2017 Glassmaker Tempranillo

Region: San Antonio Valley < California

Vineyard/Cellar Stats: Organic farming; chalky limestone soils with marble + granite; 50% whole clusters w/ stems, aged in puncheon; bottled unfined/unfiltered with no added So2; zero-zero; 13% ABV

Winemaker: Jonathon Walton

We first met Jon when he hand delivered some Subject to Change wine to us -- he's the assistant winemaker to Alex at the STC production facility in Sebastopol.  Turns out he also has a tiny wine label of his own, Glassmaker, and he dropped some samples.  We loved them all, especially this beautiful Tempranillo, which he describes here: "the fruit comes from Pierce Ranch, a unique site with a gentle west/northwest facing slope. The soil is what drew me to this location as its a complex mixture of chalkstone, limestone, with pieces of marble and granite and a low amount of actual dirt. This mixture helps keep the aromatics bright even when the ripeness climbs a bit."

Tempranillo can be heavy and ripe (think over-extracted Rioja), but here it has a glou glou texture, with intriguing notes of tart plum, tomato leaf, chocolate and ripe blueberries.  It's a food wine for sure, but light enough to sip on its own if you're so inclined.  Serve chilled, with grilled anything, or go with the Spanish tapas vibe: hard cheeses, salty nuts, potato chips, cured meats.  

SERVE SLIGHTLY CHILLED