Brass Tacks Riesling 2008
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Food Pairings: Refreshing and food-friendly, Brass Tacks Riesling pairs well with seafood, salads, spicy and Asian foods.
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Wine Enthusiast
This would be a wonderful wine even if it cost a little more. As it is, it's a steal. Shows refined apricot, peach, lychee, mineral and floral flavors, finished with brisk, mouthwatering acidity, and an absolutely dry finish. One of the best Riesling values available in Cailfornia, and a tremendous cocktail wine. Just 600 cases were produced. Editor's Choice
Other Vintages
2013-
Wilfred
Wong
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Wine
Enthusiast
"Brass Tacks is my tribute to the legacy of California’s historical winemaking practices of blending fruit from different vineyards to create rich, flavorful and harmonious wines.”
Brass Tacks was born from one of Daniel LeFrancois’s favorite phrases, “Let’s get down to brass tacks”, meaning “to the point”. When he began Brass Tacks, he did so with the goal of crafting wines that are true expressions of California’s wine growing regions and fruit.
Daniel starts by sourcing fruit from premier regions throughout California, each selected to add specific nuances to the final wine. Through traditional winemaking practices, Daniel creates wines that are reflective of classic varietal characteristics, resulting in approachable wines that are flavorful, harmonious, and food-friendly.
Riesling possesses a remarkable ability to reflect the character of wherever it is grown while still maintaining its identity. A regal variety of incredible purity and precision, this versatile grape can be just as enjoyable dry or sweet, young or old, still or sparkling and can age longer than nearly any other white variety. Somm Secret—Given how difficult it is to discern the level of sweetness in a Riesling from the label, here are some clues to find the dry ones. First, look for the world “trocken.” (“Halbtrocken” or “feinherb” mean off-dry.) Also a higher abv usually indicates a drier Riesling.
A geographic and climatic paradise for grape vines, Monterey is a part of the greater Central Coast AVA and contains within it five smaller sub-appellations, including Arroyo Seco, San Lucas, San Bernabe, Hames Valley and the famous Santa Lucia Highlands. The climate is relatively warm but tempered by cool, coastal winds, allowing the regions in Monterey County an exceptionally long growing season. Bud break often happens two weeks sooner and harvest tends to be two weeks later compared to other surrounding regions.
Monterey’s coastal side, where the cooling ocean fog allows grapes to develop a perfect sugar-acid balance, excels in the production of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Riesling. Warmer, inland subzones are home to fleshy, concentrated and full-bodied reds like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Zinfandel.
Chardonnay, covering about 40% of vineyard acreage, is the most widely planted grape in all of Monterey County.