2005 Tantara Releases

Speaking of California...Here's a California Pinot Noir producer y'all should start making yourselves familiar with.
Tantara. Never heard of it you say? You will. They started up in 97, based at the Bien Nacido vineyard in Santa Barbara County, they produce a number of vineyard designate Pinots as well as a few Chards. I got a super early preview of the lineup just after bottling. The 2005's just became available 3 weeks ago, just after being bottled unfiltered and unfined, and they are made in miniscule quantities, the maximum being around four hundred cases produced. Winemakers/owners Bill Cates and Jeff Fink were uber-excited about the vintage and I can see why. The quality across the board was fantastic and the wines show amazing depth for having been just bottled.

Tantara Pinot Noir "La Colline", Arroyo Grande Valley 2005
The softest and most feminine of the lineup, the "La Colline" is farmed from the Laetetia Vineyard. It exhibits softer cherry fruit and floral tones on the nose. On the palate the wine is elegant and balanced with good acidity and a ripe, soft endpalate. Very nimble and light on the palate, it almost dances. This would be ideal for salmon in a fruit based dark sauce. $55 at retail.
92 points

Tantara Pinot Noir "Rio Vista" Santa Ria Hills 2005
Riper and more fruit forward is the Rio Vista vineyard from the Santa Rita Hills appelation. Exotic cherry and berry flavors are very prominent on the nose, along with hints of cola and spice. On the palate, the fruit gets more intense and riper. Loads of sour and candied cherry dominate with blueberry and raspberry in the mix. New French oak gives just a shade of cocoa to the proceedings. Nice long supple finish. Screaming for duck breast and some sort of reduction. $55 at retail if you can find it.
91 points

Tantara Pinot Noir Bien Nacido "Adobe" Santa Maria Valley 2005
The dark and saturated color of the Bien Nacido "Adobe" is just a foreshadowing of the intensity of fruit and spice on the nose. Very ripe blackberry and cherry form the backbone, with layers of spice and caramel. This is the most tannic of the bunch with a more gripping presence and dryer mouthfeel. The glycerin is high as well, rounding out the middle of the palate. Very intense wine to pair nicely with rich game dishes. A whole lot of pinot for $55
91 points

Tantara Pinot Noir "Gaia" Santa Rita Hills 2005
Darkly colored and lavishly scented, this reminded me on the nose of a super ripe Chambolle-Musigny, but it was indeed farmed in the Santa Rita Hills. All cherry and cola spice with hints of flowers, coffee, cocoa and rootbeer. Big and bright but perfectly balanced on the palate, the depth of this wine took my breath away. Seemingly endless finish is just amazing with layer upon layer of cherry fruit, spice and floral tones. Amazing. $59 at retail...go find some.
94 points

Tantara Pinot Noir "Pisoni" Santa Lucia Highlands 2005
The now legendary Pisoni vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands and its owner Gary need no introduction to wine geeks, as many of the pinot worlds luminaries have purchased from this legend. If the Tantara is any indication of what Pisoni harvested in 2005 I will be hunting for every other bottling I can find. Put simply this is truly amazing stuff. An ever evolving nose of cherry, kirsch spice and hazelnut creme. On the palate the Pisoni is a monster of a mouthfilling pinot, all broadness and depth with a full minute finish that evolves from ripe cherry to spice and back to dried and candied cherry.
Retail is around $75
95 points

Tantara Pinot Noir "Evelyn" Santa Maria Valley 2005
The flagship of the Tantara line is a super rich and exotic Pinot from two select blocks in the Bien Nacido Vineyard. Treated with 60% new French Oak, it has gorgeous layers of caramel, spice and kirsch/cherry fruit on the nose. Simply gorgeous with loads of super rich and ripe cherry and berry fruit. Seamless and perfectly integrated with enough acidity to balance the formidable tannin and alcohol, Evelyn pulls off one heck of a balancing act. Forget pairing, just immerse yourself in this one...Retails around $100
95 points


Cheers,
TRC
"Wine can of their wits the wise beguile, make the sage frolic and the serious smile."
Homer, "Odyssey"