January 2007 Wine Tasting Notes:
2005 Ventana Vineyards Dry Rosado, Monterey, Arroyo Seco.
 |
This is a deep, vibrant ruby colored wine. The nose offers a blend of strawberry and bright pear backed by watermelon notes. The palate continues with tangy pear and apple accented by citrus and hints of strawberry. Bright acidity, measured alcohol and a hint of mineral make for a crisp, dry mouthfeel and lighter body. A medium finish shows citrus, pear and a hint of strawberry. |
|
RWB Score: 90 breakdown 13.0% Alcohol $14.00 Retail (from winery); Total production unknown. |
Enticing in color, rich with juicy fruit and refreshing, Holds up well to over-chilling and does not fall apart at warmer temperatures. A delightfully racy citrus element crescendos midway through the palate and lingers, refreshing and cleansing the palate. Expected to stay zesty and fresh to pair with light white meat dishes, salads and Mediterranean cuisine through 2008. |
| Detail |
More Ventana reviews. More on Arroyo Seco AVA |
Estate grown and bottled, this wine is barrel fermented in neutral French oak.
Reggie Hammond calls this wine a "purpose-built rosé" to distinguish is from a rosé de saigneé. Saignée is the French winemaking term for the process of draining off a portion of red wine after a brief period of contact with the grape skin with the intent of increasing the concentration of color, flavor and tannins. This is done to improve the quality of the wine which remains in the fermentation vat. The drained juice is pink and may be used to make rosé wine. In this process, however, the focus is on the wine which remains in the vat and not the bled-off juice - which is just a by-product and can also be bottled and sold as a separate wine. In the case of a "purpose-built rosé", Saigneé is still the method for making this wine, but the focus is on the juice being bled off and on the quality of the resulting wine.
Grenache is a perfect candidate for rosé because of its berry flavors. Although it is generally thought of as a Rhône variety, Grenache (Grenache Noir and its relatives Grenache Blanc and Grenache Gris) originates from Spain where it is called “Garnacha”. There, it is twice planted to twice the acreage as in France. In fact, it is currently the most widely planted red wine variety in the world and goes by many names, depending where it is grown. It has some history in California as it has been used in the jug wines of the Central Valley for decades, third only to Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel. 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. It is a sturdy, prolific variety (hence its utility in the Central Valley jug wines) and tolerates dry and hot climates. 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. Barrel aging can impart vanilla notes. With a heavier oak regiment it can become smoky. Bottle aging will see this variety fading relatively quickly and displaying dried fruit flavors. Despite the tannin and acids, Grenache is not known for its longevity.
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.
Ventana ("window" in Spanish) was founded by Doug Meador in the early 1970s. A former Navy pilot from a family of Washington apple farmers, he became fascinated with cold-climate viticulture while supervising the planting of 2,500 acres of grapes in the Arroyo Seco area of Monterey County. He purchased and planted the current 400 acre property. He became a pioneer and champion of Monterey wine. In September 2006, The Meadors sold the Ventana brand, vineyards, winery and tasting room to a group of local winemakers and grape growers who make up Ventana Vintners, LLC. Doug is still involved with and present at Ventana (which continues his legacy) but is concentrating on his namesake label: Meador as well as other projects.
Ventana Vineyard’s lead winemaker is Reggie Hammond (he retains that position after the recent transfer of ownership). He was brought in by Doug Meador to manage the vineyards, winery operations and to develop Ventana's red wine portfolio while continuing the line up of white wines at the standard of quality Dough had established. He applies a "keep it simple and don't screw it up" approach to achieve the Ventana winemaking philosophy. Ventana aims to craft "European sensibility and an abundance of California fruit" at a good value. This means affordable wines with distinct varietal characteristics. The frame of mind is to be "wine-growers" not grape growers.
|
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 |
8 points |
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!
Click here
Home | Contact Us | About Us | Feedback | Search | Tell a friend
Copyright © 2007 redwinebuzz.com All rights reserved.