SFChron: US Tempranillo

Nice article in today's SFChron by ChristinaKelly on the growth of Tempranillo in the USofA.
Tom

SFChron: US Tempranillo

Sorry, but I beg to differ. A 2,800 word article on tempranillo in which the word 'soil' does not appear even once! That says much about the difficulties of adapting tempranillo to the US: an ignorance of the basic rules.

Soil is crucial for high-quality tempranillo, in addition to climate. The variety has low acidity and needs specific conditions to avoid becomng flat and undistinguished: high but not overwhelming daytime temperatures during ripening, always cool nights throughout the summer, and limestone-rich soils. There is not a single great tempranillo in Spain that isn't grown on limestone or clay-limestone. On schist, for instance, it loses most of its finesse (that's why tinta roriz is only part of blends most of the time in the Portuguese Douro, and why tempranillo has never fared well in Priorat).

A number of American producers have asked me about planting tempranillo, and I immediately ask them about the composition of their soils. Until now not one had limestone. Maybe I should advise Josh Jensen to plan some tempranillo at Calera...

Sorry, but I beg to differ. A 2,800 word article on tempranillo in which the word 'soil' does not appear even once! That says much about the difficulties of adapting tempranillo to the US: an ignorance of the basic rules.

Soil is crucial for high-quality tempranillo, in addition to climate. The variety has low acidity and needs specific conditions to avoid becomng flat and undistinguished: high but not overwhelming daytime temperatures during ripening, always cool nights throughout the summer, and limestone-rich soils. There is not a single great tempranillo in Spain that isn't grown on limestone or clay-limestone. On schist, for instance, it loses most of its finesse (that's why tinta roriz is only part of blends most of the time in the Portuguese Douro, and why tempranillo has never fared well in Priorat).

A number of American producers have asked me about planting tempranillo, and I immediately ask them about the composition of their soils. Until now not one had limestone. Maybe I should advise Josh Jensen to plan some tempranillo at Calera...

Victor,
Like the sand worms of Dune, you do rear your head when least expected. And when you do, you often are a force to be reckoned with. Good to see you Sir!

Good to see you too, Bob! (Don't know about the sandworm analogy, though... )

[David M. Bueker]

You control the spice Victor. (did the worms use toasted barrels?)

I recently had a Tempranillo Rosé made by Penelope Gadd-Coster of Coral Mustang with starters at a dinner in San Francisco and it was delicious. It went down every bit as smoothly and easily as Steve's Bone-Jolly Gamay rosé. Another perfect summer sipper. I have some of her Tempranillo on order and I can't wait to try it.


Disclosure: I am an online acquaintance of Penny's, though I've never met her and have no financial interest in her wines.

(did the worms use toasted barrels?)

I have no idea. Myself, I certainly don't.

A number of American producers have asked me about planting tempranillo, and I immediately ask them about the composition of their soils. Until now not one had limestone. Maybe I should advise Josh Jensen to plan some tempranillo at Calera...

It's true that soil isn't mentioned in the article but I'd just point out that two of the California wines mentioned come from Paso Robles and Santa Ynez Valley, where limestone soils (or at least limestone soil components) are fairly common. Depending on exact location, the combination of warm days and cool nights also happens in those areas.

It's true that soil isn't mentioned in the article but I'd just point out that two of the California wines mentioned come from Paso Robles and Santa Ynez Valley, where limestone soils (or at least limestone soil components) are fairly common. Depending on exact location, the combination of warm days and cool nights also happens in those areas.

Mark,
What you say is true, in general, about a strong limestone component in both PasoRobles and SantaYnezVlly. The Castoro comes from, I would guess, from their vnyds on the EastSide Paso, where the soil is pretty sandy and not much limestone, which is found more up in the SantaLuciaMtns/Westside. I'm not sure exactly where Louisa gets her Tempranillo, but I seem to recall it more towards the Eastern SantaYnez, where limestone is not such an influence as it is out towards the SantaRitaHills, unless it's up on the ridgetop vnyds like Stolpman or PurisimaMtn. But I think it's down on the flats.
I believe Bob & Louisa have Tempranillo in their new vnyd in the EdnaVlly, right across from Alban, and has a strong limestone influence.
In consideration of Victor's insistence that the soil be limestone for Tempranillo to succeed, I would think that the rootstock might have some influence and that maybe you could tweak the rootstock choice for other types of soils...but I don't know for sure.
Tom

In consideration of Victor's insistence that the soil be limestone for Tempranillo to succeed, I would think that the rootstock might have some influence and that maybe you could tweak the rootstock choice for other types of soils...but I don't know for sure.

Rootstock only assures the plant's well-being on a specific type of soil, Tom - not that it will produce high-quality wine.

Having tasted Saint Amant wines (one of the producers briefly mentioned as a pioneer), maybe Victor's (Mua d'hib!) post explains why the wine was so awful.