Santa Ynez, Day One

Alright, so many wines. Just going to list em off here ...

Tried to start the day at Fess Parker, but they were way too busy so we popped in next door at Koehler first.

2005 Koehler Sauvignon Estate Blanc
2005 Koehler Chardonnay Estate
2005 Koehler Viognier Estate
2005 Koehler Pinot Noir Santa Barbara County
2005 Koehler Syrah Estate
2004 Koehler Magia Nera Estate
2002 Koehler Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Estate

Best wine was a toss up between the Syrah and the Magia Nera until we got them to pour us the 2002 Cab ... it blew them away is one of my favorites from Koehler. We had a magnum of the 2001 a while back and it was fantastic. For the record it was interesting to learn that the Magia Nera (Black Magic in Italian) used to be labeled as a Super Tuscan, but since you can't use the Tuscan name outside of Tuscany they had to change the name a few years ago ....

We went up the street to Fess Parker for our next tasting ...

2005 Fess Parker Chardonnay "Ashley's Vineyard"
2005 Fess Parker Viognier Santa Barbara County
2005 Fess Parker White Riesling Santa Barbara County
2005 Fess Parker Pinot Noir Santa Barbara County
2003 Fess Parker Syrah Santa Barbara County
2002 Fess Parker Syrah "Mackie's Blend"
NV Fess Parker Traditions Port Style Red Wine Santa Barbara County
2003 Fess Parker Zinfandel California

Wine of the room went to the 2003 Syrah ... almost had a buttery finish that you find in Chard because of ML fermentation, but damn it was good in this. Was a little let down with the Traditions port ... although there was plenty of good dessert wines coming up at other wineries.

Up next we tried to go to Curtis, because I had heard something about them focusing on Rhone varietals (which are my favorite right now) ... but they were way too crowded ... twice as many people than were at Fess Parker. No way we were staying. Off to get some food and then to Consilience ...

2005 Consilience Grenache Blanc Santa Barbara County
2004 Consilience Grenache Noir "Rodney Shull Vineyard"
2005 Consilience Grenache Rose Santa Barbara County
2005 Consilience Pinot Noir Santa Barbara County
2005 Consilience Pinot Noir "Bien Nacido Vineyard"
2004 Consilience Syrah Santa Barbara County
2004 Consilience Syrah "Star Lane Vineyard"
2004 Consilience Cabernet Sauvignon "Camp 4 Vineyard"
2004 Consilience Zinfandel "Rhodes Vineyard"
2002 Consilience Zinfandel Port Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County

Great wines, best would be between 2004 Cab and the 2002 Zinfandel Port. I chose to get a bottle of the 2004 Consilience Petite Sirah (as well as a Port) because I've been looking for a good Petite Sirah and this was recommended to me.


Up next was my favorite winery in town, Beckmen Vineyards.

2005 Beckmen Sauvignon Blanc Purisima Mountain Vineyard
2005 Beckmen Sauvignon Blanc Estate
2005 Beckmen Le Bec Blanc
2005 Beckmen Marsanne Purisima Mountain Vineyard
2003 Beckmen Syrah Estate
2003 Beckmen Syrah Purisima Mountain Vineyard
2004 Beckmen Syrah Purisima Mountain Vineyard
2004 Beckmen Cabernet Sauvignon Estate
2005 Beckmen Grenache Estate
2004 Beckmen Syrah Purisima Mountain Vineyard Clone #1

Hands down, wine of the room was the Syrah Clone #1 ... I always love that and the block 6 bottling. Was lucky enough to pick up another bottle of the 2004 Whole Cluster Grenache as well as two bottles of the 2001 Late Harvest Grenache ... really looking forward to both of those. We also got a bottle of the 2004 Cab and the tasting room manager was nice enough to give me a bottle of the Clone #1 as a birthday gift. Thanks Mandy.

Next we went back into Los Olivos for one final tasting ... we stopped in Los Olivos Tasting Room, a little wine tasting place that pours random wines of wineries that don't have proper tasting rooms. I can't find the paper that has everything we tasted but I know we bought a bottle of 2004 Edge Cabernet Sauvignon. Edge is a place that buys grapes from, supposedly, the better wineries in Napa and blends them together to make their own label. Pretty good stuff. We also had a bottle of NV Bonny Doon Rasberry Framboise ... really really sweet stuff. A little too much for my taste...

That wrapped up Day 1 ... off to the house to nap before dinner at the Hitching Post ...