Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/780573
{ SOMMjournal.com } 89 The Murrieta's Well 2014 The Whip (Semillon/Chardonnay/Sauvignon Blanc, with smidgens of Orange Muscat, Muscat Canelli and Viognier) is a tropical, flowery, peppery-spiced package with a tart tactile punctuation point, appealing to average consumers' thirst for fruit-driven wines while also meeting newer aficionados' needs for palate-popping acidity. But it may be with black-skinned grapes—historically, the most conducive to Livermore Valley terroirs—where Meyer really shows his chops, particularly with Petite Sirah, another of the appella - tion's heritage grapes (Concannon bottled Calif ornia's first varietal Petite Sirah in 1961). Meyer reasons, "Bordeaux varieties are very symbiotic with each other—it always makes sense to take advantage of that—while Petite Sirah has played a major part in Livermore Valley history, either as a varietal or key blending component, complimenting everything." Indeed, the Murrieta's Well 2013 The Spur (predomi - nantly Petite Sirah and Cabernet Sauvignon with P etit Verdot, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec) rattles the senses with spicy, smoky, red and blue fruit sensations, tight, zesty and sinewy in the mouth. Our next stop was out in the cool morn - ing sun, in one of Wente Vineyards' heritage Chardonnay blocks, where Karl D. Wente poured us a white named for his father Eric Wente (the family's former Director of Winemaking), crafted in a style harkening back to the days when oak barrels were considered superfluous in Chardonnay, an attitude that may very well be coming back with a vengeance. Explained Wente, "My dad always picked early, usually around 21° Brix, and fermenting without oak gives you the sort of lean, crisp style that makes you want to reach for a plate of oysters on the half-shell." The Wente Vineyards 2015 Small Lot Eric's Chardonnay was all that and much more—laudably spare, miner - ally dry, yet joyously upbeat in its purity of apple/pear/citrus fruit. Coming out of the fields, we made a fun stop at Wente Vineyards' Winemakers Studio for a demonstration of one of sev - eral incredible learning experiences offered by the winery to the public: a double-blind tasting in black glasses, which often makes it difficult for consumers to sort red wines from whites. Of course, not so for our som - meliers: Virtually everyone had no problem identifying a tight, lanky, mild tannin and acid- driven Wente Vineyards 2014 Small Lot Cabernet Franc or the full, tropical, flow - ery t erpene–scented Wente Vineyards 2015 Small Lot Viognier. Where the black glass challenge became difficult, however, was with the Wente Vineyards 2014 Small Lot Counoise, throwing everyone for a loop, especially considering its gener - ous dose of sweet oak and ripe, jammy qualities contributed by Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Souzão incorporated in the blend (not that many of us are familiar with 100 percent Counoises anyway). Winemaker Robbie Meyer in the Murrieta's Well private event room on the bottom level of the original Louis Mel winery. Campers are challenged by a double-blind tasting in black glasses at the Wente Vineyards Winemakers Studio. PHOTO: RANDY CAPAROSO "Fermenting without oak gives you the sort of lean, crisp style that makes you want to reach for a plate of oysters on the half- shell," says Karl Wente. Wente Vineyards Small Lot Cabernet Franc was tight, lanky and acid-driven with mild tannin.