Tessier Winery

Tessier will be pouring 2 Pinot noirs, along with a barrel sample of 2011 Grenache at Wine on Piedmont from 6-9pm, and t-shirts will be on hand for purchase that evening.  This event is part of  Piedmont Avenue Art Walk on Thursday, May 17th.  Come check us out!!

4/5/12 Recent California Pinot Noir Releases

Tessier

Owner and winemaker Kristie Tacey specializes in Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. Her initial career path was biotechnology and in 2000 worked on the Human Genome Project. While living in the San Francisco Bay area, she become intrigued by wine and winemaking. After working as an assistant winemaker at the former East Bay winery, Lost Canyon, and later as part of the winemaking team at JC Cellars, she launched her own label in 2009. She now has a Certificate in Winemaking from University of California at Davis. Her husband, Jason Wilinski, is her Brand Manager, support and mind behind. The Tessier wines are available by e-mailing Kristie at kristie@tessierwinery.com and can be found at several San Francisco Bay retailers and restaurants. Tasting is by appointment. Visit www.tessierwinery.com. I was particularly impressed by the appealing textures of all three of the 2010 Pinot Noirs.

The name, Tessier, is the original French version of Kristie’s last name, Tacey. The Tessier label depicts a photograph through a microscope of yeasts budding (a clever depiction since yeasts are the work horses in winemaking). The winery’s tag line is catchy: “Science as Art.”

2010 Tessier Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

13.5% alc., pH 3.58, 122 cases, $28. Aged in 33% new French oak barrels. · Moderate reddish-purple color in the glass. Aromas of Bing cherries, cherry syrup and sandalwood. Middleweight flavors of fresh cherries caressed by soft tannins complimented by subtle oak. A solid wine that is very open and approachable with an appealing Elvis on velvet mouth feel. Good (+).

2010 Tessier Saralee’s Vineyard Clone 115 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

14.2% alc., pH 3.57, 21 cases, $40, sold out. Aged in 50% new French oak barrels. · Moderately light reddish-purple color in the glass. Shy but pleasing aromas of darker red cherries and raspberries with a subtle hint of rose petal. Appealing array of flavorful cherry, red currant, marionberry and strawberry fruit with a sidecar of herbal oak. Firmly structured with a pillowy soft texture, finishing with a tangy red berry flourish. A step up from the Russian River Valley bottling and very approachable at this early stage. Very good.

2010 Tessier Las Brisas Vineyard Carneros Pinot Noir

14.1% alc., pH 3.67, 51 cases, $35. Aged in 50% new French oak barrels. · Light reddish-purple color in the glass. The nose offers bright aromas of red plum and red berries with notes of pine needle and grass. Light on its feet and soft in the mouth, this wine has some character with primarily cherry flavor underpinned with a resin-pine riff which I assume is oak in origin. Firm, ripe tannins and bright acidity. Much better the next day from a previously opened and re-corked bottle with more expressive fruit and resolution of the oak intrusion. Good (+).

Despite the wet and fog on my morning drive to Windsor, I was compelled to pull over and snap some photos of the dormant vines as I turned onto Slusser Road and headed to Saralee’s vineyard. Emerging from the car, there was a slight mist of rain and the smell of flowers in bloom. Though there was no sign of bud break for the vines yet, the magnolias were out in full force. Ahh, Russian River Valley in the spring!
Each year, Saralee Kunde invites everyone who buys her grapes up to her house and we all bring our young wines to taste and compare. The influence of winemaking style becomes more apparent when tasting wines made from exactly the same fruit, and when each wine comes up, the winemaker gives a brief account of the harvest story, winemaking style, and/or intended direction. This is one of my favorite tastings, and I look forward to it all year.

Everyone took their seats by 10am, and my neighbors were the head and assistant winemakers at Simi Winery, both women, and Rod Burglund of Joseph Swan Vineyards, a veteran winemaker.  First up were the white wine flights. Seven numbered glasses are at each setting, and the wines are grouped together systematically. Staff goes around pouring the strategically numbered bottles into the appropriate glass to match the sheet in front of the tasters, which takes intricate planning.  We started with a Pinot Blanc, 10 Chardonnays, 4 Pinot Gris, 4 Marsanne/Rousanne blends, 7 Viognier and 2 Gewürztraminer. Tasters sip and spit, pour out, and start again.
Then on the reds. Tallying all the different clones, there were 21 Pinot Noir, 2 Syrah (which will no longer be available, since Saralee is budding it over to Pinot Noir), 2 Tannat and 1 Malvasia Bianca. Even with the challenges the 2011 harvest threw at us ─ a cold and wet spring, rain twice during harvest, and botrytis ─ the wines were showing very well.
Next up was a short break to chit chat, as the crew prepared for a three-course lunch. The sun decided to make a brief appearance, allowing us to enjoy the lovely day more fully. However, the best part was being able to touch base with other winemakers who use with the same fruit, as well as talking with Saralee’s amazing team of vineyard and office crew.
Thanks to Saralee and staff, for such a great afternoon. I can’t wait to see them again when harvest rolls around.

Within the Willamette Valley there are several smaller AVAs (American Viticultural Areas): Chehalem Mountains (which I found to be my favorite), Ribbon Ridge, Yamhill-Carlton, Dundee Hills, McMinnville, and Eola-Amity Hills. The weather in this area is colder, wetter and more challenging than what we see in California. Also, the vines are much smaller than I’m used to and are actually more in line with what I observed in France. And while we thought we had it bad with the harvest of 2011, here they were harvesting Pinot Noir in mid-November.

After surviving the challenges of the airport and Enterprise, we made a much-anticipated stop at Argyle to taste the lineup of sparkling wines. (Argyle’s main focus is bubbly, though they make Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, too.) As we began sampling, tasting room staff summoned the winemaker, Andrew Davis, who directed us through the gamut of bubbly before we headed back into the cellar. We were able to see where the magic happens, along with the biggest press I’ve ever come across.

As we were staying in Dundee──the heart of wine country──it was suggested that we check out Dundee Bistro. We chatted with sommelier Chris Berry about choosing a local Pinot Noir that captures the best feel for the area. Chris recommended Eyrie Vineyards from Dundee Hills, as he felt it was one of the wineries that put Oregon on the map for Pinot Noir, along with being one of the first to plant there. I enjoyed it, getting a lot of plum, figs, minerality and white chalk.


Day 2 found us meeting with Patty Green at Patricia Green Cellars in Newberg, part of Ribbon Ridge AVA. Having heard great things about Patty and previously tasting some of her wines, I was really looking for to meeting this seasoned winemaker. Her facility is minimal, almost Spartan, but she produces 10,000 cases… with just one other employee in the cellar. She focuses on Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc (like Merry Edwards!), all natural fermentations. We tasted her 2010 lineup, considered a challenging vintage, but these wines were phenomenal and will really open up in a couple years. Patty is cheerful and low-key and I could have hung out with her and her dogs all day, but we weren’t all on vacation…
She suggested heading to Penner-Ash Winery, which also boasts a woman as winemaker and owner. This facility is state of the art: brand new and green and quite a contrast from Patricia’s, but producing the same number of cases. Although, I didn’t get to meet Lynn, it almost felt as if I did when trying her wines. We tasted ones from 2009, a year which lent itself to more fruitiness and less ageability, which isn’t a problem as they are so tasty now. (Besides, it’s a good idea to keep a nice stock of wines meant to be drunk in the near future, alongside some destined to spend more time in wait.) I also really liked her Viognier…beautifully fresh and floral with no ML.

Continuing on our journey, we headed south of Newberg to the Dundee Hills and White Rose Winery. I wanted to visit after tasting a few White Rose wines at Pinot Days in SF last year and meeting the winemaker, Jesus. My notes reminded me was that they used very little new oak and chose to use more stems in their fermentations, yet the wines tasted like they had more new oak than they really did. Jesus’ brother was in the tasting room and happy to share his knowledge, and the wines themselves were just as I remembered─interesting and delicious. Their facility was on a hill overlooking their vineyards, and on the refreshingly warm day, we could even see Mt. Hood.


On the third day, another surprisingly beautiful one, we met with Ashley Bell, Director of Sales and Education at Domaine Drouhin Oregon, DDO. She took us outside and pointed out vineyards and points of interest from their hill-top look out. (Trivia side note: the Timberline lodge on Mt. Hood was used in filming the Kubrick classic The Shining.) Next we tried the lineup of wines, which includes two blends of Pinot Noir. It was nice to taste the influence of Francios Freres barrels on these wines, which reminded me of CA Pinot Noir, since so many Pinot producers use this barrel.
DDO is owned by the Drouhin Family from France, and a few years back we were able to visit the tasting facility there and taste Burgundies that were out of this world. Being able to compare the two properties made visiting their Oregon facility that much more interesting. Véronique Drouhin is the 4th generation winemaker to be making the wines in Burgundy and Oregon since 1988. Cheers for more female winemakers!

On our way out of town, we stopped at Recipe, a new wine-centric restaurant in Newberg focused on using local ingredients. A lovely place. I had the Winter Frisee salad, where all the components were harvested within a 60 mile radius…It was like tasting Oregon on my plate. They recommended a divine Riesling from Elk Cove that paired perfectly with my salad, and I loved the floral and petrol notes.

All in all, it was an exceptional visit. Everyone we met was very friendly and down to earth and quite passionate about their local wines…understandably so.

The restaurant abuzz with anticipation, tables chattered back and forth while rows of glasses were filled with wine. The Pappo owner and chef, John Thiel, tapped a knife against his glass and the room fell silent. “I’d like to thank everyone for joining us tonight for a special winemaker dinner with TessierWinery,” he said, stating how excited he was to pair up with winemaker Kristie Tacey, a local, an excellent winemaker, and just plain cool.

Kristie spoke next, also thanking the crowd for coming out for her very first winemaker dinner, especially since she believes that the ultimate wine experience includes partnering it with delicious food…exactly what the Pappo crew had lined up for the evening.

Next Kristie introduced Mat Gustafson of Paul Mathew Vineyards, whose 2010 Weeks Vineyard Chardonnay would be matched with the first course. He also happens to be her cousin and the one who deserves the credit (or is it blame?) for Kristie’s career switch. Their tasting trips to Sonoma inspired her to make the leap from biotechnology to winemaking. And while starting a new business is not always easy or profitable, everyone in attendance was grateful she made that jump.

Just as Mat influenced Kristie’s wine path, his Paul Mathew Chardonnay from Russian River Valley motivated first match up: a generous round of almond-crusted goat cheese served with golden beets, Upland cress and an emulsion of local olive oil. With a plate as pretty as the pairing, the wine’s delicate crispness was well balanced to the subtle flavors of the salad.

For round 2, pasta with wild mushrooms, bacon and green garlic cream sauce partnered with the 2010 Tessier Russian River Pinot Noir. Despite my own concerns that the food might overwhelm the wine, the pairing was spot on. The pasta steered clear of being too heavy, enlivened by bursts of freshness from the lemony thyme and making for a harmonious accompaniment to the young Pinot, itself offering bright red fruit and notes of thyme and light florals.

And then came the duck rilletes! You haven’t lived until you have tasted duck braised until fork tender, then set into ramekins with just enough duck fat to achieve poultry paradise, served family style with crostini, pickled onions, and truffled mustard. All I could hear at our table and across the room was “mmmm” almost as if it were a reflex. The decadent richness was a perfect match for the 2010 Tessier Saralee’s Vineyard Pinot Noir, with its beautifully perfumed nose and seductive palate of cherries, mocha and violets. Just as the duck disappeared all too quickly, this low-production wine is no longer available for purchase.

The hits kept coming with the fourth course: lamb Bourguignonne over caramelized shallot polenta with carrots and crispy leeks. Very subtle in its gaminess, the meat had soaked up the goodness of the wine, making it ideal to serve alongside the Burgundian styled 2009 Tessier Trenton Station Pinot Noir, offering subtle notes of baking spice, black cherry and peppercorns. Even though everyone was fairly full by this point, the sound of forks scraping against empty plates and glasses being drained could be heard throughout the restaurant.

Just when we thought it couldn’t possibly get any better, it was time for dessert. Plump pieces of cinnamon bread pudding, fortified with Jameson caramel and flecked with salt, appeared magically around the table. The top boasted a lovely layer of crunchiness while the inside was soft and moist, nearly falling off our forks. Somehow, we managed to make room.

As the last plates were cleared, Kristie stood for one final round of thunderous applause and then later a line of people congratulating her on her success. All in all, everyone left with full bellies and big smiles.  If this first run is any indication of how delightful Tessier winemaker dinners are going to be, I’m sure future ones will sell out even more quickly than this one did. So when you hear about the next one, make sure you don’t miss out!

Winemaker Dinner With Kristie Tacey of Tessier Wines

At Pappo in Alameda, CA

Call for reservations:  510.337.9100
Celebrating and Exploring the Wines of The Russian River Valley

Tuesday March 6th 6:30 pm

1st Course

Almond Crusted Warm Goat Cheese | Baby Arugula | Roasted Golden Beets | Local Olive Oil

2010 Paul Mathew, Chardonnay ‘Weeks Vineyard’

2nd Course

Wild Mushrooms | Bacon | Fresh Thyme | Orecchiette Pasta | Green Garlic Cream

2010 Tessier, Russian River Pinot Noir

3rd Course

Liberty Ranch Duck Rillettes | Crostini | Cornichons | Truffled Mustard

2010 Tessier, ‘ Saralee’s Vineyard ’ Pinot Noir

4th Course

Braised Prather Ranch Lamb “Bourguignonne” | Caramelized Shallot Polenta | Crispy Leeks

2009 Tessier, ‘ Trenton Station‘ Pinot Noir

5th Course

Cinnamon Bread Pudding | Jameson Caramel | Sea Salt

Saturday, February 11, 2-4pm Tessier Winery will be pouring at The Love Show! Come check it out.
Location: The Gray Loft Gallery, 2889 Ford Street, 3rd floor, Jingletown, Oakland 94601.
Details as follows:
Announcing Oakland’s newest art venue located in one of the oldest artist warehouse lofts in the area which now houses the Gray Loft Gallery. The space was conceived by Jan Alderton who saw potential in the beautiful 3rd floor space when the studio became available recently.
The gallery will be an alternative to traditional gallery spaces and will show work by emerging as well as established artists who want to show their work in a more unconventional venue.
The inaugural show will feature work by more than 30 artists. On display will be photographs, paintings, monoprints and sculptures which reflect love, passion, lust, hope, romance, imagination, true love, self love. This is not a Hallmark Valentine show, but rather a visual dialogue about love in its many incarnations and interpretations. The gallery will also have incredible jewelry, cards and textiles that reflect the theme of love.

2009 Tessier Trenton Station Vineyard Russian River Valley won a Silver Medal!

Thanks to all who made it out. Happy Holidays. Cheers!

Sunday, December 4, 2011

1-4pm at BarCeluna in Alameda

$10 at the door

This event promises to be a pinot lover’s dream! A trio of brand new Tessier wines will be poured, all from the 2010 vintage—a Pinot Noir from the Carneros region, the Russian River blend, and a very special bottling from Saralee’s Vineyard. Barceluna’s wood-fired pizzas pair beautifully with these wines.

Tessier harvest is finally done!  The Grenache is resting in the barrels.  This was a brutally long harvest for Tessier.  Our Pinot Noir from Russian River Valley was picked before the first major rain and came in a few weeks earlier than in 2010.  The Grenache had a later harvest date, about 1 month later, which made the harvest stretch out.  Glad everything is now in the barrels.  Ahhhhh….