Winery Exclusives
Our limited production wines are available by visiting our winery, shopping on-line or joining our wine club. They represent some of our fun experiments as we continue to learn or wine we can only make a little of.
2009 Grenache Blanc
Grenache Blanc is a white grape variety indigenous to the Rhône Valley of France. It is commonly blended with Roussanne for Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc. We planted 3 acres in front of the winery in 2005. The resulting wine has rich melon and peach aromas and flavors that marry with toasty oak from ten months of barrel aging. This medium-bodied wine will pair well with baja fish tacos, Szechwan shrimp, or chicken and basil pasta over the next several years.
2010 Z Blanc
This special blend of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne and a little Viognier represents the best of our vineyards while capturing the individual characteristic of each grape variety. The grapes were hand harvested, fermented and barrel aged for 10 months. Each grape variety adds its own personality: Grenache Blanc brings notes of apricot and melons; Roussanne adds flavors of pears, figs, honey and spice; and Viognier shows beautiful white flower aromas and stone fruit flavors. These rich layers of flavor create a wine greater than the sum of its parts and enable it to be enjoyed now or cellar for three to five years.
2012 Z Gris
Zaca Mesa Winery has been proudly producing dry rosés for well over a decade. Our Z-Gris is always bone dry and meant for immediate consumption. Modeled after the dry rosés of Tavel and Provence, we use Grenache Noir as the dominate grape, with lesser amounts of Mourvèdre.
The 2012 Z-Gris is a very crisp, bright wine. Notes of watermelon, strawberry and raspberry intermingle with complex tropical notes and a touch of minerality, all leading to a long and satisfying finish.
Available April – October.
2010 Grenache
Our Grenache has red floral, strawberry, raspberry and smoky aromas and flavors with a long, lingering finish. Although it is great as an aperitif, it can easily be enjoyed with mild cheeses, grilled salmon, or lamb kabobs over the next five to seven years.
2010 Eight Barrel Syrah
After hand harvesting the grapes were gently destemmed and placed in small open-top fermenters. Punched down by hand twice daily, the wine developed rich color and fine tannins. Once fermented, this lot was separated into French oak barrels made by different coopers. During the 15 months of barrel aging, each of the eight lots was evaluated to determine which barrels were preferred. After the evaluation, the best barrels were selected for this unique and intense wine.
The Eight Barrel Syrah is the familiar Zaca Mesa Syrah of rich blackberry, cassis, white pepper, and our signature sage spice flavors with espresso and smoky vanilla aromas from the oak aging. The ripe tannins allow this wine to be enjoyed with hearty foods or cellared for up to ten years.
2010 Mourvedre
Winemaking
Mourvèdre is a significant portion of the fine blends from the Southern Rhône Valley. After hand harvesting, the grapes were gently destemmed, fermented and barrel aged for sixteen months in French oak barrels.
The Wine
Our Mourvèdre has blueberry, plum, pepper, dried meat and smoky aromas and flavors with a long, lingering finish. It can easily be enjoyed with bold cheeses, grilled steaks, or lamb stew over the next five to seven years. Best served at 60°F.
Others’ Opinions
Grenache Blanc
"Distant notes of dried herbs and a loose edge of minerals show off to the side of this wine's aromatic mix of citrus and pears, and the accessible flavors that follow are keyed first and last on slightly juicy young fruit. Nicely balanced and showing a clean bit of crispness, the wine wholly avoids the bitter aspects that limit so many of its kin, and it ends with a lenghty, satisfying fruity finish." One-puff, 88 points, Connoisseur's Guide to California Wine, July 2012.
"Appealing for its juiciness, with touches of ripe tangerine, Meyer lemon, yellow apple and spice. Medium-bodied. Drink now. -MW" 86 points. Wine Spectator, Web Only.
"A very rich, opulent white wine, made from 100% of this rare Rhone variety. Brims with spicy tangerine marmalade flavors, with the vanilla and smoky caramel from ten months in French oak. A brisk spine of acidity provides clean balance to the richness." 89 Points Wine Enthusiast, November 2010.
Z Blanc
"Offers crisp lemon-lime and mineral notes on a medium body, with pleasant clay, mineral and sea salt details. Grenache Blanc, Roussanne and Viognier. Drink now" - MW 86 points, Wine Spectator, Web only 2012.
Z Blanc
"Appealingly tangy lemon flavors are as lip-smacking as a lemon drop, with a rich texture and echoes of a toasty note lingering in the background. Grenache Blanc and Roussanne. Drink now. - MW" 87 points, Wine Spectator, Web only.
"Super rich, with exotic flavors of vanilla orange cream, pineapple brulee, pear tart and yellow apricot jam. The poulence is balanced by fine acidity, but the wine is a little too forward, lacking nuance. A blend of Grenache Blanc and Roussanne." 89 points Wine Enthusiast, November 2010.
"The top white is their 2008 Z Blanc, a blend of 69% Grenache blanc and 31% Roussanne. Quince , honeysuckle, white currants, and white peach notes jump from the glass of this serious, dry white. Medium to full-bodied, and a good example of a Santa Ynez version of a white Chateauneuf du Pape, this wine has full-bodied texture and plenty of pure floral notes. Drink it over the next 1-2 years." 89 Points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, August 2010.
Z Blanc
“The 2007 Z Blanc, a blend of 74% Roussanne, 22% Grenache Blanc, and the rest Viognier, is an outstanding white wine, with plenty of peach, honeysuckle, apricot, all backed up by lots of spice and a hint of smoke. The wine is fleshy, full-bodied, beautifully pure, and very long and authoritative. This is a wine of elegance and power, and again proves the brilliant potential for Rhône Ranger white varietal blends from California’s Central Coast. Drink it over the next 2-3 years.” 90 Points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, August 2009
“This is one of the best Rhône white blends out there. It’s generous in smoky oak-influenced orange and pear crème brûlée and honey flavors, with spicy notes and a firm minerality. But best of all is the racy acidity that makes it so fresh and clean. Roussanne, Grenache Blanc and Viognier.” 92 Points, Wine Enthusiast, November 2009
Z Gris
"Zaca Mesa accomplishes the difficult task fo creating a ripe, fruity rosé that finishes thoroughly dry. This is a minor miracle in California. It's all Grenache, which accounts for the cherry flavors, but there's a bracing minerality and fine, clean acidity." 90 points, Editors' Choice, Wine Enthusiast August 2011
Grenache
"Nicely concentrated and youthfully lively strawberry-scented fruit starts this wine's aromas off in an inviting direction, and light oak accents add in an attractive touch of richness. Supple in feel and slightly rounded at entry, the wine repeats its nicely energetic, centered fruit and stays relatively light on its feet despite obvious ripeness that heats up the finish." One-puff, 89 points, Connoisseur's Guide to California Wine, July 2012.
Grenache
"Shows a bit of loamy earth and funk, yet manages to stay in balance and remain appealing with its core of savory herb, dried berry, pepper and spice notes. Drink now through 2018." - JL 87 points, Wine Spectator, Web only 2012.
"Grenache is one of the hardest varieties to get right, and Zaca Mesa has had brilliant successes as well as not so great. This '08 is somewhere in the middle. It's beautifully ripe in cherry fruit, with a pretty veneer of smoky oak, and feels vital and layered in the mouth. With the weight of Pinot Noir, it should develop interestingly over the next five years. SH" 89 points, Wine Enthusiast, November 2011.
Grenache
"This spectacular 100% Grenache is a huge success. It's so delicious, you can hardly stop drinking it. Just oozes in raspberry and red cherry puree and caramelized, smoky oak richness, yet is thoroughly dry. An amazing, unforgettable wine that establishes a new benchmark for California Grenache from this winery that was an early poineer in Rhone varieties." 95 Points, Editors' Choice. Wine Enthusiast, October 2010
Grenache
"A little one-dimentional but still delicious, this has wave after wave of ripe cherry-pie flavor. Smoky, sweet oak brings an alluring vanilla note, and the mouthfell is soft and silky. Try paring this with beef tartare." - S.H. 88 points, Wine Enthusiast Magazine, February 2013.
Eight Barrel Syrah
"There's a soft voluptuousness to this Syrah that makes it instantly drinkable. It's intense in blackberry, cassis, mocha and grilled prosciutto notes, with lots of new French-oak influences adding toast, vanilla and caramel flavors. As sweet as it tastes, it finishes dry, long and spicy." 92 points, Wine Enthusiast Magazine, February 2013
"Tight and snappy, with a loamy earth edge to the vivid wild berry and blackberry flavors. Ends with a mix of refreshing fruit and mineral. Drink now through 2020." 92 points, Wine Spectator Online Edition, December 2012
Eight Barrel Syrah
"The 2008 Syrah Eight Barrel shows good varietal character and excellent balance in its dark red fruit, licorice tar and violets. There is just enought mid-palate sweetness to stand up to the firm tannins. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2014." 88 points, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, August 31, 2011
Eight Barrel Syrah
"Profoundly rich, offering massive blackberry, currant, chocolate, bacon and spice flavors that are liberally oaked. A fine structure provides needed balance, with strong, finely ground tannins and brisk acidity cleansing the palate. Young now, and should develop for the next six years." 93 points. Wine Enthusiast, September 2010.
"The wine is impressive. Dark ruby/purple, with a nose of smoke, black cherry, black currant, and spice, it is rich, medium to full-bodied, elegant, and appealing. Drink it over the next 3-6 years." 88 Points, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, August 2010.
Eight Barrel Syrah
“Rich, intense, broad and deep, showing ripe blackberry and wild berry flavors, with hints of anise, sage, tar and tobacco. Ends with a long, intense, persistent finish. Drink now through 2017.” 90 Points, Wine Spectator, December 7, 2009 posting on 20 Great California Syrahs by James Laube. Reprinted Wine Spectator, March 31, 2010.
“Meaty and leathery, with teriyaki, beef jerky and sandalwood tastes, giving a richly exotic edge to the ripe blackberries. Lots of pepper, anise, cardamom and Chinese 5-spice, too. Rich and dry and compelling.” 92 Points, Wine Enthusiast, November 2009
Mourvèdre
“Intense, with spice, beef, pepper, tar and leather flavors that are firm and structured, framed by firm tannins and ending with a tarry, minerality. Decant for now. Drink now through 2015. —J.L.” 88 Points, Wine Spectator, web only 2010.
Mourvèdre
“It is a beauty and very appealing. The 2006 Mourvèdre is relatively civilized for a wine made from this varietal. It spent 16 months in French oak, and that seems to have tamed some of its more rustic characteristics. There is nothing animal or uncivilized about this wine, which displays dark blue and black fruits, some damp earth, forest floor, pepper, and spice. The wine is slightly austere, with more tannin showing than in any of the other cuvées, but it is well-made and pure. Drink it over the next 7-8 years.” 88+ Points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, August 2009
“Full bodied, ripe and fleshy, with supple plum, wild berry, and huckleberry fruit that’s fresh, focused and smooth-textured. Drink now through 2012.” 89 Points, Wine Spectator, December 31, 2008
