Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Aromas of dried and wet grass, pomelo zest, lime peels and dried seaweed show on the nose of this bottling. There's a flash of richness on the palate before the green-peppercorn, Mandarin orange and light dairy flavors come across the sizzling texture.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2018 Tatomer Vandenberg Riesling is fresh, lovely, and crisp. TASTING NOTES: This wine shines with aromas and flavors of peach fuzz, green apple, and mineral notes. Enjoy it with ginger and scallion steamed Dungeness crab. (Tasted: June 22, 2021, San Francisco, CA)
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.
With a dry and mild climate cooled significantly by moist ocean fog and breezes, Santa Barbara County is a grape-grower’s dream. Part of the larger Central Coast appellation, Santa Barbara is home to Santa Maria Valley and Santa Ynez Valley. The conditions here provide an opportunity for nearly effortless production of high-quality cool-climate Central Coast wines. This is also the site of the 2004 film Sideways, which caused Pinot Noir’s popularity to skyrocket and brought new acclaim to the region.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the stars of Santa Barbara, producing wines marked by racy acidity. Crisp Sauvignon Blanc and savory Syrah are also important. The region is home to many young and enthusiastic winemakers eager to experiment with less common varieties including Chenin Blanc, Grüner Veltliner, Trousseau Gris, Gamay and Cabernet Franc, making it an exciting area to watch.