2006 Fenestra Touriga Lodi Silvaspoons Vineyard - $26
Has a clear ruby color – impressively bright, forward, ripe and sweet cherry aromatics that are quite captivating – the flavors follow the aromatics with bright and crisp acids that create a rather riveting palate impression – the follow is quite long, the wine is cleanly made. By any measure – “out of the box” variety or no – this is a very, very impressive wine.
2007 Fenestra Tempranillo Lodi Silvaspoons Vineyard - $23
Slightly darker garnet color in the glass – rather shy aromatically, but if you work at it, you can coax out a little smoky red and purple plum – pretty and ripe fruit flavors in the mouth, although I must say that Lodi is one AVA where ripeness is rarely an issue. There are some light, but fairly mouth coating and smooth tannins that support the notion that this variety simply needs time in bottle to settle out and come into balance. The tannins become more of an issue as the wine spends more time in the glass.
2006 Fenestra Alvarelhão Lodi Silvaspoons Vineyard - $19
Slightly light garnet color – very pretty and unusual red fruit aromas – a mix, perhaps of Bing and red cherry with some floral overtones – actually, quite unique – bracing acidity in the mouth subdues some of those impressive flavors, but with some additional bottle time, perhaps the wine will come into better balance as the acids soften and integrate. This is, however, a wine that I could enjoy for the aromatics alone – very, very impressive and a great find!
2007 Fenestra Malbec Lodi Silvaspoons Vineyard - $22
Deep garnet color – toasty purple plum aromas – while not noted as a standalone variety, this rendition of Malbec is really quite pretty, showing sweet and ripe fruit upfront, balanced with requisite acidity and some not-insignificant tannins that will require some time to bring this package into balance. Just as I was about to make some closing remarks, I noticed a bus bin filled with ice and bottles of their white wines, including a Verdehlo and a Torrontes, so I’m not done here yet!
2008 Fenestra Verdehlo Lodi Silvaspoons Vineyard - $15
Rather pale brassy color – pretty, sweet peach and melon aromas with floral highlights – light and lithe on the palate with crisp acidity that keeps the wine moving – it’s really quite refreshing and stands up to fairly low serving temperature. A great summer wine that can stand alone or served with a variety of foods. Nicely done.
2008 Fenestra Torrontes Lodi Silvaspoons Vineyard – a cross between Mission and Muscat of Alexandria $15
Pale golden color – and as I’ve experienced with other examples of this variety, and absolutely boisterous aromatic profile that is more floral than fruity, yet is not cloying at all – a true olfactory adventure – lean and absolutely bone dry in the mouth showing a hint of minerality – while there is not much of a fruit impression, it’s not as if one misses it – the wine perfectly satisfying and enjoyable on its own terms – a great deal of fun in the glass and this wine has a bouquet you could literally lose yourself in.
A wonderful lineup of “other” varieties from Fenestra – a great, great job!!!
Excerpted from All in the Family – califusa discovers some gems among the Not Ready for Prime Time varietals at Family Winemakers 2009 http://blogs.gangofpour.com/