2021 Tank Garage Pretty Hearts, Red Wine, California
Tasting Notes
This wine isn’t just another pretty label, it’s drop-dead gorgeous to its core. We tasked Bertus and our cellar team with creating the most alluring Italian red wine on the planet, and they definitely understood the assignment. A blend of 55% Barbera, 28% Valdiguié, 11% Négrette, and 6% Primitivo, this wine is bursting with luscious fruit flavors, fine-grained tannins, and mouthwatering acidity. Approachable in its youth and ready for seasonal gatherings, this wine will also reward cellaring over the next 3-5 years (for those with patience).
A glistening shade of ruby in color, Pretty Heart’s aromas of pomegranate, blackberry, and violets burst from the glass and hypnotize your senses in ways you can’t imagine, leaving you longing for more. In your mouth, this wine is an absolute bombshell with flavors of tart strawberry, cherry pie, rosewater, and creamy caramel balanced by delightful acidity and a finish that just won’t quit. Needless to say, we’ll be reaching for a glass of this iconic red on the daily. For a wine pairing you won’t forget, try a glass of Pretty Hearts with a creamy mushroom risotto.
So, how does a wine as pretty as this come to be? Harvested between September and October 2021 from our favorite vineyards across Northern California, the fruit was tended with care in our cellar, undergoing fermentation in a mix of stainless steel and open-top vessels. The Valdiguié portion of the blend was fermented partially whole-cluster, and the entire blend was aged in neutral French oak for 9 months prior to bottling.
A reminder that it’s what’s on the inside that counts, Pretty Hearts Red Wine was inspired by lyrics from Robert Plant’s 1979 hit, “Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor)”.
Food Pairing Notes
Mushroom Risotto, Moroccan, Spiced Meatballs, or Gorgonzola
Specs
Vintage: 2021
Varietals: 55% Barbera, 28% Valdiguié, 11% Négrette, and 6% Primitivo
Appellation: California
Harvest Date: September & October 2021
Aging: 9 Months Neutral French Oak
Fermentation: Mix of stainless steel and open-top vessels
Bottling Date: July 12, 2022
Alcohol: 14.1%
Production: 589 cases
Drink by 2027
2020 Tank Garage Lonely Hearts Club, Red Wine, El Dorado County
Tasting Notes
Released on June 1st, 1967, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, the Beatles’ eighth album, became the soundtrack to the Summer of Love. In November of 1966, on a flight back to England after a holiday, Paul McCartney created an idea in which an entire album would be role-played, with each of the Beatles assuming an alter-ego in the “Lonely Hearts Club Band.” To this day, The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band remains the most iconic album cover of all time. With whimsical psychedelic songwriting, the album was incredibly innovative and helped change the idea of what a rock album could do. Sounds like something Tank would do…
We have really been diggin’ our El Dorado fruit. El Dorado literally translates to “a place of great wealth or inordinate opportunity” and during the Gold Rush, hordes of fortune seekers rushed to the foothills of the Sierra. Those that were unable to strike gold or silver, found themselves successful in growing fruit trees and vines, and so began one of California’s oldest grape-growing regions. Because of the diversity in soil and climate, over 50 varietals thrive in El Dorado County and the area is appropriately coined the Wild West of the Wine World. Lonely Hearts Club is a trippy expression, using 46% Grenache, 40% Mourvèdre, 10% Cinsault, 2% Négrette, and 2% Barbera.
To our OG Tank folk who loved Like You Stole It or Dark Science, this is the wine for you. Lonely Hearts Club will take you on a mind-bending, experimental journey through Strawberry Fields Forever. Prepare for a swirling kaleidoscope of strawberry pop tart, rose water, and watermelon accentuated by dragon fruit and marjoram. It reminds us of dry desert winds. With mouthwatering acidity and microfine tannins, this El Dorado blend is begging for funky food to pair with a lonely (or broken) heart.
Feeling salty? Pop the top on ramen (instant). Deserve something special? A paella (for one). Craving something sweet? Reach for a bowl of lucky charms (for dinner) or a box of mixed pastries (eat at least four). Want to eat your feelings? Go for a grilled cheese (made in a toaster oven). Feeling lazy? You know what it is: chicken nuggets (20 pieces, extra honey mustard).
Fermentation: Open top fermentation with a 3-day cold soak, fermented on skins for one week.
Alcohol: 13.4%
Production: 548 Cases
Drink by 2028
Lake Champlain Chocolate Hearts
One bag of either dark or milk chocolate hearts wrapped in beautiful pink or red foils, packaged in a ready-to-share gift bag hand-tied with ribbon. Total piece count: approximately 20
What’s Included
2-bottles:
1x 2021 Tank Garage Pretty Hearts, Red Wine, California
1x 2020 Tank Garage Lonely Hearts Club, Red Wine, El Dorado County
1x Lake Champlain Chocolate Hearts Bag (Milk or Dark Chocolate), 5.9 oz Case:
6x 2021 Tank Garage Pretty Hearts, Red Wine, California
6x 2020 Tank Garage Lonely Hearts Club, Red Wine, El Dorado County
1x Lake Champlain Chocolate Hearts Bag (Milk or Dark Chocolate), 5.9 oz
Price Comparison
Not all wines for sale on winery website, $522/case MSRP
When we opened Tank Garage Winery in 2014, we didn’t know if it would turn into Napa’s coolest winery, or work at all for that matter. In fact, for a while, it seemed like it wouldn’t. Napa Valley just didn’t seem ready for an old garage pumping out eclectic wine blends and vintage vibes. The people that drove by looked confused and if they ever stopped, it was to try and get gas. Nobody seemed to get it. But then, we found you.
And you told your friends about Calistoga’s best winery with cool labels and an affinity for the F word and they started coming too. Before we could even realize, Tank became a full-fledged movement.
See, this project didn’t start in some focus group or corporate boardroom, it started as a dream. We built Tank as a bastion for dreamers and those looking to defy conventions. A winery that celebrates misfits, bootleggers, and daredevils. One of the most interesting wineries in Napa Valley. No business plan, no exit strategy, just a mission to do cool $h#t.
Our goal is to make wines that add to the collective conversation. Wines with soul and purpose. By sourcing fruit from California’s most important vineyards, we’re able to create delicious wines that are unlike anything you’ve ever experienced before.
So if you are reading this, thank you for sharing our dream. Thanks for helping us build Napa’s most fun wine-tasting experience. Thanks for supporting us when the odds are stacked against us. We’ll keep pushing boundaries in winemaking. We’ll keep doing cool $h#t. And we promise to keep rockin’ and rollin’.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Many thanks to our friends at Wine Country Connect for the early birthday present and rattage opportunity with a special and unique bottle, “Pretty Hearts”. Italian varietals are clearly a labor of love in the Napa wine scene. Anyone dedicated to making these wines appears to be fond for swimming upstream. But in this case the journey is rewarding and presents an opportunity to explore new territory. Tank Garage produces a variety of blends with fun looking labels. This bottle fits with the theme and is a blend of 55% Barbera, 2 grapes previously unknown to me, and 6% Primitivo. The labeling and packaging reflect care and purpose. The capsule is thick and reminiscent of the lead capsules of old. I am not sure whether it is made of tin, aluminum, or PVC but it reflects an expectation of quality in the bottle. Once the capsule is off you are greeted by a message on the cork “Never Dream Alone”. While pondering the inner meaning of the aforementioned phrase, I managed to extract the cork with a waiter cork screw and was surprised by sediment adherent to the bottom of the cork. I suspect that means the wine was stored properly or may benefit from decanting however I poured straight from the bottle without any sediment in the glass. The wine is more of a garnet shade with purple hues. The nose is red fruit forward with some floral overtone. The first taste balances red fruit with tangy acidity, cherry and plum, followed by a long pleasant finish of black tea, forest floor, and bramble. It is medium bodied and ready to drink now right out of the bottle.
On to the food pairings! This is clearly a go to pizza and pasta wine so I put together a couple of pizzas from some pizza dough that was still resting in the fridge. The first pizza was veggie with baby bella mushrooms and banana peppers. The wine paired well with the earthiness of the mushrooms. The second pizza was turkey pepperoni. The acidity stood up to the spice in the pepperoni. A definite win with the pizza but can pair with more elegant fare as well. Dessert pairing was with chocolate chip cookies, milk chocolate with almonds, and rolo cups, all good!
I had 2 glasses left for the next day which I preserved using a Vacuvin stopper. Started first with burrata. The creaminess cut the acid nicely. Then on to Stanley Tucci’s viral zucchini pasta. Yes I know this is supposed to be a white wine pairing but this wine plays well with any pasta. I suspect this offering will sell out since Tank Garage’s wines are highly rated. I am currently renegotiating my SIWBM due to qpr at this price point. Cheers!
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping AND CHOCOLATES are not included in savings calculations).
Tank Garage Winery Mixed Reds - $100 = 33.32%
I am a big fan of Tank Garage. Fun place to visit, and they have some pretty eclectic blends. But I don’t have enough room for case, or really any more bottles for that matter. That said, anyone in SF up for a split, ideally a three way? Would be great to get a couple bottles each of these.
@coolac5@davidj94112 I live in Oakland and (sometimes) go to the office in SF, and I picked up a case - happy to split it up if you’re still interested!
@coolac5@nickmili I am fine either way, either splitting on not. Don’t want to inconvenience anyone (myself included) trying to do a wine hand off. I’ve been holding 4 bottles from a previous split for over a month while awaiting a good time to get it to my Casemate.
It’s been a while; every few months I start to get a sad feeling in my soul that WineDavid has lost my number. Days turn to weeks, weeks turn to months, and then, just as I begin to lose all hope - I sense a disturbance in the force. And then - the doorbell rings. Lo and behold, a Casemates box is waiting on my front porch. That’s what happened last week. Oh well, so much for Dry January…
I’ve not tasted the Tank Garage wines in some time, but I’ve long been a fan of their gas-station-turned tasting room in Calistoga, their great branding and labels, and their knack at re-purposing a song lyric. I received a bottle of 2020 Lonely Hearts Club Wine - a blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre and Cinsault with a little Négrette and Barbera thrown in for good measure. (Side note: My 15 year old daughter has become a massive Beatles fan after we watched the Peter Jackson documentary together, so she appreciated the name of the wine!)
Here’s a recap of my taste:
I poured a healthy pour into my Casemates wine glass and took a gander at its light, translucent ruby hue.
The wine has a nice, perfumey, confectionary nose - cotton candy and Strawberry Fanta soda (do they still make that?)
On the palate- lots of acid (which we love) and more Strawberry… like a strawberry jolly rancher. And a touch of citrus. Tasty and refreshing. Rinse and repeat… Easy drinking and food friendly thanks to that lovely acid.
This wine’s not trying to be too complicated… after the acid there’s soft, light structure and no detectable oak to speak of. Not at all hot at 13.4% abv. I wouldn’t lay this one down, I don’t see it getting any better than it is right now. (By right now, I mean generally speaking - I’m not actually tasting it at 7AM. As far as you know.
This is a fun wine, easy to drink, refreshing and food friendly. Nicely priced with a bag of chocolate. Which - I didn’t receive. Hey WineDavid? No chocolate for NeilFindsWine?
2021 Tank Garage Pretty Hearts, Red Wine, California
Tasting Notes
Food Pairing Notes
Specs
2020 Tank Garage Lonely Hearts Club, Red Wine, El Dorado County
Tasting Notes
Specs
Lake Champlain Chocolate Hearts
What’s Included
2-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
Not all wines for sale on winery website, $522/case MSRP
About The Wineries
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Feb 19 - Tuesday, Feb 20
Tank Garage Winery Mixed Reds
2 bottles for $49.99 $25/bottle + $4/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $199.99 $16.67/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2021 Tank Garage Pretty Hearts
2020 Tank Garage Lonely Hearts Club
NV Lake Champlain Chocolate Hearts Bag
Excited for rats on this offering!!
Hoping the winery participates and can share more about where the grapes come from for Pretty Hearts? All of Northern California is pretty broad
2021 Tank Garage Pretty Hearts
Many thanks to our friends at Wine Country Connect for the early birthday present and rattage opportunity with a special and unique bottle, “Pretty Hearts”. Italian varietals are clearly a labor of love in the Napa wine scene. Anyone dedicated to making these wines appears to be fond for swimming upstream. But in this case the journey is rewarding and presents an opportunity to explore new territory. Tank Garage produces a variety of blends with fun looking labels. This bottle fits with the theme and is a blend of 55% Barbera, 2 grapes previously unknown to me, and 6% Primitivo. The labeling and packaging reflect care and purpose. The capsule is thick and reminiscent of the lead capsules of old. I am not sure whether it is made of tin, aluminum, or PVC but it reflects an expectation of quality in the bottle. Once the capsule is off you are greeted by a message on the cork “Never Dream Alone”. While pondering the inner meaning of the aforementioned phrase, I managed to extract the cork with a waiter cork screw and was surprised by sediment adherent to the bottom of the cork. I suspect that means the wine was stored properly or may benefit from decanting however I poured straight from the bottle without any sediment in the glass. The wine is more of a garnet shade with purple hues. The nose is red fruit forward with some floral overtone. The first taste balances red fruit with tangy acidity, cherry and plum, followed by a long pleasant finish of black tea, forest floor, and bramble. It is medium bodied and ready to drink now right out of the bottle.
On to the food pairings! This is clearly a go to pizza and pasta wine so I put together a couple of pizzas from some pizza dough that was still resting in the fridge. The first pizza was veggie with baby bella mushrooms and banana peppers. The wine paired well with the earthiness of the mushrooms. The second pizza was turkey pepperoni. The acidity stood up to the spice in the pepperoni. A definite win with the pizza but can pair with more elegant fare as well. Dessert pairing was with chocolate chip cookies, milk chocolate with almonds, and rolo cups, all good!
I had 2 glasses left for the next day which I preserved using a Vacuvin stopper. Started first with burrata. The creaminess cut the acid nicely. Then on to Stanley Tucci’s viral zucchini pasta. Yes I know this is supposed to be a white wine pairing but this wine plays well with any pasta. I suspect this offering will sell out since Tank Garage’s wines are highly rated. I am currently renegotiating my SIWBM due to qpr at this price point. Cheers!
Bad case of loving you is definitely not Robert Plant
@ma2112 Robert Plant, Robert Palmer – they were kinda sorta close! Gotta wonder which singer really “inspired” this product.
@ma2112 BTW this could be a Jeopardy category. “I’ll take ‘British Singers Whose Name Is Robert P.’ for $400, Ken.”
@InFrom @ma2112 they had the right year. I graduated (from what, I don’t know) in ‘79
Some varietals in there, that I’ve never heard of…
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping AND CHOCOLATES are not included in savings calculations).
Tank Garage Winery Mixed Reds - $100 = 33.32%
I am a big fan of Tank Garage. Fun place to visit, and they have some pretty eclectic blends. But I don’t have enough room for case, or really any more bottles for that matter. That said, anyone in SF up for a split, ideally a three way? Would be great to get a couple bottles each of these.
@davidj94112 not sure if you found anyone else but I would be interested in a third share. I’m in Oakland.
@coolac5 looks like cases have sold out. So out of luck this time.
@coolac5 @davidj94112 I live in Oakland and (sometimes) go to the office in SF, and I picked up a case - happy to split it up if you’re still interested!
@davidj94112 @nickmili yes I’m interested in a 1/3 share if you are looking to offload 2/2, I’m right by OAK airport for easy drop off.
@coolac5 @nickmili I am fine either way, either splitting on not. Don’t want to inconvenience anyone (myself included) trying to do a wine hand off. I’ve been holding 4 bottles from a previous split for over a month while awaiting a good time to get it to my Casemate.
2020 Tank Garage Lonely Hearts Club
Good morn’ Case-Matey’s!
It’s been a while; every few months I start to get a sad feeling in my soul that WineDavid has lost my number. Days turn to weeks, weeks turn to months, and then, just as I begin to lose all hope - I sense a disturbance in the force. And then - the doorbell rings. Lo and behold, a Casemates box is waiting on my front porch. That’s what happened last week. Oh well, so much for Dry January…
I’ve not tasted the Tank Garage wines in some time, but I’ve long been a fan of their gas-station-turned tasting room in Calistoga, their great branding and labels, and their knack at re-purposing a song lyric. I received a bottle of 2020 Lonely Hearts Club Wine - a blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre and Cinsault with a little Négrette and Barbera thrown in for good measure. (Side note: My 15 year old daughter has become a massive Beatles fan after we watched the Peter Jackson documentary together, so she appreciated the name of the wine!)
Here’s a recap of my taste:
I poured a healthy pour into my Casemates wine glass and took a gander at its light, translucent ruby hue.
The wine has a nice, perfumey, confectionary nose - cotton candy and Strawberry Fanta soda (do they still make that?)
On the palate- lots of acid (which we love) and more Strawberry… like a strawberry jolly rancher. And a touch of citrus. Tasty and refreshing. Rinse and repeat… Easy drinking and food friendly thanks to that lovely acid.
This wine’s not trying to be too complicated… after the acid there’s soft, light structure and no detectable oak to speak of. Not at all hot at 13.4% abv. I wouldn’t lay this one down, I don’t see it getting any better than it is right now. (By right now, I mean generally speaking - I’m not actually tasting it at 7AM. As far as you know.
This is a fun wine, easy to drink, refreshing and food friendly. Nicely priced with a bag of chocolate. Which - I didn’t receive. Hey WineDavid? No chocolate for NeilFindsWine?
@neilfindswine great descriptive review. Thank you. Would you consider this wine sweet at all?
@Leatherchair no. I’d be surprised if there was measurable RS. Nice, focused fruit. But not sweet methinks. Perhaps the winery will chime in…
@neilfindswine Great rattage! fun read
@neilfindswine appreciate your reply. Ordered a case off that. Thanks again for the great rattage
@neilfindswine
Neil! Always great to read you and good job turning your daughter on to The Beatles!
@chipgreen Howdy Chipper!!!
I’m interested in a DMV split. Who’s in?
kls
@kls_in_MD I’m allergic to chocolate, so I’ll want a discount (j/k) on my part!
@bunnymasseuse, @zortapa, juice is shipped!
@bunnymasseuse @Zortapa … and has now arrived. 10 FEB is a possible meet as are next Tues and Wed after work. LMK
4 or 2 still available:
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If I ordered a case would anyone in MPLS want half? I live in Kingfield
Even though I have no room for another case (malbecs most recently!) I am in! Love that chocolates come with the offer. Hope mine are dark chocolates.
Hoping I get dark chocolate too. Love the different wines used in the blends. Very excited!
Calistoga wines are the best!