Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1050740
Scheid Vineyards 2016 Petit Manseng ($24) This variety is regarded as one of the most notable white grapes grown in southwest France, and in Monterey County it produces an ideal late-harvest wine fermented in stainless steel. With only a half-acre devoted to this special grape, the resulting liquid is honeyed gold with floral tones accented by lemon verbena and dried apricot. The acidity cuts through the sweetness with grace. 91 Scheid Vineyards 2017 Grenache Blanc, San Lucas Vineyard ($24) This is one of the southern Rhône varieties that can be the most glorious due to its pretty nature, precise acidity, and edgy point of view. Warm days ripened the fruit showcased here, and the aromas are bejeweled with lime and minerality. Slate and lemon wedge enhance the palate as white flowers lay a delicate groundwork. Tart green apple and Valencia orange ride in on the vivacious acidity. 93 Scheid Vineyards 2016 Touriga Nacional, Hames Valley Vineyard ($34) Portugal's indigenous grape performs well here: White pepper charms plums and blackberries on the nose, while dark chocolate lushly coats blackberry on the palate. Notes of earthy tomato leaf and heather accent the dark fruit as well. It's aged 20 months in Hungarian oak for a tame, spicy, and exuberant mouthfeel. 93 Scheid Vineyards 2016 Dolcetto, Riverview Vineyard ($34) This Piedmontese variety shows its bone-dry, tannic nature in the California sunshine. On the heels of a blueberry-vanilla nose, the palate offers a concentrated expression of blackberry, espresso, and spiced tobacco. Aged ten months in 100% French oak and coming in at 14.5% ABV, this is a structured wine with a lean body. 92 Scheid Vineyards 2016 Tempranillo, San Lucas Vineyard ($30) Spain's native red is an early ripener and succeeds at finding balance in this cool, maritime site. Rich, round, chalky tannins are accentuated by ripe notes of plum and blackberry in the sturdy mouthfeel. The oak is well-integrated. 92 after an addition is completed in time for next year's harvest, providing some much-needed space for bar- rel storage. In accordance with the winery's gentle approach to winemak- ing, which Kraftzeck describes as "minimal-intervention," a 2-ton basket press is utilized for most reds, while white grapes go through a bladder press. New fermenters equipped with hydraulic-assisted punch-down devices were also recently installed, though Kraftzeck anticipates the winery will continue to use plastic fermentation bins for smaller quantities. While grooming each variety in Monterey's diverse microclimate zones yields new learning experiences at all levels of the winemaking process, Heidi says they'll skip certain vintages with some of the varieties "if [they] feel like it moved backward in quality instead of forward," adding that this approach harkens back to Scheid's core value of continuous improvement. But just because a particular grape doesn't perform well in a certain spot doesn't mean there isn't a place for it some- where else in the valley: "This is the type of business where you need to be in it for the long haul," Heidi adds. Above all, the prevailing goal of this experimental project is to channel the distinctive character of Monterey County into the wines, not to simply mimic the winemaking style of the varieties' native regions. "When we're making a Grüner Veltliner, we're not trying to make a Grüner that tastes like it's from Austria," Heidi explains. "It might, but that's not our goal to force it into a certain taste profile. We're really trying to produce the best wine we can from the grapes our vineyards give us." A native of Monterey County, Marta Kraftzeck was the region's first female winemaker and has worked with Scheid Family Wines for ten harvests. A Taste of Scheid's Esoteric Varieties Reviewed by Meridith May november 2018 / the tasting panel / 53