Tried these over the last week:
1. tercero ClairetteBlanche SantaBarbaraCnty (12.0%; Aged: SS & old Fr.oak; 1'st release; www.terceroWines.com) LarrySchaffer/Buellton 2020: Light gold color; quite pretty floral/carnations light mineral/perfumed talc slight herbal fairly fragrant almost Malvasia d'Istriana lively/lovely nose; quite tart/tangy bit citric/grapefruity quite dry light floral/carnations slight perfumed talc clean/brisk/citric/tangy flavor; long lightly floral/carnations/perfumed talc bit citric/tangy finish; quite an attractive brisk white that reminds some of Croatian Malvasia d'Istriani but not quite as complex/mineral; a bit on the neutral side compared to Roussanne/Viognier but quite a pretty white. $nc (LS)/$33.00
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2. tercero TheOutlier GWT JoeCarrariVnyd/LosAlamos/SantaBarbaraCnty (13.5%; Aged: SS; RS < 0.3%) 2020: Light yellow/gold color; very fragrant rose petal/lychee/GWT/quite spicy/floral lovely perfumed nose; lightly tart some rich/lush bright/tangy strong rose petal/lychee/GWT/spicy/nutmeg light earthy/chalky very pretty flavor; very long lightly tart/brisk bright lychee/GWT/floral/spicy/rose petal light chalky finish; not at all heavy-handed/hair-oil Alsatian Gwt but more subtle akin to a lighter AltoAdige GWT or a Val d'Aosto Traminer; quite a pretty expression of GWT not at all bombastic like they can be; reminds a bit of Navarro GWT. $nc (LS)/$33.00
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3. tercero Cinsault SantaBarbaraCnty (12.3%; 7 brls; 100% stem inclusion; 16 mo. in older Fr.oak) 2017: Med.light color; very fragrant/perfumed strawberry/cherry/Cinsault rather earthy/loamy/dusty bit rustic/coarse nose; bit soft rather earthy/loamy/dusty some rustic some strawberry/cherry/Cinsault/perfumed flavor w/ light tannic bite; very long bright strawberry/cherry/Cinsault rather earthy/dusty/loamy/rustic finish w/ light tannins; shows the pretty floral character of Cinsault w/ that loamy/earthy/rustic undertone; reminds a lot of Piemonte Freisa but not nearly as tannic & rough; a very pretty/drinkable fragrant red onestep above a glou-glou red. $nc (LS)/$38.00
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4. tercero Carignane SantaBarbaraCnty (8 brls; 12.1%; 100% stem inclusion; 16 mo. in older Fr.oak) 2017: Med.color; strong cherry/Carignane/black cherry some earthy/dusty/loamy light pencilly/oak rather spicy/cinammon/pimenton slight appley very pretty nose; quite tart bright cherry/Carignane/spicy/black cherry some earthy/dusty light pencilly/oak bit rough/coarse flavor w/ light rough tannins; very long bright/cherry/Carignane/black cherry/black cherry cola some earthy/dusty finish w/ light tannins; reminds a lot of SouthernFrance Carignane w/ the earthy/dusty/bit rustic character but not as extracted, some of Ridge Carignane w/o all the oak; quite a pretty/drinkable expression of Carignane. $nc (LS)/$38.00
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5. tercero Syrah LarnerVnyd/BallardCnyn (91% Syrah/9% Viog partly co-frmtd; 12.9%; 3 brls; 34 mo. in older Fr.oak) 2014: Dark color; very fragrant blackberry/Syrah/boysenberries/some peppery/quite spicy bit complex lovely nose; lightly tart/tangy very spicy/blackberry/Syrah/peppery/boysenberry fragrant very light pencilly/oak fairly smooth/round/balanced some complex flavor w/ modest tangy tannins; very long/lingering brisk/bright smooth/balanced very strong blackberry/Syrah/spicy/bit boysenberry light pencilly/oak bit complex finish w/ light chewey tannins; quite balanced & drinkable but could use another 2-5 yrs. $nc (LS)/$50.00
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6. tercero Mourvedre SantaBarbaraCnty (14.2%; 100% whole-cluster; 11 brls; 34 mo. in old Fr.oak) 2014: Med.color; very strong plummy/Mourv/boysenberry/ripe slight licorice/chocolaty light pencilly/oak bit earthy/dusty/OV pretty classic Mourv bit Languedoc-like/complex nose; lightly tart/tangy fairly rich/lush very strong plummy/Mourv/blackberry/chocolaty fairly earthy/dusty light pencilly/oak smooth/balanced flavor w/ light ripe tannins; very long/lingering strong plummy/Mourv/blackberry/black cherry light pencilly/oak bit earthy/dusty finish w/ light brisk tannins; needs 2-5 yrs of age; reminds a bit of ContraCosta Mataro w/ the earthy/dusty character but not quite as rustic/loamy. $nc (LS)/$44.00
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. Larry sent me about a month ago these new releases that he wanted me to try. Does that make me one of these so-called influencers?? Doubt it....I haven't had any influence over anyone since my daughter became a teen-ager!!
I've always like Larry's wines. They're not as big/extracted Rhones like many from SantaBarbaraCnty and usually show a sort of sensible/balanced/old-world restraint, whilst still showing a lot of varietal character. They tend much more towards the TablasCreek style than the Ojai/Jaffurs mold. I tend to prefer the whites because of their aromatics, yet not as bombastic/intense as many. His GWT has always been one of my favorites from Calif because of its more subtle/restrained style & avoids the Zind-Humbrecht excesses.
All of these wines pretty much fit in withe Larry's winemaking style. Consistently good Rhones.
Tom