story published in the Santa Barbara News-Press on 3/30/17
When Larry Schaffer launched his Tercero wine label a decade ago, he hung his hat on Rhone wines. He was on the Fess Parker winemaking team back then, and the focus there on wines like syrah was clearly an inspiration. But what sealed the deal for Schaffer was potential.
“I was
attracted to how diverse Rhone wines are – how diverse they show themselves to
be when given the opportunity,” he told me this week. “These wines express themselves so distinctly
and differently.”
Schaffer
will be showcasing the expressive spectrum of Rhone wines next Monday, when the
Santa Barbara chapter of the Rhone Rangers pours for the public. The event will feature wines from Andrew
Murray Vineyards, Qupe, Zaca Mesa, Beckmen and Fess Parker Winery, among
others. Tickets to the event, which runs
4:30-6:30pm at the Funk Zone’s Santa Barbara Wine Collective (131 Anacapa
Street), are just $25.
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| Larry Schaffer (Bob Dickey photo) |
“I applaud
what those guys have done,” Schaffer says.
The challenge
has led to a national non-profit Rhone Rangers alliance and a handful of
sub-chapters (like Santa Barbara) that, for several years, have taken on
promoting the grapes native to France’s Rhone region. Some of the 22 grapes under the group’s
promotional umbrella are pretty familiar: reds like syrah and grenache and
whites like viognier. Others – like
vaccarese, muscardin, bourboulenc, picardin and ugni blanc – are not.
But what all
these grape varieties have in common should appeal to consumers on multiple
levels, Schaffer says. They’re great
matches for food, for one, thanks to tempered alcohols and varied textures. And they’re a solid buy, too. “You can find a really good bottle of syrah
for under $30, but you’re hard-pressed at that price to find an equally great
pinot,” Schaffer says. As Santa Barbara
pinot’s price points continue to climb over the next few years, as many in the
industry predict, the value of Rhones will only grow.
And then
there’s the appeal that can attract consumers the way it lures winemakers: the
potential in the bottle. Unlike other
families of wine grapes, Rhone varieties can be resilient, expressing different
flavors and aromas based on where they grow.
And while they can deliver solidly good wines when they’re bottled on
their own, they’re wonderful blending agents, too, often elevating the imbibing
experience simply by cohabitating.
It’s enough
to keep Schaffer infatuated – his word.
“I’ll never get bored working with Rhone wines,” he says. It’s also enough to make consumer education a
priority. And tasting is lesson one.
For tickets
to Monday’s Santa Barbara Rhone Rangers event, click here.
For more
information on Tercero and its Los Olivos tasting room, check out tercerowines.com.
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