September 2006 Wine Tasting Notes:
2005 Consilience Grenache Blanc, Santa Barbara County.
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This wine displays a bright straw-yellow color. The nose is complex with green apple, melon, mandarin orange and hints of gooseberry. The palate is bright and crisp with good acids, lots of citrus, moderate minerality and wraps up with a viscous, slightly heavy mouthfeel. Very subtle oaky notes express at higher temperatures. The finish on this wine is the gift that keeps on giving! It's very long with lots of citrus and green apple notes that echo repeatedly with an underlying mineral edge. The alcohol is appropriately bold for Grenache Blanc, but does not burn. |
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RWB Score: 92 breakdown 15.6% Alcohol $24.00 Retail (from winery); 360 cases produced |
This Grenache Blanc displays a fruity nose and a slightly darker, Rhône styled mouthfeel. Nevertheless, it remains light and bright with a sensational finish. Serve well chilled with fish and seafood over the next 5 years or so. |
More Consilience reviews
Detail
Composition: 100% Grenache Blanc, Camp 4 Vineyard. 100% barrel fermented Aged 8 months in 100% French oak (no new barrels).
The 2005 year saw an increase in crops over the preceding years. The year was generally cool and is being compared to the acclaimed 1997 vintage. The long and cool growing season without heat spikes resulted in fruit with 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.
Camp 4 is the newest addition to the Fess Parker family of vineyards. Located in the Santa Ynez Valley it is just southwest of he winery. The 1,400-acre piece of land was purchased in 1999 and the initial planting of 250 acres produced its first crop 2003. This vineyard experiences a warmer climate. Camp 4 is currently planted to 25 acres of Grenache, 10 acres of Mourvedre, 15 acres of Roussanne, 130 acres of Syrah and 25 acres of Viognier.
Consilience winery has been making wine since 1997, but was formally founded in 1999. They have been making wines "loosely focused around the typical Rhône varietals" (most of which are sourced from the Fess Parker estate) ever since. Their winemaking philosophy is to create wine with distinct expression of regional characteristics. Brett Escalera is the wine maker from Consilience. He brings experience from his ongoing tenure at Fess Parker Winery where he has been making wine since 1996. His position at Fess Parker's Winery also allows Consilience to source much of its fruit from that estate.
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4 points |
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Nose |
4 points |
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Palate |
4 points |
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Finish |
5 points |
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Astringency/Minerality |
5 points |
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Acidity |
4 points |
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Alcohol |
5 points |
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Aging potential |
2 points |
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Overall quality |
9 points |
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