The nose is instantly alluring. These generous and approachable tannins support intriguing aromas of tar, violets, and sweet fennel. Its weight and authority tempt one to pair it with peppered steak, but I think the natives of Madiran are right to suggest that it is at its best with grilled duck breast. Check out my cooking show, Gracious Living in the Time of Corona, for tips on preparing duck.
I was trained on winemaking techniques by the great Patrick Ducournau in Madiran, a small appellation in southwest France in sight of the Pyrenees which specializes in Tannat. He invented the technique of micro-oxygenation to tame the tannins of this extraordinary grape, which can have three times the tannin of Cabernet Sauvignon. His hunch that the wine was starved for oxygen proved correct, and the technique is similar to conching of chocolate, which the Aztecs discovered converts cocoa into chocolate.
I was delighted to find a rare planting of this little-known grape in Clarksburg, California. It was even more astonishing to discover how oily and feminine the Tannat wines from this special vineyard proved to be. Generally, Tannat needs several years to soften and open, yet here we are, just 23 months after the vintage, bottling a highly drinkable wine with a round, voluptuous mouthfeel.
Postmodern winemaking is the practical art of connecting the human soul to the soul of a place by rendering its grapes into liquid music. Our object is to deliver wines of classic balance and structural integrity which develop soulful profundity and graceful longevity through sustainable farming in living soil and a skilled hand in the cellar.
Through WineSmith’s four decades, we have forged lasting relationships with dedicated growers who share our commitment to living soil, vine balance, sustainable farming, and correct ripeness. We work with a large and growing band of colleagues throughout the world who share the philosophy of excellence articulated in Postmodern Winemaking, Rethinking the Modern Science of an Ancient Craft – a school of cuisine that utilizes tools old and new to allow nature to work its magic.
We aspire to explore traditions beyond the mainstream such as sulfite-free winemaking and other experimental winemaking techniques as well as applying European aesthetics in the New World to lesser-known varietal oddities and sometimes obscure Old World practices.
Our wines are always intriguing, never boring, and sometimes even impossible. There is a message in every bottle.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Greetings and Happy Holidays, Casemateys! We were doubly fortunate to be selected as lab rats and to experience a new varietal in the process. SWMBO and I knew very little about this grape and were anxious to learn more. So, let’s get this party started!
We felt a new varietal needed a decent pairing. We selected a Flannery lamb loin roast for the job. After reading the label, I was a bit concerned the lamb might overpower the wine. This fear was unfounded.
On PnP, we found a reticent nose. I detected some red fruit in there, but not much else. Color was a deep garnet, clear with no sediment. The wine definitely felt young which was no surprise with it being a 2021.
On the palate, we found a dry, light to medium bodied red wine with good acid and moderate tannins. We had no basis for comparison but did not find the tannin bomb that, according to the winemaker, is expected with this grape. The micro-ox magic Clark performed had the intended effect.
The wine was quite balanced with fruit, acid and tannin playing well together. This was not a fruity wine, and definitely expressed itself on the austere side. The milder tannins kept everything in balance. The 12.9% ABV was greatly appreciated, with no heat or ethanol anywhere to be found. The finish was quite long, clocking in at a good 15sec.
We felt this wine was at its best when paired with food. The aforementioned lamb was a great match with the wine’s acidity. It cut through the fat quite nicely, cleansing our palates. We also tried the wine with two desserts: pecan squares and Ghirardelli chocolate/peppermint squares. Each was a lovely compliment.
This wine is not a fruit bomb, cocktail wine. While approachable, it will do best with meals. Where the wine will go from here is a great question. Our lack of experience with the grape leaves us wondering how things will evolve over the next 3-5 years. Will it gain complexity? Will the fruit assert itself more over time? That’s the beauty of wine. We can experience it in all its stages and follow its progress for the long haul. It’s one of the great joys of this hobby. We did save a glass or two for tomorrow and plan to report back with any changes overnight.
Thanks, as always, to Alice, WD and all the great folks at Casemates for the opportunity to share our thoughts. Cheers!
I love this grape. I love how Clark made this wine sing in past vintages. I don’t like how Clark treated the last mystery case as I was stuck with wine I could not drink. I wish I could say this is worth the increased price since it was last offered here, but I can’t. I am sad.
I suppose you all are wondering where I’ve been these last two years and what the hell happened to the 2017 Cab Franc that had to be recalled.
Big things are happening. A little background.
Like many wineries, I had my ass handed to me in the pandemic, when sales essentially dropped to zero. I had to take on a lot of high interest debt in hopes that things would not last as long as they did. But lucky me: my host winery offered to purchase a controlling share of my brand, take over my debt, build a tasting room, and pay me a stipend to continue making the brand.
Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned. Our infrastructure sort of collapsed, leading to the unfortunate bottling of the CF without my approval. My apologies. Anyhow, my partners acknowledged that the deal isn’t working and agreed to an amicable divorce in which I get the wine back and reassume all debts and obligations.
I have formed WineSmith Harvest Partners LLC to operate the brand and am lining up micro-investors. Despite the gloom and doom in the national press, the small winery cohort of the industry is actually quite healthy. The market share we’re losing is the naïve beginner who doesn’t really get what wine is about. Good riddance I say. This leaves folks like you who appreciate the WineSmith aesthetic as a higher percentage of the market.
I’m really excited to have control of WineSmith returned. The WineSmith renaissance project is going to be quite an undertaking, but I’m eager to wade in and make it happen. If any of you are interested in a modest investment opportunity, I can guarantee you won’t make any money but you’ll have more fun than you can imagine. Minimum buy-in is $10K.
Now, on to today’s offering. Tannat is close to my heart, as it was the traditional grape of Madiran and the reason my guru Patrick Ducournau invented micro-oxygenation. I’ve made it all over the world, always using my training to tame its remorseless tannins.
That said, this Heringer Estate vineyard in Clarksburg gives us nothing of the sort. It’s hands-down the most feminine and aromatically expressive Tannat on the planet. Those of you who snapped up the entire 2019 vintage will recognize this as more of the same. It’s sure to be in the rear-view mirror by Sunday night.
@klezman No, I did not know they were bottling it until I was notified a week later. The wine tasted fine months previous and I expected it to be okay. The casemates offer went out just after bottling, and it was only after we got a negative lab rat report (the other one was quite positive) that I realized something was wrong and sent it out to a lab, after which we refunded everyone’s payments.
I’ve been extremely vigilant in the wake of this incident. I’m very happy to have control back in my hands.
@winesmith Any idea what happened to make it turn the wrong way? The labs reveal anything?
(I didn’t get that offer and my interest is mostly in the nerdy realm, fwiw.)
Yes, I know exactly what happened. The wine was housed in another winery where it was moved to some Acetobacter-infected barrels. I saw this happening and moved the wine to a tank in our facility and discarded the barrels. I hired a talented guy with a reverse osmosis unit to come and treat the wine, which he did successfully and with great care.
This was the invention I patented in 1995. The way it works is you pump the wine tangentially along a filter so tight that only water, alcohol and acetic acid can pass - no color or flavor, and no bacteria, all of which remain in the wine. The colorless liquid that permeates the membrane is then passed through a resin that removes the acetic acid. The cleaned permeate (just alcohol and water) is then returned to the wine.
Soon after this is done, the wine needs to be sterile filtered and bottled or it will just go bad again. I continually warned my partners that this could happen, but they said they didn’t have the money to bottle and just let the wine sit for several months. They weren’t even monitoring the VA since they owed the lab money.
If you know my Lake County Cab Franc, you know that it’s highly structured and has a lot of minerally palate energy from the volcanic soil. As such, it’s surprisingly adept at hiding VA, especially to my partners, who weren’t skilled in tasting.
In mid September, I received notice that they had gone ahead and bottled the wine, just in time for the Casemates offer which we ran. As you know, disaster ensued. As soon as we figured out what had happened, WineDavid and I determined that we needed to refund everybody’s money. This incident convinced me that I needed to regain control and undo our deal.
@winesmith What a shitty sequence of events.
So if you had the guy come and do the RO, howcome the wine remained tainted? You needed to let the wine sit to see if all the acetobacter was gone and caused no further problems but they didn’t?
@klezman No, I knew that we still had plenty of bacteria present, as the RO does nothing to remove them. We needed to sterile filter and bottle immediately, which is what I kept insisting. Unfortunately, I wasn’t in control and the host winery principals didn’t listen to me. Instead they waited several months and then bottled without testing.
@winesmith Oh, they did the RO but not the sterile filtering. Well obviously that’s not going to work once you put the alcohol back in for the acetobacter to eat and turn into acetic acid…
@winesmith But that’s nonsensical. RO only lets molecules the size of water and EtOH through. That’s kind of the point. Bacteria are way larger than that. Sigh.
I’m still unable to shake off the Roman reserve fiasco. There are six bottles in the corner of my bar that constantly remind me. Not sure why I can’t bring myself to dumping them.
@losthighwayz +1. I remember how so many of us were amazingly “lucky” enough to receive 6 RR bottles. No way I could forget both that, and the CF debacle. No more gambling. I’ll stick with my Bouza Tannat. Good luck in your new venture, Clark.
@losthighwayz@shrimp74 I’ve quite enjoyed the tasting journey the Roman Reserve bottles have given me so far. Obviously those are the epitome of ymmv bottles.
Ain’t it the truth. Although the wine is sound and quite consistent, it definitely does not run with the traffic modern palates are used to. This also used to be true of so-called “orange” wines (I hate that term, but have grown to love the style, as have many others).
The wine isn’t mine, though I did make it for Two Jakes of Diamonds, and Jake Stephens is quite fond of it. In my current circumstances, I don’t know how to make it right with y’all, but I’d like to try.
I wonder if those of you who love the style would like to do a deal with those who don’t. If so, please whisper with losthighwayz.
Meantime, let me assure you that the 2021 Tannat’s winemaking is quite conventional and widely enjoyed, just like the 2019.
How is it an “investment opportunity”, if you are guaranteed to not make money?
“ If any of you are interested in a modest investment opportunity, I can guarantee you won’t make any money but you’ll have more fun than you can imagine. Minimum buy-in is $10K.”
I think you do not know the meaning of the words investment, opportunity, or guarantee. Possibly you are a bit unclear on the terms modest, money and fun also.
Nevertheless anyone that leads with excuses in place of explanations is a shyster.
@Eron
Sometimes venture capitalism is more like philanthropy. At least Clark is telling you upfront that you probably won’t make any money. I am assuming there are “perks” to being a micro-investor, and for people with money to burn, having direct access to a winemaker and his wines can be enough to make it worthwhile for them.
Yes, that’s the essence. Wineries are in general not very good ROI investments, but we do have a lot of fun. This goes for the whole industry. They say “Never be a winemaker or a jazz musician unless you have to.”
In this particular case, we have a good stock of high quality inventory and a solid 30-year reputation for experimental wines that age well. But due to the pandemic, we are carrying a lot of debt, so the short term goal of the enterprise is to get clean with creditors, which will take about three years. After that, I project decent if modest returns, but that alone wouldn’t justify joining the team.
Perks include twice-annual tastings through the vintages in barrel (usually about two dozen wines), decisions about blending and what to make next year. I send out videos of my winemaking activities. If you show up in California, we tour vineyards, meet with growers and I cook up our local delicacies such as Liberty duck breast and otherwise carouse. Investor status is essentially a back stage pass to how wine is really made. As my sidekick, you get to observe the techniques I’ve worked out over 64 vintages (14 in the Southern Hemisphere) and enjoy at-cost pricing on any WineSmith wines.
@GatorFL Having bought from (developed with/through) Woot/Casemates for the majority of my wine drinking years; there are a couple/few people who seem more like family than mere vendors…I’m sure you can name them (if you’ve been around for a while…although I don’t recognize your handle). So, yes, for many of us, this is a proper venue.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2021 WineSmith Cellars Tannat - $40 = 14.28%
Ouch - Tough crowd. I’ve bought a high percentage of the WS offerings here including Roman Reserve and a Saint Laurent that was a bit fizzy. It’s a bummer but there have been other offerings that have been duds as well (JanKris and Rock Lobster Zin on the old site are top of mind).
Regarding the investment opportunity the first email I received about Harvest Partners was back in 2019 and I think it’s a neat concept, although we haven’t participated yet. I don’t have a problem with the opportunity being shared as you don’t know what you don’t know but I can understand why others would like it to be cleaner.
With that said welcome back WineSmith - I’m glad you are here.
@sosptuba Ditto - I remember the harvest partners emails as well and even got a couple samples via somebody else from here who had joined. Seemed fun if I’d had a bunch of money to spend frivolously.
Wow. I’d been out of the market for like 5 years and just got back in (the Wellington selloff was my last purchase till recently). Always liked Winesmith before and jumped on a case as soon as it went up. Not super enthused by the posts I woke up to. I do have to say, not knowing the backstory at all, the “explanation” from Clark comes off as somewhat flippant and uncaring.
I had the chance to try the 2021 WineSmith Tannat, and it’s a wine with bold character and plenty to enjoy.
On the nose, it’s packed with dark fruits—blackberry and plum, with hints of cherry, leather, and a touch of baking spices.
The first sip reveals a smooth but structured wine. It’s medium-full-bodied with firm tannins that give it a nice grip without being overwhelming. The dark fruit flavors carry through, with blackberry and blackcurrant leading the way. There’s a savory side too, with a touch of dried herbs and a little cocoa on the finish. The acidity keeps it fresh, and the finish is long and satisfying.
I paired it with grilled ribeye, and it worked beautifully. The wine’s boldness stood up to the richness, while the acidity cut through the fat of the ribeye.
This offering is a solid pick for fans of bold reds. Definitely worth a try if you like wines with structure and depth.
Cheers to discovering new varietals! Let me know what you think if you try this one.
I know nothing about Tannat. Clark & the wines he was associated with have always been solid for me. Sometimes stuff happens, it’s wine not Coca-Cola. I think some of the comments are but over the top. I purchased a case because I think I will enjoy this wine I know nothing about and to support Winesmith. This one’s for you Clark, Good Luck hope you succeed.
Happy Holidays
Appreciate Clark just throwing it out there. Not easy. We can buy or not. I’m intrigued, and Clark, totally interested in an investment opportunity. I live in Sonoma county, and we can see where this goes
@winesmith one of the Labrats thought it was a “meal wine” not a “cocktail wine” you agree?
Second, how would you describe the varietal using other classic grapes like Cab, Syrah, Zin, Pinot etc ?
@karenhynes Simon and Garfunkle “The Boxer”, Etta James “Stormy Weather”, Pratt Street Power - Winter Wonderland, Paul Robson “Old Man River”, Bruce Springsteen “Racing In the Street”
Yannick Rousseau’s Tannat is a very different treatment of Clarksburg Tannat. He goes for a riper, more extracted style with a lot more oak influence. More of a cocktail wine.
As you know, none of my wines are like that - always better with food and more built to age than to impress in youth. Given that, this is one of my more approachable offerings.
Tannat in general has triple the tannins of Cabernet Sauvignon and a character more like Charbono - nothing at all like Merlot’s fatness, Pinot’s red fruit, spice and depth, nor Zinfandel’s graininess and raspberries. This one, however, is loaded with blueberries, more like my Norton than anything else I make. The silky tannins are like Texas Mourvedre or the plushest cool region Syrah.
Clark; wishing you the best on regaining control of WineSmith.(Say hi to Ruthey for us)
We’ve been long time supporters (way back to W00T 2008) and have enjoyed everything purchased.
Just ‘killed’: sad to say, the last 2007 Crucible, still heavenly. I do have 2 of the 2005 Faux Chablis - just waiting for 2025 to come around. Looking forward to more great selections to come… Thanks Clark & WineDavid.
Good luck from me too. I’ve bought just about every one of Clarke’s offers since I joined here, and the one thing I have discovered is that his wines are never boring.
2021 WineSmith Tannat, Heringer Vineyards
Tasting Notes
Specs
What’s Included
3-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$600.00/Case for 12x 2021 WineSmith Tannat, Heringer Vineyards at WineSmith Cellars
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Dec 23 - Thursday, Dec 26
2021 WineSmith Cellars Tannat
3 bottles for $69.99 $23.33/bottle + $2.67/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $239.99 $20/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2021 Winesmith Tannat
Greetings and Happy Holidays, Casemateys! We were doubly fortunate to be selected as lab rats and to experience a new varietal in the process. SWMBO and I knew very little about this grape and were anxious to learn more. So, let’s get this party started!
We felt a new varietal needed a decent pairing. We selected a Flannery lamb loin roast for the job. After reading the label, I was a bit concerned the lamb might overpower the wine. This fear was unfounded.
On PnP, we found a reticent nose. I detected some red fruit in there, but not much else. Color was a deep garnet, clear with no sediment. The wine definitely felt young which was no surprise with it being a 2021.
On the palate, we found a dry, light to medium bodied red wine with good acid and moderate tannins. We had no basis for comparison but did not find the tannin bomb that, according to the winemaker, is expected with this grape. The micro-ox magic Clark performed had the intended effect.
The wine was quite balanced with fruit, acid and tannin playing well together. This was not a fruity wine, and definitely expressed itself on the austere side. The milder tannins kept everything in balance. The 12.9% ABV was greatly appreciated, with no heat or ethanol anywhere to be found. The finish was quite long, clocking in at a good 15sec.
We felt this wine was at its best when paired with food. The aforementioned lamb was a great match with the wine’s acidity. It cut through the fat quite nicely, cleansing our palates. We also tried the wine with two desserts: pecan squares and Ghirardelli chocolate/peppermint squares. Each was a lovely compliment.
This wine is not a fruit bomb, cocktail wine. While approachable, it will do best with meals. Where the wine will go from here is a great question. Our lack of experience with the grape leaves us wondering how things will evolve over the next 3-5 years. Will it gain complexity? Will the fruit assert itself more over time? That’s the beauty of wine. We can experience it in all its stages and follow its progress for the long haul. It’s one of the great joys of this hobby. We did save a glass or two for tomorrow and plan to report back with any changes overnight.
Thanks, as always, to Alice, WD and all the great folks at Casemates for the opportunity to share our thoughts. Cheers!
I love this grape. I love how Clark made this wine sing in past vintages. I don’t like how Clark treated the last mystery case as I was stuck with wine I could not drink. I wish I could say this is worth the increased price since it was last offered here, but I can’t. I am sad.
Greetings, O Ye Casemateers!
I suppose you all are wondering where I’ve been these last two years and what the hell happened to the 2017 Cab Franc that had to be recalled.
Big things are happening. A little background.
Like many wineries, I had my ass handed to me in the pandemic, when sales essentially dropped to zero. I had to take on a lot of high interest debt in hopes that things would not last as long as they did. But lucky me: my host winery offered to purchase a controlling share of my brand, take over my debt, build a tasting room, and pay me a stipend to continue making the brand.
Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned. Our infrastructure sort of collapsed, leading to the unfortunate bottling of the CF without my approval. My apologies. Anyhow, my partners acknowledged that the deal isn’t working and agreed to an amicable divorce in which I get the wine back and reassume all debts and obligations.
I have formed WineSmith Harvest Partners LLC to operate the brand and am lining up micro-investors. Despite the gloom and doom in the national press, the small winery cohort of the industry is actually quite healthy. The market share we’re losing is the naïve beginner who doesn’t really get what wine is about. Good riddance I say. This leaves folks like you who appreciate the WineSmith aesthetic as a higher percentage of the market.
I’m really excited to have control of WineSmith returned. The WineSmith renaissance project is going to be quite an undertaking, but I’m eager to wade in and make it happen. If any of you are interested in a modest investment opportunity, I can guarantee you won’t make any money but you’ll have more fun than you can imagine. Minimum buy-in is $10K.
Now, on to today’s offering. Tannat is close to my heart, as it was the traditional grape of Madiran and the reason my guru Patrick Ducournau invented micro-oxygenation. I’ve made it all over the world, always using my training to tame its remorseless tannins.
That said, this Heringer Estate vineyard in Clarksburg gives us nothing of the sort. It’s hands-down the most feminine and aromatically expressive Tannat on the planet. Those of you who snapped up the entire 2019 vintage will recognize this as more of the same. It’s sure to be in the rear-view mirror by Sunday night.
So good to be back in the saddle.
@winesmith
Clark, can you comment more on this? Are you saying they bottled a wine you thought was bad and then made you defend it here?
@klezman No, I did not know they were bottling it until I was notified a week later. The wine tasted fine months previous and I expected it to be okay. The casemates offer went out just after bottling, and it was only after we got a negative lab rat report (the other one was quite positive) that I realized something was wrong and sent it out to a lab, after which we refunded everyone’s payments.
I’ve been extremely vigilant in the wake of this incident. I’m very happy to have control back in my hands.
@winesmith Any idea what happened to make it turn the wrong way? The labs reveal anything?
(I didn’t get that offer and my interest is mostly in the nerdy realm, fwiw.)
@klezman
Yes, I know exactly what happened. The wine was housed in another winery where it was moved to some Acetobacter-infected barrels. I saw this happening and moved the wine to a tank in our facility and discarded the barrels. I hired a talented guy with a reverse osmosis unit to come and treat the wine, which he did successfully and with great care.
This was the invention I patented in 1995. The way it works is you pump the wine tangentially along a filter so tight that only water, alcohol and acetic acid can pass - no color or flavor, and no bacteria, all of which remain in the wine. The colorless liquid that permeates the membrane is then passed through a resin that removes the acetic acid. The cleaned permeate (just alcohol and water) is then returned to the wine.
Soon after this is done, the wine needs to be sterile filtered and bottled or it will just go bad again. I continually warned my partners that this could happen, but they said they didn’t have the money to bottle and just let the wine sit for several months. They weren’t even monitoring the VA since they owed the lab money.
If you know my Lake County Cab Franc, you know that it’s highly structured and has a lot of minerally palate energy from the volcanic soil. As such, it’s surprisingly adept at hiding VA, especially to my partners, who weren’t skilled in tasting.
In mid September, I received notice that they had gone ahead and bottled the wine, just in time for the Casemates offer which we ran. As you know, disaster ensued. As soon as we figured out what had happened, WineDavid and I determined that we needed to refund everybody’s money. This incident convinced me that I needed to regain control and undo our deal.
@winesmith What a shitty sequence of events.
So if you had the guy come and do the RO, howcome the wine remained tainted? You needed to let the wine sit to see if all the acetobacter was gone and caused no further problems but they didn’t?
@klezman No, I knew that we still had plenty of bacteria present, as the RO does nothing to remove them. We needed to sterile filter and bottle immediately, which is what I kept insisting. Unfortunately, I wasn’t in control and the host winery principals didn’t listen to me. Instead they waited several months and then bottled without testing.
@winesmith Oh, they did the RO but not the sterile filtering. Well obviously that’s not going to work once you put the alcohol back in for the acetobacter to eat and turn into acetic acid…
@klezman It’s obvious to me, but you’d be amazed how many winemakers think the membrane is so tight that it must remove the bacteria!
@winesmith But that’s nonsensical. RO only lets molecules the size of water and EtOH through. That’s kind of the point. Bacteria are way larger than that. Sigh.
I’m still unable to shake off the Roman reserve fiasco. There are six bottles in the corner of my bar that constantly remind me. Not sure why I can’t bring myself to dumping them.
@losthighwayz +1. I remember how so many of us were amazingly “lucky” enough to receive 6 RR bottles. No way I could forget both that, and the CF debacle. No more gambling. I’ll stick with my Bouza Tannat. Good luck in your new venture, Clark.
@losthighwayz @shrimp74 I’ve quite enjoyed the tasting journey the Roman Reserve bottles have given me so far. Obviously those are the epitome of ymmv bottles.
@klezman @losthighwayz @shrimp74
Ain’t it the truth. Although the wine is sound and quite consistent, it definitely does not run with the traffic modern palates are used to. This also used to be true of so-called “orange” wines (I hate that term, but have grown to love the style, as have many others).
The wine isn’t mine, though I did make it for Two Jakes of Diamonds, and Jake Stephens is quite fond of it. In my current circumstances, I don’t know how to make it right with y’all, but I’d like to try.
I wonder if those of you who love the style would like to do a deal with those who don’t. If so, please whisper with losthighwayz.
Meantime, let me assure you that the 2021 Tannat’s winemaking is quite conventional and widely enjoyed, just like the 2019.
How is it an “investment opportunity”, if you are guaranteed to not make money?
“ If any of you are interested in a modest investment opportunity, I can guarantee you won’t make any money but you’ll have more fun than you can imagine. Minimum buy-in is $10K.”
I think you do not know the meaning of the words investment, opportunity, or guarantee. Possibly you are a bit unclear on the terms modest, money and fun also.
Nevertheless anyone that leads with excuses in place of explanations is a shyster.
@Eron
Sometimes venture capitalism is more like philanthropy. At least Clark is telling you upfront that you probably won’t make any money. I am assuming there are “perks” to being a micro-investor, and for people with money to burn, having direct access to a winemaker and his wines can be enough to make it worthwhile for them.
@chipgreen @Eron
Yes, that’s the essence. Wineries are in general not very good ROI investments, but we do have a lot of fun. This goes for the whole industry. They say “Never be a winemaker or a jazz musician unless you have to.”
In this particular case, we have a good stock of high quality inventory and a solid 30-year reputation for experimental wines that age well. But due to the pandemic, we are carrying a lot of debt, so the short term goal of the enterprise is to get clean with creditors, which will take about three years. After that, I project decent if modest returns, but that alone wouldn’t justify joining the team.
Perks include twice-annual tastings through the vintages in barrel (usually about two dozen wines), decisions about blending and what to make next year. I send out videos of my winemaking activities. If you show up in California, we tour vineyards, meet with growers and I cook up our local delicacies such as Liberty duck breast and otherwise carouse. Investor status is essentially a back stage pass to how wine is really made. As my sidekick, you get to observe the techniques I’ve worked out over 64 vintages (14 in the Southern Hemisphere) and enjoy at-cost pricing on any WineSmith wines.
@Eron FWIW I read that as a rather tongue in cheek but accurate description of investing in a winery.
Is a Casemates offer the proper venue for fundraising investors?
@GatorFL @WineSmith I think the sky’s the limit here
@GatorFL @ttboy23 @winesmith
He mentioned it briefly and moved on. Why is this the focus of discussion?
@GatorFL In my opinion, yes - especially when the fundraising part has a minor, ancillary role.
@GatorFL Having bought from (developed with/through) Woot/Casemates for the majority of my wine drinking years; there are a couple/few people who seem more like family than mere vendors…I’m sure you can name them (if you’ve been around for a while…although I don’t recognize your handle). So, yes, for many of us, this is a proper venue.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2021 WineSmith Cellars Tannat - $40 = 14.28%
If you refunded everyone for the Roman Reserve CF, I guess the check is still in the mail because I haven’t seen it!
@cdgrimm
Wrong Cab Franc.
Ouch - Tough crowd. I’ve bought a high percentage of the WS offerings here including Roman Reserve and a Saint Laurent that was a bit fizzy. It’s a bummer but there have been other offerings that have been duds as well (JanKris and Rock Lobster Zin on the old site are top of mind).
Regarding the investment opportunity the first email I received about Harvest Partners was back in 2019 and I think it’s a neat concept, although we haven’t participated yet. I don’t have a problem with the opportunity being shared as you don’t know what you don’t know but I can understand why others would like it to be cleaner.
With that said welcome back WineSmith - I’m glad you are here.
@sosptuba Ditto - I remember the harvest partners emails as well and even got a couple samples via somebody else from here who had joined. Seemed fun if I’d had a bunch of money to spend frivolously.
That’s why I love casemates. And that’s why I will keep purchasing here.
Wow. I’d been out of the market for like 5 years and just got back in (the Wellington selloff was my last purchase till recently). Always liked Winesmith before and jumped on a case as soon as it went up. Not super enthused by the posts I woke up to. I do have to say, not knowing the backstory at all, the “explanation” from Clark comes off as somewhat flippant and uncaring.
Hello fellow Casemates!
I had the chance to try the 2021 WineSmith Tannat, and it’s a wine with bold character and plenty to enjoy.
On the nose, it’s packed with dark fruits—blackberry and plum, with hints of cherry, leather, and a touch of baking spices.
The first sip reveals a smooth but structured wine. It’s medium-full-bodied with firm tannins that give it a nice grip without being overwhelming. The dark fruit flavors carry through, with blackberry and blackcurrant leading the way. There’s a savory side too, with a touch of dried herbs and a little cocoa on the finish. The acidity keeps it fresh, and the finish is long and satisfying.
I paired it with grilled ribeye, and it worked beautifully. The wine’s boldness stood up to the richness, while the acidity cut through the fat of the ribeye.
This offering is a solid pick for fans of bold reds. Definitely worth a try if you like wines with structure and depth.
Cheers to discovering new varietals! Let me know what you think if you try this one.
This is an excellent description. Thanks for getting us back on track.
I know nothing about Tannat. Clark & the wines he was associated with have always been solid for me. Sometimes stuff happens, it’s wine not Coca-Cola. I think some of the comments are but over the top. I purchased a case because I think I will enjoy this wine I know nothing about and to support Winesmith. This one’s for you Clark, Good Luck hope you succeed.
Happy Holidays
Likeable-Rigid-Kraken
Appreciate Clark just throwing it out there. Not easy. We can buy or not. I’m intrigued, and Clark, totally interested in an investment opportunity. I live in Sonoma county, and we can see where this goes
This offer is really something you don’t want to miss out on. Anybody want to talk about Tannat?
@winesmith
Sure. Have you tasted any of Yannick Rousseau’s Tannats? If so, can you compare and contrast with yours?
@winesmith one of the Labrats thought it was a “meal wine” not a “cocktail wine” you agree?
Second, how would you describe the varietal using other classic grapes like Cab, Syrah, Zin, Pinot etc ?
@winesmith
…and of course, what are the music recommendations?
@karenhynes Simon and Garfunkle “The Boxer”, Etta James “Stormy Weather”, Pratt Street Power - Winter Wonderland, Paul Robson “Old Man River”, Bruce Springsteen “Racing In the Street”
Yannick Rousseau’s Tannat is a very different treatment of Clarksburg Tannat. He goes for a riper, more extracted style with a lot more oak influence. More of a cocktail wine.
As you know, none of my wines are like that - always better with food and more built to age than to impress in youth. Given that, this is one of my more approachable offerings.
Tannat in general has triple the tannins of Cabernet Sauvignon and a character more like Charbono - nothing at all like Merlot’s fatness, Pinot’s red fruit, spice and depth, nor Zinfandel’s graininess and raspberries. This one, however, is loaded with blueberries, more like my Norton than anything else I make. The silky tannins are like Texas Mourvedre or the plushest cool region Syrah.
Clark; wishing you the best on regaining control of WineSmith.(Say hi to Ruthey for us)
We’ve been long time supporters (way back to W00T 2008) and have enjoyed everything purchased.
Just ‘killed’: sad to say, the last 2007 Crucible, still heavenly. I do have 2 of the 2005 Faux Chablis - just waiting for 2025 to come around. Looking forward to more great selections to come…
Thanks Clark & WineDavid.
Good luck from me too. I’ve bought just about every one of Clarke’s offers since I joined here, and the one thing I have discovered is that his wines are never boring.
/giphy colorful-decorative-menorah
