tercero Unique Mixed Reds

Tasting notes & discussion 76

Typically $40/bottle from Tercero Wines
Vintage 2017 Carignane and 2019 Cinsault from Santa Barbara County
Available for AZ; CA; CO; CT; DC; FL; GA; IA; ID; IN; KY; LA; MA; MD; ME; MN; MO; MT; NC; NE; NJ; NM; NV; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; RI; SC; SD; TX; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY
Sold by participating winery or licensee, fulfilled by Wine Country Connect

About Tercero Wines: “Tercero Wines concentrates on small lot, hand crafted wines using grapes exclusively from leading Santa Barbara County vineyards and works with grapes from nearly every AVA within the county. Though his main concentration is working with rhone varieties, Larry remains curious and therefore also works with pinot noir, gewurztraminer, cabernet franc, and a few other fun and interesting grapes. And therein lies the beauty of Santa Barbara County.“

Carignane of the Above

TASTING NOTES:
Carignane - “We chose to pick these grapes at lower Brix levels than many others and due to those, we think we captured some distinct aromatic and flavor qualities that would have been masked by more ripeness. This wine reminds many of a northern Italian wine - underripe cherry, a slight smokiness, plenty of spice, and enough earthiness to keep your nose in the glass; the flavors in the mouth follow the aromatics, and it finished with noticeable tannin and acid, even though the alcohol level is pretty low.” (AbV 12.5%, pH 3.59, TA 0.63 g/100mL)

Cinsault - “Cinsault produces huge berries so one should not expect a deeply hued or structured wine - and this certainly fits that bill. Beautiful light red in color, the aromatics soar from the glass - underripe strawberries and cherries, earthy, peppery, spicy, lifted. The wine dances around the mouth, offering similar flavors to the nose.” (AbV 12.0%, pH 3.65, TA 0.58 g/100mL)

VARIETALS: 100% Carignane, 100% Cinsault

BARRELS: 16 months in French oak.

PAIRS WITH: While the Cinsault goes with everything, try the Carignane with pasta with red sauce, wild game, or pizza.

THAT REMINDS ME OF: Infamous Canadian political candidates Thea Bove Zznoneoff and Above Znoneofthe?

The “Z’s” are so they show up at the bottom of the ballot, as Canadian ballots are alphabetical by last name. While Thea was seemingly a one-off pseudonym used in 1997, Above Znoneofthe has consistently run in elections since 2015. In fact, in what I can only call a supreme case of committing to the bit, Above Znoneofthe became the candidate’s legal name.

Who's buying this?

How are you buying your bottles?

If you had to pick between them, which are you feeling more: Carignane or Cinsault?

Carignane

Carignane
Cinsault

Cinsault

37 votes