Two hours and 45 minutes...that's how long it took me to get from Downtown Los Angeles to Santa Barbara. Why did I subject myself to such an excruciating commute? Larry Schaffer, owner/winemaker for Tercero Wines, was pouring his current selections at East Beach Wine Company. It was well worth the commute to Santa Barbara as the store was packed with people eager to taste his wines. I met Larry at the Santa Barbara Wine Futures Tasting hosted by the Winehound and Wine House in Century City last month. Tercero was my last booth of the afternoon and the most pleasant surprise of all the tastings. I am really looking forward to the '07 vintage. Below is a list of the day's tastings with some recommendations:
2008 Tercero Grenache Blanc, Camp 4 Vineyard
2008 Tercero Gewurztraminer, The Outlier
2006 Tercero Grenache, Camp 4 Vineyard
2006 Tercero Mourvedre, Camp 4 Vineyard
2006 Tercero Cuvee Christie
2006 Tercero Syrah, Tierra Alta Vineyard
Tercero Wines
(805) 245-9584
larry@tercerowines.com
www.tercerowines.com