It’s always fun to discover a new, high quality vineyard. But, it’s better still when there’s an interesting story involved. Which brings us to today's subject - Tamber Bey Vineyards, in Napa Valley's Calistoga. The picture above shows the Wine Concepts team with Jennifer Waitte (far right), Tamber Bey’s President and General Manager, at a recent tasting in Austin.
The story. Tamber Bey is a relatively new (founded in 1999), family-owned winery, and its wines are largely marketed directly to the consumer. At Tamber Bey, wine and horses are intertwined. The 60,000 gallon capacity winery is located in a former covered riding area at their Sundance Ranch in Calistoga. It’s home to more than 45 horses, as well as the largest horse rescue operation in Napa County. The Tamber Bey name is derived from two of the owner’s first two Arabian Horses – Tamborina and Bayamo. The equine theme carries through in the name of one of their vineyards, “Deux Chevaux” – French for "Two Horses."
The Tamber Bey owners appear to be equally passionate about wine and horses, although the winery is the primary business. They produce a range of wines from grapes sourced in Napa, Sonoma and Lake Counties. You can read the full story, and see a list of their wines, at www.tamberbey.com.
The wines. This tasting was our introduction Tamber Bey, and we were impressed by the quality and style of each of the several wines that we tasted. In sum, what we tasted made us want to take a closer look at all of their wines.
Before we discuss our favorites, we'd like to highlight two other wines. The excellent Deux Chevaux Dijon Chardonnay ($60 retail) is made in a Burgundian style, with native yeasts and a focus on expressing the terroir. Similarly, the Sun Chase Vineyard Pinot Noir ($75) is made from grapes sourced from Sonoma's Petaluma Gap in Sonoma - a new appellation (December 2017) that is cooled by Pacific breezes and morning fog, and known for great Pinots (as well as Chardonnay and Syrah). This was a very nice Pinot, with classic cherry notes and an intriguing subtlety.
Our two favorites from the tasting:
- 2017 Lizzy’s Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc ($32 retail). All too often I've had unimpressive California Sauvignon Blancs, but this is an excellent wine and well worth the price. The vineyard is located in Napa Valley's Oakville appellation, and the wine is aged for seven months in stainless steel and acacia wood. It displays aromas of citrus and lemongrass, and on the palate has a pleasant stone fruit taste and a vibrant, mouthwatering acid. The wine is well-balanced and has an intriguing finish.
- 2016 Deux Chevaux Vineyard Rabicano ($70 retail). This is an estate-grown Bordeaux blend, from the Yountsville appellation, made from 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, and small portions of Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. The wine is aged in 100 percent French oak (60 percent new) for 19 months. (If you're wondering about the name, Rabicano is the name of a horse color pattern.) This was our favorite wine of the tasting. It's an intense wine, with dark fruit aromas and fine tannins. I suspect that this wine will develop nicely over the next five years or so.
Cheers!