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UP / the tasting panel / october 2009 The Nth Degree A passion of Karl's is blending his artistic and scientific talents to hand-craft small lot wines while simultaneously focusing on experimenta- tion. He describes Wente Vineyards Nth Degree portfolio as having "distinctive flavor profiles that call upon the terroir of a specific vineyard. These are wines that tell a story of where they came from." Karl is excited about the future of his small- lot wine production, "Having a great team, being vertically inte- grated, family-owned and estate grown provides me with the flexibility and resourc- es to experiment with different winegrow- ing and winemaking techniques." Murrieta's Well Murrieta's Well is named after the infamous vaquero Joaquin Murrieta, who roamed California during the Gold Rush. Legend has it that while traveling between California and Mexico, Murrieta and his men stopped at the artesian well in the Livermore Valley to rest and water their horses. Recognizing the great potential for the land, Ernest Wente acquired the property in 1930 from pioneering businessman and well-known winemaker Louis Mel. In 1990 fourth-genera- tion winemaker Philip Wente, together with consulting winemaker and co-founder Sergio Traverso, revived the historic 1880 winery to create Murrieta's Well. All of the Murrieta's Well wines are produced from grapes sustainably farmed on the 92-acre estate vineyard and adjacent Raboli Vineyard. Tamás Estates In the past, Wente Family Estates' Tamás Estates label has been based on California-Italian brand positioning. With the launch of its Double Decker Red—a Cabernet Sauvignon, Pe- tite Sirah and Barbera blend—Tamás Estates is now offering an even wider view of global varieties. Wente's Chief Marketing Officer, Amy Hoopes, recognizes that while consumers are interested in exploring new wines, "In the past, consumers may have tried wines from another world region and not found the flavor profiles they were looking for. With the re-positioning of Tamás Estates and the launch of Double Decker Red, we are delivering a world of wines rooted in California." The brand's engaging packaging urges consumers to "hop on the bus for the quintessential wine tour." The screwcap closure, contem- porary packaging and excellent price-to-quality ratio make the brand approachable while attract- ing "wine-curious" consumers. By leveraging two of the hottest trends in the industry—red blends and the $8–$11 price category—Tamás Estates is re-positioning itself for rapid growth. Zarzuela Zarzuela is the Spanish word for "op- eretta," and like many of Wente Family Estate wines, gain inspiration from music. "Similar to the way voices and instruments come together to form the musical Zarzuela, this wine blends both Spanish and Portuguese grape varieties to form a harmonious result." A medley of Touriga Nacional, Tempranillo, Souzão and Touriga Fran- cesca, the wine allows each variety to exhibit its unique flavor by being barrel-aged separately for 12 months; the lots are then blended and re- turned to barrels for further aging. Zarzuela is crafted with inspiration from the famous blends of Spain's Ribera del Duero and Rioja regions and those of Portugal. The wine deliv- ers up-front aromas of roses with hints of leather and spice, while the flavors of black cherry, cedar, pepper and vanilla blend harmoniously on the palate. Similar to an opera reaching its climatic moment, Zarzuela ends with a bold and spicy finish.