Hi Larry:

Ive never had your wines but am a big fan of Santa Ynez, sta Rita hills wines...one of my fave wineries is Curtis on Foxen Canyon. They have a fairly new winemaker, Ernst Storm, whose style with Rhone varietals my wife and I truly enjoy. Are you familiar with his wines? If so, is your style in the same vein? Another question: will you be pouring at the SB vitners this April? Ive never been but will be thre this year since it is bding held where I got married 6 years ago (sana ines mission). Cheers!

losthighwayz wrote:Hi Larry:

Ive never had your wines but am a big fan of Santa Ynez, sta Rita hills wines...one of my fave wineries is Curtis on Foxen Canyon. They have a fairly new winemaker, Ernst Storm, whose style with Rhone varietals my wife and I truly enjoy. Are you familiar with his wines? If so, is your style in the same vein? Another question: will you be pouring at the SB vitners this April? Ive never been but will be thre this year since it is bding held where I got married 6 years ago (sana ines mission). Cheers!

Hung out with Ernst Wed night at the same place I was hanging out with Andrew Murray, the Dragonette gang, etc . . .

I think you'll dig the wines - give em a try - and I WILL be pouring at the April event . . . and many others!

You live in LA? I'm there often
Cheers

Mornin' Larry.

I too have other of your woot bottles and enjoyed the single bottle I've opened to date, the Rose. Given last nights comments continuing today, the (rather weak) SIWBM got broken with this.

A question on twist-offs. I've read a bit on Zork closures and how some they offer transpire in a manner similar to natural cork. Can you comment on those you use here? Are these tight sealers or will they too 'breath' and allow some natural aging as does cork, but without those unwelcome side affects.

Nice numbers on the Viognier, but the ABV and pH tending a bit higher on the other two. Can you offer any insights on that?

Glad as always to have such great participation.

tercerowines wrote:Hung out with Ernst Wed night at the same place I was hanging out with Andrew Murray, the Dragonette gang, etc . . .

I think you'll dig the wines - give em a try - and I WILL be pouring at the April event . . . and many others!

You live in LA? I'm there often
Cheers

Thanks for getting back. Yes, im in LA. Was the pouring last nig in LA? How do I findout of LA area events invloving wineries in your area? Will run by wife before going in n is since i promised her I would stop my infatuation with wine and save money for a new home in the near future....

rjquillin wrote:Mornin' Larry.

I too have other of your woot bottles and enjoyed the single bottle I've opened to date, the Rose. Given last nights comments continuing today, the (rather weak) SIWBM got broken with this.

A question on twist-offs. I've read a bit on Zork closures and how some they offer transpire in a manner similar to natural cork. Can you comment on those you use here? Are these tight sealers or will they too 'breath' and allow some natural aging as does cork, but without those unwelcome side affects.

Nice numbers on the Viognier, but the ABV and pH tending a bit higher on the other two. Can you offer any insights on that?

Glad as always to have such great participation.

Not to answer for Larry but for me numbers are great, but they tell me almost nothing of how a wine will taste. And as you may know i'm not always looking to age bottles 10+ years.

sulakdd wrote:Cork is the more environmentally friendly choice:

"Q. What's wrong with screw caps and plastic closures?

A. Screw caps are not made from a sustainable product; they are not actively being recycled in the US and are not biodegradable. In comparison to a natural cork, 24 times more greenhouse gasses are released and over and 10 times more energy is used when making one screw cap.

Plastic closures are made from petro-chemicals, are not biodegradable and are rarely recycled. They are not sourced from a sustainable product and produce 10 times more greenhouse gasses than natural cork to produce."
http://www.corkforest.org/faq_cork_facts.php

For more information, also see http://100percentcork.org/cork.php/why-cork

Really? your going to go after the lowly screwcap when virtually everything you touch/use and consume in life is either made by, made from or transported to you by greenhouse gas belching machines

I think there are bigger fish to fry.

tytiger58 wrote:Really? your going to go after the lowly screwcap when virtually everything you touch/use and consume in life is either made by, made from or transported to you by greenhouse gas belching machines

I think there are bigger fish to fry.

Have you seen how big the screw caps are?!?! This is a REAL issue!

Alright, couple of questions here.

Any RS on the Viognier, or fermented dry?

Stylistic question here. I know you sort of touched on this earlier, but numbers on The Climb and the grenache blend seem to indicate a new world, more fruit driven style given the 2.7 PH. Is that the case here, or is more in between that and the old world, more nuianced style?

Also, what would be the aging potential of both of the reds?

I am seriously trying to not buy wine these days, for a number of reasons, but will probably have to jump in on this, if for no other reason than Larry's awesome participation in this forum on a regular basis. This is also a very nice variety with a white, a lighter red and a heavier red.

rjquillin wrote:Mornin' Larry.

I too have other of your woot bottles and enjoyed the single bottle I've opened to date, the Rose. Given last nights comments continuing today, the (rather weak) SIWBM got broken with this.

A question on twist-offs. I've read a bit on Zork closures and how some they offer transpire in a manner similar to natural cork. Can you comment on those you use here? Are these tight sealers or will they too 'breath' and allow some natural aging as does cork, but without those unwelcome side affects.

Nice numbers on the Viognier, but the ABV and pH tending a bit higher on the other two. Can you offer any insights on that?

Glad as always to have such great participation.

Thanks for the message. On the Zorks - gotta love marketing (-: I think the closure is okay and it definitely appeals to those who simply need to have that cork 'pop' when you open a bottle . . . but there's no 'magic' to the science of the closure. Nope, I'd have to say that the breathing element is not any different than you get with a screw cap. By the way, the saratin liner in screwcaps allows as much 'breathing' as the 'best' corks, according to the AWRI - but without the random side effects . . .

As far as the numbers on the reds - you I just don't know what went wrong. to taste a grenache dominated blend that has a sub 14% alcohol level - it just won't be ripe enough or enjoyable enough. I know 'ripe' is a four letter word these days, but it's all about balance - and I am seeing with some newer, 'hipper' wines that it IS possible for things to be not ripe enough . . .

Balance is balance - regardless of numbers. I think you've find my reds to be pretty darned balanced - something I'm known for and strive for . . .

And if you liked the rose you've had in the past, wait until you try my 12 rose - 100% mourvedre, early picked and direct pressed . . . tis going to be tasty!

Cheers!

losthighwayz wrote:Thanks for getting back. Yes, im in LA. Was the pouring last nig in LA? How do I findout of LA area events invloving wineries in your area? Will run by wife before going in n is since i promised her I would stop my infatuation with wine and save money for a new home in the near future....

Would be happy to be your clearinghouse for info about LA tastings - drop me an email at larry@tercerowines.com (and that goes for everyone else out there, too!).

And if you or any other wine.wooters ever make it up to my area, I'll certainly take care of your tasting fees - and possibly be able to put together some 'special deals' as well (-:

Cheers!

North316 wrote:Alright, couple of questions here.

Any RS on the Viognier, or fermented dry?

Stylistic question here. I know you sort of touched on this earlier, but numbers on The Climb and the grenache blend seem to indicate a new world, more fruit driven style given the 2.7 PH. Is that the case here, or is more in between that and the old world, more nuianced style?

Also, what would be the aging potential of both of the reds?

I am seriously trying to not buy wine these days, for a number of reasons, but will probably have to jump in on this, if for no other reason than Larry's awesome participation in this forum on a regular basis. This is also a very nice variety with a white, a lighter red and a heavier red.

Thanks for the questions!

First off, the viognier is 'nearly dry' - fermented until it had .2 - .3% RS (it needs a touch to cover up natural bitterness in the skins). It will NOT come across as sweet at all because of the acid level - but the variety sometimes seems sweet because of the floral aspects of the grape itself.

With regards to the reds, my winemaking style is firmly planted in Santa Barbara County, where I honestly think the greatest potential exists for the best rhone reds and whites in the state of CA!!! If you read reviews on my wines - no, not just WA or WS but CT - you'll find that a word often used is 'balanced'. My wines are never going to win 'beauty contests' because they are not overly ripe, showy wines - I make them to be food friendly wines . . .

The Cuvee Christie is drinking beautifully well now and I would believe it will continue to show wonderfully for at least the next 5 years. The Climb is a bigger bolder wine (NOT riper) and it oftentimes shows better on Day 2, indicating to me that it has a longer life ahead of it. I can't tell you how many years because I really don't know - just like other winemakers probably shouldn't tell you a specific range either because they are truly pulling these numbers out of their behinds (-:

Hope that answers your questions - but feel free to keep asking away.

Cheers!

tercerowines wrote:= It will NOT come across as sweet at all because of the acid level - but the variety sometimes seems sweet because of the floral aspects of the grape itself.

That is indeed one of the reasons that I have come to enjoy Viognier, as I prefer my whites with just a touch of sweetness. It also makes a mean late harvest dessert wine!

Since I enjoy learning, and we all know you enjoy talking, I wouldn't mind expanding the conversation a little bit and learning your thoughts/methods on sourcing, since it appears that at least at this point, you do not grow any of your own grapes.

Several pointed questions, but feel free to expand wherever you see fit.

How do/did you select the vinyards you are currently sourcing from?

Do you source from the same places each year, or does that depend on the harvest and other factors?

Do you have any say in the growing/harvesting at any of these vineyards, or do you simply work your magic on the end product?

Do you currently grow any of your own grapes, or are you planning on doing so somewhere down the line?

Any special projects, new blends/varietals you are currently working on?

I love dessert wine, is that something you ever intend to make?

We all heard how great the 2012 harvest was, how do you see this affecting you.

The final question, which I have been forgetting to ask most winemakers for awhile now, if you had the opportunity to make any varietal/blend/type of wine from any growing region in the world, what would it be?

See, ask for questions and you shall receive!

I have seen a few small producers with Larry's similar approach. Small one man wineries that purchase all their grapes from well know vineyards in SB county like white hawk, Rodney's and camp four. One of my favorites is municipal winemakers in Santa Barbara run by Dave Potter which i imagine is a very similar style.

Larry, if you have had Dave's wines (which I have had plenty being a club member) can you comment on how similar or dissimilar your winemaking styles and finished products are?

tytiger58 wrote:Really? your going to go after the lowly screwcap when virtually everything you touch/use and consume in life is either made by, made from or transported to you by greenhouse gas belching machines

I think there are bigger fish to fry.

Absolutely ~NOT~ going after the screwcap. Just asking for some info on the one he uses, there are differences. Why he chose that one in particular? Does he use the same one on all his bottles?

North316 wrote:That is indeed one of the reasons that I have come to enjoy Viognier, as I prefer my whites with just a touch of sweetness. It also makes a mean late harvest dessert wine!

Since I enjoy learning, and we all know you enjoy talking, I wouldn't mind expanding the conversation a little bit and learning your thoughts/methods on sourcing, since it appears that at least at this point, you do not grow any of your own grapes.

Several pointed questions, but feel free to expand wherever you see fit.

How do/did you select the vinyards you are currently sourcing from?

Do you source from the same places each year, or does that depend on the harvest and other factors?

Do you have any say in the growing/harvesting at any of these vineyards, or do you simply work your magic on the end product?

Do you currently grow any of your own grapes, or are you planning on doing so somewhere down the line?

Any special projects, new blends/varietals you are currently working on?

I love dessert wine, is that something you ever intend to make?

We all heard how great the 2012 harvest was, how do you see this affecting you.

The final question, which I have been forgetting to ask most winemakers for awhile now, if you had the opportunity to make any varietal/blend/type of wine from any growing region in the world, what would it be?

See, ask for questions and you shall receive!

Soooo many great questions!

On the road but I will answer these in the next 2 hrs when I can type on my computer instead of my phone!

Cheers

cortot20 wrote:I have seen a few small producers with Larry's similar approach. Small one man wineries that purchase all their grapes from well know vineyards in SB county like white hawk, Rodney's and camp four. One of my favorites is municipal winemakers in Santa Barbara run by Dave Potter which i imagine is a very similar style.

Larry, if you have had Dave's wines (which I have had plenty being a club member) can you comment on how similar or dissimilar your winemaking styles and finished products are?

On the road, but quickly.....

Worked w Dave at fess parker as a part of the same winemaking team for many years....

I was one of the 4 winemakers that comprise Thread....and it was my and Dave's idea....

My wines I eod say are a bit more reserved than Dave's....perhaps a bit mire structured.

Hope that helps!

rjquillin wrote:Absolutely ~NOT~ going after the screwcap. Just asking for some info on the one he uses, there are differences. Why he chose that one in particular? Does he use the same one on all his bottles?

I use saratin liners on whites and saranex on reds to allow for a bit more air....

Hope that helps....

Hi Larry,

Just curious... are you still making Grenache Blancs? I see 2010 is the newest one on your website.

tytiger58 wrote:Really? your going to go after the lowly screwcap when virtually everything you touch/use and consume in life is either made by, made from or transported to you by greenhouse gas belching machines

I think there are bigger fish to fry.

Hey, i'm not one of those lefties that believes in global warming, but i think there's something to be said about a natural product where available. And the cites i provided are on the internet, so they must be true :-)

I seem to remember a uc-davis study where an older screw-capped bottle was opened and hadn't aged due to lack of air infiltration. Has that problem been solved? (Not rhetorical) Just seems to me that there's room for discussion, and environmental impact, though maybe small, is still important.

Edit: and of course, i never said someone should avoid a bottle because of the closure.

sulakdd wrote:Hey, i'm not one of those lefties that believes in global warming, but i think there's something to be said about a natural product where available. And the cites i provided are on the internet, so they must be true :-)

I seem to remember a uc-davis study where an older screw-capped bottle was opened and hadn't aged due to lack of air infiltration. Has that problem been solved? (Not rhetorical) Just seems to me that there's room for discussion, and environmental impact, though maybe small, is still important.

Edit: and of course, i never said someone should avoid a bottle because of the closure.

Sorry not attacking you, I just never heard anyone talk about the cork vs screwtop argument as something that was an environmental issue.

redwinefan wrote:Hi Larry,

Just curious... are you still making Grenache Blancs? I see 2010 is the newest one on your website.

I'm sure he'll respond, but I can tell you he had Grenache Blanc at the Wednesday L.A. tasting!

uhoerhold wrote:Tercero is one of my absolute favorite wineries. I've bought several cases over the years. I haven't had these specific wines, but Terceros tend to be delicious without being over-extracted. They generally have great balance. There has been only one wine, the '07 Camp 4 Mourvedre, that I didn't absolutely love. The CT scores really speak for themselves. The only reason I haven't bought the last couple of releases is that they don't ship to NH, and I was going through too many contortions to get them here. If I could, I'd buy 3 of these.

Have you tried the '09 Camp 4 Mourvedre? RHWMBO loves it!

redwinefan wrote:Hi Larry,

Just curious... are you still making Grenache Blancs? I see 2010 is the newest one on your website.

2010 is my current vintage...and It's singing!!!

tercerowines wrote:On the road, but quickly.....

Worked w Dave at fess parker as a part of the same winemaking team for many years....

I was one of the 4 winemakers that comprise Thread....and it was my and Dave's idea....

My wines I eod say are a bit more reserved than Dave's....perhaps a bit mire structured.

Hope that helps!

That does help, Thanks.
Never tried either Thread vintage but always intrigued. Dave's wines are more fruit forward and released very young so that gives me a good idea of what to expect from your offering.

sulakdd wrote:Hey, i'm not one of those lefties that believes in global warming, but i think there's something to be said about a natural product where available. And the cites i provided are on the internet, so they must be true :-)

I seem to remember a uc-davis study where an older screw-capped bottle was opened and hadn't aged due to lack of air infiltration. Has that problem been solved? (Not rhetorical) Just seems to me that there's room for discussion, and environmental impact, though maybe small, is still important.

Edit: and of course, i never said someone should avoid a bottle because of the closure.

I am not familiar with this UC-Davis study you are recalling, but I know they recently kicked off a big study to chart long-term ageability.
http://news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=10339
I love screwcaps, fwiw.
95% of the stuff in my cellar is cork, just because that's the way the market rolls, but I love to see serious stuff like this sealed with a cap.

North316 wrote:That is indeed one of the reasons that I have come to enjoy Viognier, as I prefer my whites with just a touch of sweetness. It also makes a mean late harvest dessert wine!

Since I enjoy learning, and we all know you enjoy talking, I wouldn't mind expanding the conversation a little bit and learning your thoughts/methods on sourcing, since it appears that at least at this point, you do not grow any of your own grapes.

Several pointed questions, but feel free to expand wherever you see fit.

How do/did you select the vinyards you are currently sourcing from?

Do you source from the same places each year, or does that depend on the harvest and other factors?

Do you have any say in the growing/harvesting at any of these vineyards, or do you simply work your magic on the end product?

Do you currently grow any of your own grapes, or are you planning on doing so somewhere down the line?

Any special projects, new blends/varietals you are currently working on?

I love dessert wine, is that something you ever intend to make?

We all heard how great the 2012 harvest was, how do you see this affecting you.

The final question, which I have been forgetting to ask most winemakers for awhile now, if you had the opportunity to make any varietal/blend/type of wine from any growing region in the world, what would it be?

See, ask for questions and you shall receive!

Now that I literally have a few minutes before picking up the kids, I thought I'd tackle these questions:

I select my vineyards based on site, variety, and what others have done with the grapes prior to me getting them - and the vineyard management team.

I generally source from the same vineyards, but things do change. For instance, I used to get syrah from the Thompson Vyd and produced an 07, 08 (current release), and 09 (soon to be released). I chose in 2010 not to get fruit from there any more and instead work with White Hawk Syrah. I also look to get more from the same vineyard - different clones / different blocks.

I let the vineyard staff do what they do best - I cannot be 'expert' in every aspect of the process. We work together to determine picking, but I make the final call. I cannot tell you how many winemakers I know that have 'tinkered' with vineyard decisions that have led to really poor crop quality - not gonna happen with me (-:

I don't grow any grapes and don't have immediate plans to do so. What I dig is variety in soil and climate, and I'm able to take advantage of that with the varied terrain of our area. Not to say I won't plant in the future, but I'm content now and into the forseeable future . . .

Special projects, eh? Well, I have done collaborative projects in the past with other winemakers in the area - Thread was a project with three other winemakers here in Santa Barbara County. I have a new project coming out later this year called Les Deux Comtes, or 'the two counties', a joint project with John Cabot of Cabot Vineyards up in Humboldt County . . . . great stuff!!!

Dessert wine, you say?!???! I am making a 'later harvest' Viognier from 2012 - will end up with about 13% alcohol, about 10% RS(!!!) but with good acidity as well. Watch for this for the holidays later this year.

2012 was a big harvest - great is a relative term. Right now, I'm still releasing my 09's and could not be happier. In fact, I've yet to bottle a few of them, and they'll end up in neutral oak for about 40 months prior to me bottling them!!!! So I will withhold judgement on the 2012 vintage for awhile . . .

And for the last question - grenache from the Santa Barbara County area - I'm exactly where I want to be!

Hope that does it - but ask away any more you may have!

Cheers!

time2testit wrote:Have you tried the '09 Camp 4 Mourvedre? RHWMBO loves it!

Shhhhhhhh

dah7m wrote:I am not familiar with this UC-Davis study you are recalling, but I know they recently kicked off a big study to chart long-term ageability.
http://news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=10339
I love screwcaps, fwiw.
95% of the stuff in my cellar is cork, just because that's the way the market rolls, but I love to see serious stuff like this sealed with a cap.

We'll have to get another thread going about this - fun topic that really gets folks going!!!!

Cheers!

Sigh, this is very tempting, but between paying off all the bills,and being appalled at the amount of wine I have, I will have to pass. Plus Larry, I still have trouble getting past the grenache that took about 3 days to open. I have 2 more bottles from that pack, that I will give a try, but maybe next time, or if I'm ever in your neck of the woods I will stop by.

tiger7610 wrote:Sigh, this is very tempting, but between paying off all the bills,and being appalled at the amount of wine I have, I will have to pass. Plus Larry, I still have trouble getting past the grenache that took about 3 days to open. I have 2 more bottles from that pack, that I will give a try, but maybe next time, or if I'm ever in your neck of the woods I will stop by.

You gotta do what you feel is right . . . but I gotta tell you that these wines, especially the reds, are much more easily approachable than the 07 Watch Hill Grenache. I LOVE that wine, but it does take a good day or two of aeration to really strut its stuff . . .

Cheers!

Larry, all of your input and expertice make these wines even more desirable!!!!

slm9951 wrote:Larry, all of your input and expertice make these wines even more desirable!!!!

It's just who I am - I like to answer questions, provide information, and be responsive . . . it's what I'd expect from others.

Cheers!

tercerowines wrote:It's just who I am - I like to answer questions, provide information, and be responsive . . . it's what I'd expect from others.

Cheers!

Which is one of the many reasons why we love being members of your wine club!!!

Bought purely because of your involvement with the board. I love winery participation and even though I'd been sitting on this I had to pull the trigger after seeing your enthusiasm.

Tercero Santa Barbara County Trio (3)
Speed to first woot: 0m 42.559s
First sucker:karenhynes
Last wooter to woot:sdfreedive

redhead11 wrote:Which is one of the many reasons why we love being members of your wine club!!!

Well, if Redhead11 takes the time to actually post in a Wine Woot discussion, you know it must be something special.

sdfreedive wrote:Bought purely because of your involvement with the board. I love winery participation and even though I'd been sitting on this I had to pull the trigger after seeing your enthusiasm.

Tercero Santa Barbara County Trio (3)
Speed to first woot: 0m 42.559s
First sucker:karenhynes
Last wooter to woot:sdfreedive

THANKS!!! And next time you make it up my way from San Diego, stop in and say hi! And watch for my stuff at 3rd Corner one of these days!!!!

sulakdd wrote:I seem to remember a uc-davis study where an older screw-capped bottle was opened and hadn't aged due to lack of air infiltration. Has that problem been solved? (Not rhetorical) Just seems to me that there's room for discussion, and environmental impact, though maybe small, is still important.

Perhaps you missed the study I posted earlier about screw top wines and aging... Obviously, a single study doesn't prove anything, but it's a place to start.

Seems to be a bit anemic around here - anyone have anything to get folks rolling?!?!? I'd tell a joke or two but it's not my strong suit (-:

tercerowines wrote:Seems to be a bit anemic around here - anyone have anything to get folks rolling?!?!? I'd tell a joke or two but it's not my strong suit (-:

Are these wines biodynamic?

But if you say "yes," so help me...

kylemittskus wrote:Are these wines biodynamic?

But if you say "yes," so help me...

Bio WHO?!?!? How about if I call them just 'dynamic' and we left out the bio? Will that work?!?!?