WINE TASTING: TWO OUTSTANDING TEMPRANILLO WINES

by Andrew Chalk

One of my earliest encounters with Pedernales Cellars was on June 11th, 2016 when I organised a ‘mega-tasting’ of 19 Texas Viognier. Pedernales Cellars 2012 Viognier Reserve, Texas High Plains emerged the winner. Later that year, at another mega tasting, but of Texas tempranillo, Pedernales Cellars 2011 Tempranillo, Reserve, Texas beat out 22 other contenders to win the top prize. In both cases the judges were sommeliers, educated palates, and they tasted blind.

These results put Pedernales on the radar for me, but countless other medals at national competitions have confirmed it since. 

Just this week Pedernales winemaker David Kuhlken said I had to taste two of their new tempranillo releases. The 

Pedernales Cellars 2020 Tempranillo Reserva, Canted County Vineyards, Texas High Plains

and the 

Pedernales Cellars 2020 Gran Reserva, Texas High Plains  

I wasn’t difficult to persuade. Based on the earlier results and their wines that I have tasted since I had very high expectations. As it turned out, and here is a ‘forward looking statement’, the wines were even more impressive than I had expected. They are examples for all Texas winemakers to compare their own work against and a reaffirmation that tempranillo can excel in this state.

Perhaps the most interesting story is the contrast. The Gran Reserva is the more floral in the nose, and so enchanting that you can try it while driving: just inhale, don’t drink. The Canted County is the softer, with tannins like velvet out of an expensive haberdasher. I think of California winemakers as the experts at soft-textured tannins but this wine gives up nothing in this respect. The Gran Reserva is a more classic ‘story in the bottle’ type of wine with a varietally correct nose followed by a backbone of forthright tannic structure embellished with complex fruit flavors. While the Canted County is a tease. Complex in its multidimensional nose, restrained tannins and tangled flavors on the palate. 

These are both outstanding. If you want lively debate over the holiday season, assemble a meal and serve both at the same time. Ask everyone to taste both and then list all the similarities and all the differences. Then discuss. 

If you want to convert that boarish person who proclaims “There aren’t any good wines in Texas. They get all their grapes from California/China/Alpha Centauri anyway”. Then serve these without mentioning it and watch them start reaching for the bottle to get a squint at the label. These are not just really good wines, they are conversion wines.     

Order directly from the winery on this page.

DETAILED TASTING NOTES

NAME:	Pedernales Cellars 2020 Tempranillo Reserva, Canted County Vineyards, Texas High Plains
	COMMENTS
APPEARANCE
Clarity	clear
Intensity	deep
Color	ruby
NOSE
Condition	clean
Intensity	medium
Aroma Characteristics	Raspberry, red cherry, thyme, rosemary, liquorice, black pepper, bread, clove, coconut, chocolate
PALATE
Sweetness	dry
Acidity	Medium plus
Tannin	medium, smooth
Alcohol	medium
Body	full
Flavor intensity	pronounced
Flavor characterstics	Matched raspberry fruit, savory forest floor with thyme, rosemary, traces of the other components of the nose (pencil lead, black pepper, chocolate)
Other observations	The fruit and savory notes are in precise balance here and the base of velvety tannins all combine for an incredibly pleasant quaffing wine. It will age but I would serve it now with game, the deer that ran into your truck in The Hill Country, or the boar that tore up your lawn. No apology needed! This is the kind of tempranillo that screams how successful the grape is in the right hands (David Kuhlken) in the state. If I were a Rioja winemaker I would compare this with a Reserva or Gran Reserva in its younger years in terms of fruit and structure. But find it riper than the typical northern Spanish example. Where is a Rioja winemaker when you need one?
Finish	long
Quality Assessment	Outstanding
Bottle aging	Suitable.

NAME:	Pedernales Cellars 2020 Gran Reserva, Texas High Plains
	COMMENTS
APPEARANCE
Clarity	clear
Intensity	deep
Color	ruby
NOSE
Condition	clean
Intensity	medium ;plus
Aroma Characteristics	Raspberry, roses, violets, rosemary, basil liquorice, pencil lead, clove, coconut
PALATE
Sweetness	dry
Acidity	Medium plus
Tannin	medium, chewy
Alcohol	medium plus
Body	full
Flavor intensity	pronounced
Flavor characterstics	Fantastic tannic backbone underpins raspberry fruit, rosemary and basil, secondary qualities of vanilla and cloves.
Other observations
Finish	long
Quality Assessment	Outstanding. The nose is one of the most aristocraticly perfumy noses I have come across on a Texas wine. On the palate this wine is defined by the tannic backbone and the effusive fruits that fill the mouth working in tandem. A very fine example of tempranillo.
Bottle aging	Suitable.

Samples.