Wine Tasting Notes
Carina Cellars.
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 name comes from a part of a constellation named after the Argonauts of Greek mythology and David’s sailboat. Carina Cellars focuses on Rhône wines. These are sourced from numerous vineyards in the southern Central Coast for at total annual production of 2,000 cases.
While David manages the finances and other business aspects of the operation, Joey Tensley makes the wine. Originally from Bakersfield, he has already made a name for himself on the national scene. He cut his teeth at some of the most prominent wineries in Santa Barbara County. He started in the cellar at Fess Parker Winery in 1993 and was strongly influenced by Brian Babcock, who focuses on the vineyard, proclaiming: "Great wines are made in the vineyard". Having spent two years with Babcock as an Assistant Winemaker, he moved on to Beckmen Vineyards where he gained experience with Rhône varieties and launched his own label with a total production of 100 cases.
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. Compared to Tensley wines, Carina Cellars wines are more reserved but expressive and composed while maintaining the mark of the winemaker's hand.
2005 Carina Cellars Clairvoyant, Santa Ynez Valley 87 Points
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