January 2007 Wine Tasting Notes:
2005 Carina Cellars Clairvoyant, Santa Ynez Valley.
|
|
This wine is deep ruby-purple colored with very good clarity. The nose offers light aromas of black pepper and smoky pomegranate backed by blackberry and notes of toast and floral hints. The palate is built of light red berry and blackberry flavors. Notes of leather and violets accent the back palate. The acids are bright and appropriate and the tannins are supple - making for a sleek mouthfeel which shows a bit of heat at the end. A modest finish gives blackberry backed by hints of vanilla. |
|
RWB Score: 87 breakdown 14.1% Alcohol $35.00 Retail (from winery); 235 cases produced |
This sleek blend with less-than-bombastic extraction offers good breadth, nuance and sass. The alcohol is not too overwhelming. This composed wine makes for nice social sipping but is still elegant enough to pair with more delicate red meat and game dishes for about 3 to 4 years. |
| Detail | Tell a friend about this wine |
More Carina Cellars reviews. More on the Santa Ynez Valley (AVA) |
This Rhône-styled blend is composed of 55% Syrah, Colson Canyon Vineyard; 33% Grenache, Tierra Alta Vineyard; 12% Mourvèdre unspecified Central Coast source.
Syrah is an ancient varietal proven by DNA analysis (in part at U.C. Davis) to be a native of the northern Rhône region of France. Prior to this evidence, its origin was disputed between the Rhône region and that around the Persian city of Shiraz – hence the two names for the grape. Syrah gives tannic and spicy red wines with significant longevity. Because of its weight, it contributes body and structure to blends with the softer, fruitier Grenache and Mourvèdre. It was first planted in California in 1971 from cuttings from the Hermitage appellation in northern Rhône and Australian Shiraz cuttings (which are said by some to be of Hermitage origin themselves). Current reports indicate total California Syrah acreage to be approaching 13,000 acres. The thick-skinned, very darkly pigmented grapes give inky, deep colored wines described as violet or nearly black. Syrah is very tannic, rich, chewy and textured and is typified by high alcohol and a spice-over-fruit character. The latter tends to be more accentuated in cooler climates where the grapes develop a higher skin-to-pulp ratio. Syrah typically shows black (sometimes white) pepper, licorice, clove, thyme and bay leaf as part of its spice component. The dark fruit typically expressed are blueberries, black currants and blackberries. Syrah may also show cedar or sandalwood notes. As with just about all wines, bottle age brings out terroir and cedar, tobacco, earth and leathery notes.
Grenache is generally thought of as a Rhône variety, but along with its relatives, Grenache Blanc and Grenache Gris, it originates from Spain where it is called “Garnacha”. There, it is planted to twice the acreage as in France. It is only now coming into its own as a varietal and in Rhône blends, in no small part due to the successes of the Rhône Rangers. Traditionally, it has been used as a component of red blends (typically in the Northern Rhône), usually as the grape for Rhône rosés and as the main component component in most Southern Rhône red blends. In Spain, it is the main component of red blends from the Rioja and Catalonia. Grenache makes for softer, less intensely colored, fruity varietal wines often described as ‘fleshy’, ‘fruity’ and ‘heady’. Hence its versatility in blending: it can soften tannic Syrahs and fill out thinner wines. Its distinct sweet, ‘dusty’ and ’fleshy’ mouthfeel is typically supported by flavors of black currants, cherry, licorice and strawberry. Bottle aging will see this variety fading relatively quickly and displaying dried fruit flavors.
Mourvèdre is another Spanish native which has spread throughout the world, often assuming different names. It is said to have been brought to the Rhône Valley from the area around the Spanish town of Murviedro – hence the French name. In Spain, it is the second most widely planted variety, after Grenache but leads in acreage in southern Spain. Mourvèdre probably came to California in the 1800's from the area around Barcelona and hence it was known as Mataro. It’s current planting in California is estimated to be in excess of 500 acres with the largest plantings reported to be in Contra Costa County. Tablas Creek Vineyard in the western portion of Paso Robles, grows Mourvèdre from vines imported from France. Historically, it has been used as part of red blends but is coming to light as an increasingly more common varietal bottling. Mourvèdre is characterized by intense color, meaty or gamey character and herbal elements. It has good aging potential owing to its high tannins. Prominent also, is a leathery quality and along with the game qualities can make for a strong animal-like character. This is softened by the juicy fruit flavors in Cinsault or Grenache and, conversely, it gives body and structure to wines dominated by these varieties. This gamey, animal character also complements the spice and tannins and Syrah. The spice and herbal dominant characteristics of Mourvèdre include: black pepper, cinnamon, clove, sage, thyme are sometimes accompanied by leather and truffle and can dominate and lean towards a greener character when the grapes are picked under-ripe. The most common fruit flavor is of blackberries, sometimes backed by floral, violet aromas.
The 2005 year saw an increase in crops over the preceding years. The year is being compared to the acclaimed 1997 vintage because of a very long and generally cool growing season without heat spikes. This long season resulted in extended hang times in even temperatures which gave the fruit good extraction but lower sugar levels. The slow ripening of the fruit is expected to make for elegance and balance in the wines of this vintage.
The 15-acre Colson Canyon Vineyard is located deep in the Colson Canyon, in the San Rafael Mountains high above the Santa Maria Valley. Straddling the eastern boundary of the Santa Maria Valley AVA, some 5 miles northeast of the Byron and Cambria properties, the original plantings of 8 acres of Clone 7 Syrah have been expanded by an additional 7 acres of ENTAV Clone 877 and 1 acre of Grenache recently. Owner Rio Rieswig insists on farming the vines to produce extremely low yields which makes his fruit highly sought-after.
The Tierra Alta Vineyard is located in the Ballard Canyon area of the Santa Ynez Valley, just outside the town of Los Olivos. The vineyard is situated on the crest and steep slopes of one of the highest hills (elevation of 1,200 feet) that frame Ballard Canyon to the northeast. This area is the source of some of the most sought after Syrah. This southwest facing vineyard is one of the newer arrivals on the scene, planted to some 45 acres planted mostly to Syrah. There are also small lots of Grenache, Rousanne and Viognier. More recent plantings include Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, and Tempranillo. Sauvignon Blanc is also grown here (for Brander). The climate of Ballard Canyon is subject to the marine influence of the ocean - just 15 miles to to the west. The soils are thin and contain limestone - a unique feature. The vineyard is under the care of John Belfry - reputed to be one of the best in the state of California.
Tax attorney, sailing enthusiast and avid wine collector David Hardee came to the west coast in 1996 after two decades of law practice, including work on Capitol Hill, to pursue other venture capital interests. He met Joey Tensley and started the Carina Cellars label in 2002. The label focuses on Rhône wines. These are sourced from numerous vineyards in the southern Central Coast for at total annual production of 2,000 cases.
Originally from Bakersfield, Joey Tensley he has already made a name for himself on the national scene having first cut his teeth at some of the most prominent wineries in Santa Barbara County. Carina cellars reds are typified by juicy fruit that stops short of gobs of jammy extraction, staking their claim in the realm of well-balanced and composed, structured wine. The Viogniers are well defined, showing a convergence of tropical and floral elements with spice and good minerality and acidity.
|
5 points |
|
|
Nose |
3 points |
|
Palate |
3 points |
|
Finish |
2 points |
|
Tannins |
5 points |
|
Acidity |
5 points |
|
Alcohol |
4 points |
|
Aging potential |
2 points |
|
Overall quality |
8 points |
Get the buzz:
-
Wine reviews
-
Great stories
-
Interviews
-
Wine education tools
-
New content every month
It's FREE!
Click here
Home | Contact Us | About Us | Feedback | Search | Tell a friend
Copyright © 2007 redwinebuzz.com All rights reserved.