Home Wine U The Buzz Wine Reviews   Review Archive   Rating System Calendar Fun Stuff About Us Key Contacts Search FAQ Links		July 2007 Wine Tasting Notes: 2004 Mandolina Metodo Classico Sparkling Wine, Santa Barbara County. This sparkler is light golden straw colored with abundant, active, medium-fine perlage and a light, plump foam. The nose is composed of light intensity aromas of citrus, gardenias, notes of warm spice and a hint of fresh hay. In the mouth, light to medium flavors of citrus and stone fruit (peach and nectarine). Dry in the mouth with a nice mousse, the wine finishes with citrus-dominated flavors and mineral notes of medium duration. Cumulative Score: 91 breakdown 13.4% Alcohol           0.012g/100ml Residual Sugar. $24.00 Retail (from winery);        400 cases produced This sparkler, made from non-traditional varieties with a traditional method, offers just the right combination of opulence and nuance to hook and keep you sipping. This is a richer wine, more in line with Italian styles of bubbly rather than traditional Champagne. It is still delicate and sexy. It will delight as a social or celebratory drink. Try it with light Asian salads or Crème brûlée, flan or strawberries and cream over the next 3 or 4 years.         Detail Tell a friend about this wine Cite this review More Mandolina reviews More on Santa Barbara County Production: A Blanc de Blanc (Bianco di Bianco), this white sparkling wine is thirds Muscat canelli and one third Chenin Blanc, this still wine underwent the second fermentation by the classic or Champenoise method at Domaine Carneros. Read more about the production of Sparkling Wines. Varieties: Muscat Canelli A late-ripening variety, part of very large and very old muscat family thought to originate from the Mediterranean region. While it is cultivated in many countries, from Austria, Germany, Hungary and France it develops the most intense varietal character in warm climates. It is typically perfumed and floral with melon and peach flavors. Originating from the Loire region in France, Chenin Blanc is a vigorous and very productive vine, resistant to many diseases. It is adaptable to a wide array of soil types but does not do well in extremely hot climates. Nonetheless, it is the third most widely planted variety in California. In its most common, dry table wine, incarnation it makes crisp white wine but also a delicate sparkling white wine. At its best, Chenin blanc displays green fruit, bright acidity and mineral notes. It expresses floral qualities of honey or honeysuckle, honeydew and cantaloupe as well as grassy or hay nuances. The latter can be quite distinct in Chenin blanc from the Loire can have a musty or damp straw/hay quality. Vintage: The hot 2004 growing season was one of the shortest in the history of the state. Harvest came two to three weeks earlier than usual, at the start of August. Statewide reports of light to normal yields of excellent quality fruit with superb extraction raised anticipation of the wines to come. However, red wines from this vintage are proving variable by our experience. While this "crop of crops" was lauded as producing highly extracted fruit, some wines have been rather unbalanced while others were stunning an memorable. This results from variables in farming, winemaking techniques (particularly the heavy-handed approach to over-the-top extraction), and AVA. Vineyard: Over a mile long, and running along Highway 101 south of Los Alamos, the Los Alamos Valley Vineyard is planted with Rhône, Burgundy, Bordeaux and Italian varieties on soils with thick layers of clay and loam soils resembling those of Pomerol and Saint-Émilion (Bordeaux). Cooler than the Santa Ynez valley but cooler than the Santa Maria Valley, Los Alamos Valley's intermediate climate is ideal for growing quality grapes. Some of the vines, originating from cuttings brought over from Europe, are 25 over years old. Total Lucas & Lewellen acreage in Santa Barbara County exceeds 400 acres. Winery: Mandolina is the line of Lucas & Lewellen wines made from Italian varieties. The fruit is sourced their Los Alamos Valley Vineyard. Daniel Gehrs is the Lead Winemaker for Mandolina - one of the three Lucas & Lewellen labels. He brings 30 years of wine making experience in northern and central California. Most notably, Daniel was head winemaker at Zaca Mesa Winery. After four years, he left Zaca Mesa to focus on consulting and his own label. He currently makes wines for several labels in addition to his own (including Lucas&Lewellen, Mandolina and Queen of Hearts) and is an active consultant to other producers in the area. He sources the fruit for his grapes from all over California. Stylistically, Daniel believes wine should be a companion to food and strives to make his wines food-friendly, with with lower alcohol levels than most producers today. Color  5 points Nose  4 points Palate  3 points Finish  3 points Astringency/Minerality  5 points Acidity  5 points Alcohol  5 points Aging potential  2 points Overall quality  9 points Rating System explained Back to top Tell a friend about this wine! Your name: Your e-mail: Your friend's name: Your friend's e-mail: Your message: 100 character limit Send me a copy of this email redwinebuzz.com respects your privacy. The information you enter here will not be used to send unsolicited mail and, in accordance with our Privacy Policy, it will not be disclosed to any third party. Back to top. Search our wine reviews archive by: review date, vintage and winery.			Get the buzz: Wine reviews Great stories Interviews Wine education tools New content every month It's FREE! 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