TASTING ROOMS
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SUMMER
WINES
The season brings fresh new
varietals to Wente Vineyards
W
ente Vineyards wine
club members and tasting
room guests can look
forward to two interim small lot
wines coming in July.
The 2012 Small Lot Cabernet
Franc has a greater complexity,
while the red-purple 2012 Small Lot
Petite Sirah is very bold.
In August, Wente Vineyards will
introduce some inter-
esting blends.
The 2012 Small Lot
Sonata, part of the
Artist Series Collec-
tion, is 44 percent
cabernet, 55 percent
Syrah.
"Both are big wines
and together there's
more spice and fruit flavor," says
Lindsay Knight, Senior Tasting Room
Manager. "Also, the Syrah mellows
out the cab and makes it smoother."
The 2012 The Nth Degree Syrah
ages well every year. It has what
Knight describes as a "chocolate-
covered cherry flavor." Smooth and
velvety, it showcases the great
Syrah grapes grown in the valley.
An ideal picnic wine for the sum-
mer is the 2013 Small Lot Viognier,
which displays floral, spicy tones.
The Winemakers Studio will also
release wines produced by each of
its four winemakers.
Director of Winemaking Brad
Buehler will introduce the single
white on the list, the 2013 Artisan
White. The wine is crisp and re-
freshing, Knight says, making it an-
other excellent summer choice.
The 2012 Artisan Red, crafted by
Assistant Winemaker Andrew
Lynch, is a Barbera-based blend.
"It's an Italian-style wine so it's
more acidic and pairs well with
food," Knight says.
Enologist Elizabeth Kester's 2012
Azul-Verde, a blend of Malbec and
Cabernet Franc and a bit of Syrah,
has distinct blueberry tones, while
winemaker Claude Bobba's 2012
Pinot Noir Clones, a combination of
three pinots, is well balanced and
fruit forward.
Murrieta's Well Winery is pour-
ing its re-launched 2013 The Whip,
a blend of several white grapes that
deliver a full-bodied, creamy finish.
The trio of July releases include
the 2013 Los Tesoros Semillon-
Chardonnay, with a butterscotch
taste that complements its bold cit-
rus and melon flavors, says Tasting
Room Manager Lori Albiani.
A wine that ages well, the 2012
Los Tesoros Merlot blends equal
parts Malbec and Petit Verdot with
the 96 percent merlot, resulting in a
fruit-forward wine.
The 2012 Los Tesoros Zarzuela in-
corporates 5 percent Petite Sirah
rather than previously used Gra-
ciano grapes.
"The wine is light but has bal-
anced tannins," Albiani says. "It's
starting to age well already."
The Wente Vine-
yards Wine Club
offers exclusive ac-
cess to special re-
lease wines and
much, much more.
CLICK HERE for
complete details.
JOIN THE CLUB!
The Vineyard
Tasting Room.
