50. Very Accountable Bottle (473g; 16.7oz). Below screw cap. Larry Schaffer simply began making Pinot in 2020, rendering this his second classic. Properly, if this wine is any indication, he appears to have gotten it down quite shortly. Earthy but fruity with shiny purple fruit and a touch of florality. A bit stemmy on the perimeters, however beautiful. Wealthy, shiny, fruity, and tart on the palate, that is each fairly tasty and complicated. A beautiful iteration of the range. Excellent. 93 Factors.

2021 Tercero Cabernet Franc, Santa Barbara County, CA: Retail $40. Very Accountable Bottle (485g; 17.1oz). Below screw cap. Beautiful nostril with simply the correct amount of pyrazine compounds however right here it’s extra of a mint or basil than inexperienced pepper. Beautiful. Wealthy and interesting on the palate however with a zippy acidity. There needs to be extra Cab Franc like this in my life. Improbable. Wonderful. 92 Factors.

2015 Tercero Syrah, White Hawk Winery, Santa Barbara County, CA: Retail $60. Accountable Bottle (570g; 20.1oz). Below screw cap. Foot-stomped by Larry. 40 months in barrel. Present launch; take a second to let that soak in: it is a nine-year-old wine! Darkish. Even actually darkish with blackberry fruit and tons of acidity. Wealthy and a bit rustic with oodles of character. Tremendous. Excellent. 93 Factors.

2016 Tercero Roussanne, Zaca Mesa Winery, Santa Ynez Valley, CA: Retail $40. Accountable Bottle (567g; 19.9oz). Below screw cap. Being a white, this was a curious selection for the final wine of the night time. Larry mentioned he additionally needed it barely chilled, near room temperature. I used to be curious as to why, however as soon as I tasted it, it was clear, this wine is extra harking back to a fortified wine; suppose sherry, however with out the sweetness. Some citrus and tree fruit are evident on the nostril, however they’re escorted out of the best way by the beeswax and honey blossom. The palate is pleasant, with these aforementioned flavors but additionally a gripping acidity that begs for extra. “Particular” is over-used, however this wine? Yeah, it applies. Excellent. 95 Factors.

Larry and the incomparable Sandra Crittendon, with some clown photo-bombing.

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