Beverage of the Week (BOW)
Valley View Tempranillo Applegate Valley 2021
Product Story
An absolute superstar American Tempranillo reminiscent of wine made by the top estates in the north of Spain — notably the Ribera del Duero. The Valley View Tempranillo is different by the fact that the fruit is grown on old (40 years plus in part) vines grafted on varietal rootstock as opposed to American rootstock. Three Old World clones are grown in this estate vineyard — Valdepenas, Toro, and Duero. The fruit is hand-picked and destemmed and delivered to open-top tanks. Post alcohol fermentation this wine is rested in two-year-old French oak barriques for a period of 16 months. The resulting wine is supple, complex, and simply delicious.
Brand Story
Valley View Winery has a deep history in Oregon’s Applegate Valley. The estate winery was established by Peter Britt in the 1850s. The winery closed in 1906 with Britt’s death. The name Valley View was restored by Frank and Ann Wisnovsky and family in 1972 and became Oregon’s first bonded winery since Prohibition in 1976. The Wisnovsky’s have lived and worked this land for more than 50 years. Along the way they have seen many successes and failures but it feels like the best is yet to come. In 2021 the Wisnovsky’s hired veteran winemaker Michael Brunson. Michael brings 30 vintages of experiences to Valley View after making wines at Michel-Schlumberger for 16 years followed by a near decade stint at Christopher Creek Winery in the Russian River Valley. The marriage of tremendous fruit grown by the Wisnovsky’s in the diverse soil types and micro-climates of the Applegate Valley with Brunson’s obvious winemaking skills have created a force to be reckoned with in Oregon. Typically when a winery offers such a wide range of varietals — some varietals thrive while others falter due to being poor choices for the land and climate. Valley View (along with their reserve tier Domaine Rogue) are making wines of their place that feature the spectacular fruit. We at BevX were introduced to a collection of 10 wines from their 2021 vintage. All wines earned marks of 92 points or better — a tremendous feat. We are very bullish on Valley View/Domaine Rogue and cannot wait to see future wine releases.
Tasting Note
Brilliant, deep ruby color. The aromatics are intense, offering scents of black currant, dried herbs, and black tea with supporting notes of black cherry, earth, oak, and lavender. The palate echoes the nose delivering a black fruit-driven core with flavors of black plum, fig, five spice, and cigar box. The finish is long and lingering with chewy tannins. Full-bodied and perfectly balanced with a supple texture.
How to Serve
Serve at cellar temperature and be sure to decant this full-bodied wine. Pair it with grilled meats, bold stews, and anything with a generous herbal element.
Price: $ 26
BevX Review: http://bevx.com/wine-detail/?id=4422
