Galante Vineyards

We were in Carmel this weekend for Mother's Day. Passing by the Galante Vineyard Tasting Room I just had to stop by to taste their wines. I had not heard about this winery before and I got some good information from the very knowledgeable and friendly tasting room staff. They explained the wineries wine making philosophy and methods. The wine maker strives for the wine to express what in France is called terroir. That means, in short, letting the soil, surroundings, location and weather express itself through the fruit in the wine and intervene as little as possible. The wines are gravity racked and have not gone through fining or filtration.

On to the tasting. I tasted around eight wines and I will mention the ones I liked the best.
First out was the 2006 Carmel Valley Sauvignon Blanc ($25). It has intense peach aroma and flavor, with a hint of tropical fruit. Good acidity gives this wine a nice freshness.
The 2005 Carmel Valley Petit Sirah is much more delicate than most Petit Sirahs that I am used to. Soft medium dark berries and soft tannins. Very easy to drink. Recommended by the tasting room staff as a summer BBQ wine.
On to the Cabs. I got the 2002 ($40) and 2003 ($30) Red Rose Hill Cabernet Sauvignon side by side to compare. The 2002 is a more elegant wine with red cherries and berries and softer tannins. The 2003 was my favorite with dark cherry and berries, and a hint of violet, with more pronounced acidity and firmer, but still moderate, tannins.
Their most expensive Cabernet is the 2003 Blackjack Pasture Cabernet Sauvignon ($60). This is their most intense and complex wine with dark fruit, black berry, black currant, and a hint of oak. Great medium big, smooth tannins, medium plus acidity, with the dark fruit, gives this wine a long finish. A really nice Cab.

Find these wines at Galante Vineyards website.


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