Tessier Saveria Vineyard Pinot Noir 2015
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Wine & Spirits
For the second year in a row, this wine from Kristie Tacey, a research scientist turned winemaker, is nothing short of astonishing. Noted viticulturist Prudy Foxx farms Saveria, a sandy, gently sloping site in the bucolic, aptly named Pleasant Valley on the coastal side of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Maybe it’s the regular influx of fog from Monterey Bay that gives the wine its cool, ferny scent and spacious texture. It’s lacy yet full of intense coastal flavor; there’s a sweet purple-flower tone saturating the wine until it takes on the richness of fruit—glints of forest strawberry, bass notes of wild mushrooms and cedar. The one downside: There are only 528 bottles of it.
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Wine Enthusiast
This is a great example of a lower alcohol, somewhat underripe Pinot Noir that shows solid depth and lovable freshness. Lively aromas of black-raspberry sorbet and dark strawberry show on the nose, while the palate picks up a tart cranberry character. White pepper, thyme and juniper enliven the fruity flavors. Editors' Choice
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Tessier is the result of Kristie’s passion for the art and science of winemaking. She began handcrafting small lots of Pinot Noir and has added Grenache, Viognier, Cabernet Franc, Gamay Noir and Mourvedre. Kristie’s appreciation of French wines — especially those from Burgundy and the Loire and Rhone valleys — has shaped her winemaking choices. Pinot will always be her first love, and in 2017, Wine & Spirits awarded her 2014 Saveria Vineyard Pinot Noir 96 points, the highest score for that variety in the past year.
With a background in microbiology, Kristie is fascinated by the cycle of life; each vintage of Tessier wines captures and reflects one year in the lives of the vineyards she works with. She sources high-quality fruit from a strong network of farmers in the Russian River Valley, Santa Cruz Mountains and El Dorado foothills. She then uses minimal-interventionist winemaking techniques to showcase the unique characteristics of the grapes and the vineyards. For Kristie, sustainability is a priority — not only with the vineyards’ farming practices, but also by having long-term relationships with her growers and customers. With an annual production of 750 cases, Kristie is able to give unparalleled attention to each wine.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
A rugged and topographically diverse cool-climate appellation with a rich history, the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA stretches from Half Moon Bay, just south of San Francisco, to the northern border of Monterey County. Elevations range from 800 feet to upwards of 3,000 and microclimates vary substantially depending on which side of the mountains the vineyards lie; cool ocean winds and fog play an important role here. This can be a challenging region in which to grow grapes, but it is well worth the effort. Santa Cruz Mountains wines are noted for balanced acidity levels, often showing great aging potential. Wine has been made here since the 1800s, most notably from the legendary Ridge Vineyards, whose Monte Bello vineyard garners international admiration.
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are the stars of this region, while Merlot and Zinfandel also perform quite well. Organic and sustainable vineyard practices are becoming increasingly common.