A third wine - and our first port - has been added to the initial Garsa distinctive (and delicious!) reds: a varietal Tempranillo and a proprietary blend, Sonya (wisdom).

The new wine is Garsa Portrait, a tawny-style dessert wine done in the classic Portuguese Port tradition.  This aged tawny is a blend of wines from the 1995 and 1997 vintages harvested from vines more than 60 years old.  Portrait is a blend of Tinta Madeira, Souzao, Touriga, and Tinta Cao.  This wine spent its entire life in wood (hence, the tawny color) prior to its 2003 bottling.  The result is a cacophony of flavors - hazelnuts, brown spice, cognac, and almonds.  Only 50 cases are available at price of $29.99 for a 750 ml bottle.  This wine is available only at our Murphys Tasting Room and online.  Because of the extremely limited quantities of Portrait available, we must enforce a three bottle limit, and  no discounts are available at this time.

The 2004 Garsa Tempranillo (suggested retail: $19.99) was produced from a Calaveras County vineyard resting at an altitude of approximately 1500 feet.  This altitude allows for a broader range of heating and cooling over the course of a growing day, producing a wine with richness and complexity, but also with a very forward jammy fruit character that defines the Foothills’ manifestation of this varietal.

Tempranillo itself is the noble grape of Spain, the basis for most of the great Riojas, so it is only logical that the grape should flourish in the state with the strongest Spanish heritage.   The Garsa Tempranillo is somewhat more fruit forward than the Spanish version, styled for easier and earlier drinkability.

Only 430 cases were produced in this inaugural vintage.

The 2004 Garsa Sonya is a multi-varietal blend that produces a somewhat lighter, brighter fruit character than does the richer Tempranillo.  Sonya (wisdom) is a superb example of what the blending art of a talented California winemaker can accomplish.  Here the brighter fruit notes come from Sangiovese (the noble grape of Italy and the foundation for many great Chiantis), tempering the more jammy notes of another Foothills Tempranillo.  The blend also includes Syrah (adding spice notes) and Cabernet Sauvignon (for structure).  The result is a surprisingly drinkable red wine that will accompany many meat and pasta dishes, yet feel right at home with nothing more than great conversation among a group of close friends.

Only 374 cases were produced in this inaugural bottling.  Suggested retail price is $17.99.