My 2016 Verbiage Blanc is a blend of 58% Roussanne, 9% Marsanne and 33% Grenache Blanc. Each component was aged for 16 months in older French oak on their lees and were left unracked until just before bottling. This is a rich, unctuous wine that also has great acidity. And it’s quite age-worthy as well. My favorite verbiage blanc release to date!
Specs
Vintage: 2016
Varietals: 58% Roussanne, 9% Marsanne and 33% Grenache Blanc
Appellation: Santa Barbara County
Alcohol: 14.1%
2016 tercero Grenache Blanc, Santa Barbara County
Tasting Notes
A blend of two different sites here in the Santa Ynez Valley - each lot was whole cluster pressed, and then fermented and aged on their lees for 16 months in older French oak barrels, unracked until just before bottling. The extra time in oak on their lees definitely added to more body in the wine but did not detract from the freshness of the wine whatsoever. Drinking great but will age beautifully as well.
Specs
Vintage: 2016
Varietal: Grenache Blanc
Appellation: Santa Barbara County
Alcohol: 14.1
What’s Included
3-bottles:
2x 2016 tercero Verbiage Blanc, Santa Barbara County
1x 2016 tercero Grenache Blanc, Santa Barbara County Case:
8x 2016 tercero Verbiage Blanc, Santa Barbara County
4x 2016 tercero Grenache Blanc, Santa Barbara County
The idea for tercero wines surfaced a number of years back. Larry Schaffer had been in the music, education, and trade publishing industries for a number of years and had achieved all he had set out to do. It was time for a change . . . . but to what? His first thought – a professional volleyball player? But alas, Larry is simply a bit height-challenged, so it was time for Plan B – get into the wine business. The initial thought was to go into wine sales, but his thoughts quickly turned to challenging himself and taking on classes he never wanted to take as an undergraduate at UC Berkeley – those dreaded science classes. Not only did he take them on but he conquered them, transferred to UC Davis, and got his Master’s Degree in Viticulture and Enology in 2005.
After graduating, Larry and his family began a new chapter in their lives, relocating to the Santa Ynez Valley, where he became Enologist for Fess Parker Winery, a well-respected winery that makes a LOT of wine. Why here? The winemaking community was willing and wanting to help each other, but more importantly, it was simply an incredible place to raise children and live life!
A year after starting there, Larry was ready to ‘take the plunge’ and start buying grapes to make his own wines! It was scary and challenging at the same time – no matter how much you read about it or do it for others, it’s quite different when it’s ‘your own baby’ . . . But it was also a way for Larry to ‘marry’ his past with his present – to use his sales/marketing skills along with his technical winemaking skills to see what he could produce . . .
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, gewürztraminer, cabernet franc, and a few other fun and interesting grapes. And therein lies the beauty of Santa Barbara County.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IN, IA, LA, ME, MD, MA, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
And we’re up and running! Welcome Casemate community! So excited to be back up on here, showcasing some of my favorite white wines that I produce! I just put my 17 mo old daughter to bed and am watching The Voice. - and I’m here to answer any questions you may have! Bring them on! Cheers . . .
Lab Rat saved this for the Thanksgiving holidays! The Tercero Grenache Blanc 2016 was fantastic with our spatchcock turkey!! Alice, always love this opportunity. We are so grateful… Thank you!
The Grenache Blanc is a beautiful white wine that was perfect with our holiday dinner. Is it really a 2016? This crisp refreshing wine has a golden pear, almost amber color, offering aromas of peach and apricot.
Right out of the bottle it has aromas of pitted fruit, with hints of citrus, orange and grapefruit. The silky mouth feel grabs you right away. My guests and I felt it was a perfect pairing with soft cheeses, shell fish and that dang good spatchcock turkey I served. The last slips leave you with a smooth oak finish that left us all wanting more. I recommend pouring yourself first…and most! Because your guests will be looking for seconds!
@karenhynes@tercerowines I should have added a super-sized-holiday season thank you for getting the 2014 Grenache across our borders for the prior offer! We love it!!
@tercerowines I know! And after I had to pass on the mystery case club offer, too. Sigh.
But looks like I have 2 of each so I guess if somebody in SoCal is looking to offload a set I can help.
With other wines, I may pause with these being 2016, but I just finished my 7th bottle out of my case of Larry’s Grenache that was on Casemates a couple of months ago, and for a 2014, the lasting fruit is remarkable. You would think a 2019. So easily in for a case
Accentuated by a clear bottle, this wine grabbed my attention with its ultra deep, golden straw color that made me curious to see if this age-worthy varietal blend … was. And in short, enjoy the beautiful color, this wine is still in its prime, true to characteristic richness, and nicely balanced.
White Rhone-style blends are becoming more accessible both here in Sonoma and certainly in Santa Barbara where this wine originates. I enjoy the change from more commonly available Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. The 2016 Verbiage Blanc is a Roussanne dominant blend with Grenache Blanc and Marsanne, and unquestionably shows the merits of these varieties.
Opened at 55 degrees, screw top, the aroma was of medium intensity with Meyer lemon, hints of apricot, honey and grassy beeswax that gave it a sense of savory. There was also a bit of brioche or yeast. Over the meal, as the wine warmed the aromas were enhanced by slight floral and tropical fruit aromas - for me it was like pineapple. It has a rich, broad aroma profile.
The entry was round and well integrated. The fruit was ripe and set in the mid-palate with opal apple, asian pear, and the slightest hints of sweeter fruit on the edges that reminded me of lychee and very ripe yellow table grapes. This was nicely balanced by a bright acidity and all wrapped up in that unctuous, medium-bodied mouthfeel for which Roussanne and Marsanne are famous. A long balanced finish introduced what seemed to be a bit of mineral zing, but that might have also been the acidity trailing off.
I received the wine at the beginning of the week, perfect for a last gasp of Thanksgiving pairing - an open-faced turkey sandwich with mushroom gravy. The rich and savory fruit paired nicely with the turkey sandwich, and the acidity easily matched the fresh cranberry and mint relish. I don’t usually track second day tastings, but in this case, there was no question because neither the leftovers nor the wine made it past dinner.
The 2016 Verbiage Blanc, in my opinion, is a great option for those looking for a fuller white wine without the heavy oak or butter that some big Chardonnays exhibit. It has engaging complexity and is nicely integrated with no rough edges. There is enough brightness to highlight the wine and stand up to pairing with foods. While it may be easily cellared, I feel it’s drinking really nicely now, and I’d target it for the table this winter.
@ElKabong@ttboy23 Tom has a pretty reliable connection in Ohio (this guy) if you don’t mind waiting for either of us to meet up, and really want some of Larry’s wine. FWIW. I know MI isn’t small, so you may not have casemated with him.
@KNmeh7@ttboy23 I’m in Grand Rapids, i get to Brighton area regularly and both Kalamazoo and Lansing often. If you are close I’d love to split a case. Are you near any of those??
I’m in! I opened my first 2014 Grenache on Thanksgiving and it was a huge hit. Noticed it’s an uneven split but that doesn’t matter to be because I’m keeping the whole case.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations).
tercero Mixed Holiday Whites - $80 = 33.33%
Though neither of these are ‘Chardonnay’, if your preferences run towards creamier whites, you wil not be disappointed. And both still have enough acid to keep these wines ‘bright’…
@WCCWineGirl indeed they are! And our little girl truly does not stop running from the moment she gets up until nap time. Then she starts up again until it’s time to go to bed. Incredible! She’s truly keeping me on my toes and much younger than I normally would be
@tercerowines@WCCWineGirl Reminds me of my older one when he was that age. He still has a hard time not moving…
I think you might be the victim of too many great deal over the last little while. And too many empty wallets/full cellars!
Always glad to order from my fellow UC Davis dorm-mate (well, different buildings and different years —we never met, but close enough). But I always enjoyed the wines. And partial to ´unusual’ white varietals.
2016 tercero Verbiage Blanc, Santa Barbara County
Tasting Notes
Specs
2016 tercero Grenache Blanc, Santa Barbara County
Tasting Notes
Specs
What’s Included
3-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$480/Case for 8x 2016 tercero Verbiage Blanc, Santa Barbara County + 4x 2016 tercero Grenache Blanc, Santa Barbara County at tercero wines
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IN, IA, LA, ME, MD, MA, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Dec 18 - Tuesday, Dec 19
tercero Mixed Holiday Whites
3 bottles for $59.99 $20/bottle + $2.67/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $159.99 $13.33/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2016 Verbiage Blanc
2016 Grenache Blanc
And we’re up and running! Welcome Casemate community! So excited to be back up on here, showcasing some of my favorite white wines that I produce! I just put my 17 mo old daughter to bed and am watching The Voice. - and I’m here to answer any questions you may have! Bring them on! Cheers . . .
Lab Rat saved this for the Thanksgiving holidays! The Tercero Grenache Blanc 2016 was fantastic with our spatchcock turkey!! Alice, always love this opportunity. We are so grateful… Thank you!
The Grenache Blanc is a beautiful white wine that was perfect with our holiday dinner. Is it really a 2016? This crisp refreshing wine has a golden pear, almost amber color, offering aromas of peach and apricot.
Right out of the bottle it has aromas of pitted fruit, with hints of citrus, orange and grapefruit. The silky mouth feel grabs you right away. My guests and I felt it was a perfect pairing with soft cheeses, shell fish and that dang good spatchcock turkey I served. The last slips leave you with a smooth oak finish that left us all wanting more. I recommend pouring yourself first…and most! Because your guests will be looking for seconds!
@jennyrenard great picture - may I borrow it?
@tercerowines absolutely! Truly enjoyed your Grenache Blanc!
No IL this time around? I just bought Larry’s offer back in October…
@karenhynes I think I was able to ‘sneak in’ IL last time but not this - but you are surrounded by states that I CAN ship to
Sorry about that . . .
@karenhynes Was excited to see the offer. Alas, IL is out in the cold for this one.
@karenhynes @tercerowines I should have added a super-sized-holiday season thank you for getting the 2014 Grenache across our borders for the prior offer! We love it!!
Two of my favourite wines from Larry! Need to check inventory to see how many more we can take.
@klezman this will be the last of the 2016s and at a KILLER price too
@tercerowines I know! And after I had to pass on the mystery case club offer, too. Sigh.
But looks like I have 2 of each so I guess if somebody in SoCal is looking to offload a set I can help.
@klezman @tercerowines
my CT claims I have two each up there as well.
@klezman @tercerowines @cortot
but I also could be persuaded to help out on a SoCal case buy.
@klezman @rjquillin @tercerowines I wouldn’t say no to a split
@CorTot @klezman
but nobody said yes either
@CorTot @klezman
Three sets claimed, do we have a 4th for a case buy?
With other wines, I may pause with these being 2016, but I just finished my 7th bottle out of my case of Larry’s Grenache that was on Casemates a couple of months ago, and for a 2014, the lasting fruit is remarkable. You would think a 2019. So easily in for a case
@Leatherchair thank you!
Accentuated by a clear bottle, this wine grabbed my attention with its ultra deep, golden straw color that made me curious to see if this age-worthy varietal blend … was. And in short, enjoy the beautiful color, this wine is still in its prime, true to characteristic richness, and nicely balanced.
White Rhone-style blends are becoming more accessible both here in Sonoma and certainly in Santa Barbara where this wine originates. I enjoy the change from more commonly available Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. The 2016 Verbiage Blanc is a Roussanne dominant blend with Grenache Blanc and Marsanne, and unquestionably shows the merits of these varieties.
Opened at 55 degrees, screw top, the aroma was of medium intensity with Meyer lemon, hints of apricot, honey and grassy beeswax that gave it a sense of savory. There was also a bit of brioche or yeast. Over the meal, as the wine warmed the aromas were enhanced by slight floral and tropical fruit aromas - for me it was like pineapple. It has a rich, broad aroma profile.
The entry was round and well integrated. The fruit was ripe and set in the mid-palate with opal apple, asian pear, and the slightest hints of sweeter fruit on the edges that reminded me of lychee and very ripe yellow table grapes. This was nicely balanced by a bright acidity and all wrapped up in that unctuous, medium-bodied mouthfeel for which Roussanne and Marsanne are famous. A long balanced finish introduced what seemed to be a bit of mineral zing, but that might have also been the acidity trailing off.
I received the wine at the beginning of the week, perfect for a last gasp of Thanksgiving pairing - an open-faced turkey sandwich with mushroom gravy. The rich and savory fruit paired nicely with the turkey sandwich, and the acidity easily matched the fresh cranberry and mint relish. I don’t usually track second day tastings, but in this case, there was no question because neither the leftovers nor the wine made it past dinner.
The 2016 Verbiage Blanc, in my opinion, is a great option for those looking for a fuller white wine without the heavy oak or butter that some big Chardonnays exhibit. It has engaging complexity and is nicely integrated with no rough edges. There is enough brightness to highlight the wine and stand up to pairing with foods. While it may be easily cellared, I feel it’s drinking really nicely now, and I’d target it for the table this winter.
1:
No Michigan this time. Too bad. Love the Grenache from a couple months ago. These sound interesting.
@ElKabong pretty sure I couldn’t ship there last time either …
@ElKabong @tercerowines he “snuck” us in last time, maybe for the last time.
@ElKabong @ttboy23 Tom has a pretty reliable connection in Ohio (this guy) if you don’t mind waiting for either of us to meet up, and really want some of Larry’s wine. FWIW. I know MI isn’t small, so you may not have casemated with him.
@KNmeh7 @ttboy23 I’m in Grand Rapids, i get to Brighton area regularly and both Kalamazoo and Lansing often. If you are close I’d love to split a case. Are you near any of those??
I’m in! I opened my first 2014 Grenache on Thanksgiving and it was a huge hit. Noticed it’s an uneven split but that doesn’t matter to be because I’m keeping the whole case.
@CruelMelody thank you! Uneven inventory = uneven split
Larry makes some of my favorite white wines! In for a case!
Thanks for great offer!
@ern1 thank you!!!
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations).
tercero Mixed Holiday Whites - $80 = 33.33%
@Mark_L yep - a BIG savings indeed!!!
@tercerowines Or, BIG penalty for ordering less than a case!
@Mark_L well, I didn’t want to say that, but . . .
And I’m up and at em in case you have any questions this morning, folks . . .
Just placed my order!
@jennyrenard thank you!!!
Just an FYI - these are both wonderful ‘cool weather’ whites - great with heartier meals. So get on it, Pacific Northwest and North East folks!
@tercerowines I’ll test your statement in Minneapolis
Again with the 3 or 12? Well, going big is no issue with these delectables …
/giphy jellied-tempered-crown
Gonna be in CA for the holidays - so shipping a case to my brother. Looking forward to having some.
@woopdedoo anywhere local to any of us?
@rjquillin Oakland. I may try to get to LA to visit a sick friend.
@rjquillin @woopdedoo if you do make it to LA we love to see you and pop a cork or two!
Loving the love - thanks all!
Reach out with questions - still checking in on a regular basis . . .
Cheers!
In for 3 bottles, been banned by the wife from buying cases of anything since she wants to shrink our wine footprint. /giphy scary-slim-holiday
@Apache6131 tell your a wife a random guy on the internet said there are two ways to reduce that footprint and buying less wine is the less fun option
@Apache6131
/giphy scary-slim-holiday
Quickly convinced by the positive reviews and rattage. In for a case.
/giphy dear-legible-lobster
@frozenshades thank you!!!
Though neither of these are ‘Chardonnay’, if your preferences run towards creamier whites, you wil not be disappointed. And both still have enough acid to keep these wines ‘bright’…
@tercerowines one of the reasons we enjoy your whites so much in our house!
loved the grenache from the last offer, so I’m in
/giphy catchy-arrogant-month
@snyderben I don’t think you’ll be disappointed
@snyderben That gif is one day too early! Grub is on the grill. Cleveland’s finest rappers!
All quiet on here - perhaps TOO quiet
Hope everyone is having a fantastic Thursday and still here to answer any questions you may have - or push you over the ‘edge’ to purchase
(Did I mention I have a 17 mo old daughter who I have to purchase diapers for?!?)
@tercerowines Luv it - 17 months = fun times.
@WCCWineGirl indeed they are! And our little girl truly does not stop running from the moment she gets up until nap time. Then she starts up again until it’s time to go to bed. Incredible! She’s truly keeping me on my toes and much younger than I normally would be
@tercerowines so I’ve seen some others mention of buttery in the mouth taste, how much of that would you say one will find prominent?
I’m not as much of a fan of that taste profile, but I’m willing to be persuaded.
@tercerowines @WCCWineGirl I’ve often said, “Children – they keep us young and make us old!”.
@tercerowines @WCCWineGirl Reminds me of my older one when he was that age. He still has a hard time not moving…
I think you might be the victim of too many great deal over the last little while. And too many empty wallets/full cellars!
@bunnymasseuse some people say ‘buttery’ - I tthink nd to get ‘creamy’ - but there is enough acid to balance it off….
Always glad to order from my fellow UC Davis dorm-mate (well, different buildings and different years —we never met, but close enough). But I always enjoyed the wines. And partial to ´unusual’ white varietals.
/giphy nostalgic-ample-snowangel
@pmarin thanks my friend! When did you attend? Which dorm did you live in? Cheers!
Tick tock folks - and best price you’ll ever see these wines. Seriously . . .
@tercerowines
/giphy festive-spectacular-eggnog
In for 2 cases!