National Tasting

Project 20161

What is the

National Tasting Project?

• The largest group tasting of its kind. More than 140

chapters and 5000+ members across the United States.

Most of them will taste and rate the same wines this year!

• Each year the NTP committee chooses a theme and

selects several wines that show different styles within a

theme. Chapters hold tastings to sample the wines and

then see how their ratings compare to other AWS

chapters.

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The Rhone Rangers

Advancing the knowledge and enjoyment of Rhone wines

produced in America. Members can be:

• Grower

• Winery

• Associate

• Consumer (sidekick)

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• American Rhone-style wines are made from the same

grapes that have flourished for centuries in France’s

Rhone River Valley.

• For a wine to qualify as a “Rhone Rangers” wine, the

winery must be a member of the organization and 75% of

the wine’s content must include one or more of the

twenty-two traditional Rhone grape varieties as approved

by the French government for the wines of the Cotes du

Rhone (including Petite Sirah/Durif).

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Wine #1: This wine is:

100% Marsanne

2014 Vintage

Wine #2: This wine is a blend of:

61% Roussanne

30% Marsanne

9% Viognier

2013 Vintage

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Wine #3: This wine is a blend of:

40% Counoise

36% Mourvèdre

24% Grenache

2013 Vintage

Wine #4: This wine is:

100% Syrah

2011 Vintage

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Wine #5: This wine is a blend of:

37% Mourvèdre

34% Grenache

20% Syrah

9% Cinsault

2011 Vintage

Wine #6: This wine is a blend of:

60% Grenache

40% Syrah

2012 Vintage

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Wine #7: This wine is a blend of:

76% Grenache

14% Syrah

10% Mourvèdre

2013 Vintage

Wine #8: This wine is a blend of:

62% Petite Sirah

19% Grenache

13% Syrah

6% Zinfandel

2012 Vintage

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And the Wines Are?

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WINE # 1 $26 + shipping

Cass 2014 Marsanne, Paso Robles

Vintage2014 was a relatively uneventful growing season.

Tasting NotesEssences of golden delicious apple, spiced nectarine, and Linden flower. Notes of clove honey and crushed lime blossom provide the foundation of a full yet refreshing palate. Hints of Asian pear and honeydew melon underscored with a soft minerality nuances of kiwi, fresh lime zest and raw cashew paste.

WinemakingFermented and aged in 100% stainless steel. Following juice settling, a long, cold fermentation took place. Malolactic fermentation was inhibited to preserve acidity, keeping the wine fresh and crisp.

• Vintage: 2014

• Varietal: White Rhone Blend

• Appellation: Paso Robles

• Alcohol %: 15.1

Cass 2014 Rocking One, Paso Robles

Tasting Notes

Hints of Asian pear preserves, melon meringue, candied quince and

hawthorn blossom. butter cream, Meyer lemon custard and white

peach Soft acidity and stony minerality

Winemaking

Fermented and aged in seasoned oak barrels. The long, slow

fermentation helped maintain crucial aromatics, while occasional

lees stirring helped lend texture and structure to the wine. Partial

malolactic fermentation.

Vineyard Notes

The Cass Estate Vineyard, located southeast of the town of Paso

Robles.

• Vintage: 2014

• Varietal: White Rhone Blend

• Appellation: Paso Robles

• Alcohol %: 15 16

WINE # 2 $32 + shipping

WINE # 3 $40 + shipping

Kukkula 2012 Aatto, Paso RoblesAatto is Finnish for, “eve” as in Christmas Eve. It was Dad’s name because he was born on

Christmas Eve.

Aatto is the winery’s most unusual, exotic wine, both aromatically

and in the flavor profile. Counoise has the lead in percentage.

Counoise and Mourvèdre aged half in new and half in once-used

French Oak puncheons (130 gal) until blending in June 2013. No

fining or filtering.

• Vintage: 2013

• Varietals: 40% Counoise, 36% Mourvèdre, 24% Grenache

• Appelation: Paso Robles

• Alcohol: 14.5,

• Acid: pH 3.65, TA .59

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2011 PAX Syrah, Castelli-Knight Ranch, Russian River Valley

Vintage

2011 was a cool vintage producing wines that were savory almost subtle.

Tasting Notes

Peppery, intense, vibrant and complex. a super

impressive Syrah. Black pepper, olives – black green &

cured black berry aromas that you can smell 3 feet away.

The palate is dense and muscular with loads of spicy black fruit,

more savory than fruit driven, fascinating

Winemaking

Organically farmed. 100% Whole Cluster Fermented

aged for 18 months in French oak barrels, 50% new 50% used.

• Vintage: 2013

• Varietals: 100% Syrah

• Appellation: Russian River Valley

• Alcohol: 14.5%

• Acid: pH 3.65, TA .5918

WINE # 4 $64 + shipping

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WINE # 5 $45+ shipping

Bonny Doon 2011 Le Cigare Volante, Central Coast

Vintage

2011 was a cool and elegant vintage

Tasting Notes

Dark mulberry color, loamy earth, raspberries, plum cherry/chocolate

Lively acidity, soft tannins, meaty peppery

Winemaking

Source grapes from cooler areas. Cold soak for 5-10 days. Destem

75% and whole cluster ferment 25%, slow fermentations typically 30

days, micro-oxygenate wine during ageing, use 130 gal and 2,500 gal

wood casks, malo lactic fermentation

Vintage: 2011

Varietal: 37% Mourvedre, 34% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 9% Cinsault

Appellation: Central Coast

Alcohol: 14.2%

Acid: T.A. 0.58% pH 3.34

Kukkula 2012 Pas de DeuxFrench for, "a dance for two, a close relationship between two people or things”

Because this is a blend of Grenache and Syrah, and they seem to “dance” beautifully together,.

Vintage: A very warm and dry year producing concentrated fruit & high extract.

Tasting Notes: Ripe red berries, musky flowers, hint of smokiness, raspberry and

bitter cherry. Spiceness in finish.

Winemaking: About 50/50 new/used French Oak. Syrah aged in 60 gal. and

Grenache in 133 gal. barrels 9 months until blending. Then additional aging in

60 gal barrels for 9 months. Racked only at time of blending. No fining or

filtering.

• Vintage: 2012

• Varietals: 60% Grenache, 40% Syrah

• Appellation: Paso Robles

• Alcohol: 15.3%

• Acid: , TA 0.58% pH 3.9 20

WINE # 6 $45 + shipping

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WINE # 7 $40 + shipping

Summer Wood 2013 GSM, Paso Robles

Vintage: dry year, small crop, no heat spikes

Tasting Notes: red fruit, savory undertones and spice on the finish. Subtle hint of cedar. The Syrah adds structure to the wine while the Mourvèdre adds the spice. A medium body wine with soft tannins and a lingering finish.

Winemaking: High density plantings, minimum irrigation, and reduced crop loads give low yields of intense flavor.

• Vintage: 2013

• Varietals: 76% Grenache, 14% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre

• Appellation: Paso Robles

• Alcohol: 15.5%

• Acid: TA 0.7 % pH: 3.5

Guyomar 2012 Monsignor, Paso Robles

Vintage

Cool spring warm summer hot fall. Small crop high fruit. Vineyards are located south west side of Paso Robles in the Templeton Gap. Afternoon ocean breezes cool the vines and bring rain to the western side of Paso.

Tasting Notes

berry, allspice, rose petals, ripe heirloom tomatoes, blood orange zest, fresh sawdust hints of juniper berries, sage, anise, and cassis.

WinemakingAim for restrained fruit

• Vintage: 2012• Varietals: 62% Petit Syrah, 19% Grenache, 13% Syrah, 6% Zinfandel• Appellation: Paso Robles• Alcohol: 14.7%• Acid:

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WINE # 8 $52 + shipping

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National Tasting Project

2016