Summer was not officially over until Sept. 22, but Texans know that the feel of summer can last through October. But let’s taste a sauvignon blanc while there's still plenty of time to imbibe in a refreshing glass of wine outside.
With the Pacific Ocean lying only five miles to the west, its influence creates one of the longest and coolest growing seasons in the state. Soils are a mixture of volcanic, clay loam and rocky marine sediment, offering few nutrients, which allows the vines to struggle and focus on producing high-quality, flavorful grapes. The grapes leisurely ripen, creating fruit of structured minerality and good acid backbone.
Led by Rob Takigawa, with the Baileyana Portfolio including Tangent for more than 20 years, their winemaking team harvests at different levels of ripeness in order to achieve the ideal finished wine. One portion is picked a bit early; the higher acid and lower sugar in the berries bring a crisp citrus and slight herbal character. The middle portion is harvested at balanced ripeness, while the third is picked a little later in the season. The fruit in this last batch provides tropical notes and a round mouthfeel. Clusters are picked from different vineyard blocks at each of the three stages and fermented separately. Stainless steel tanks provide the perfect environment, and the juice is kept very cool during fermentation.
As Tangent aims to produce vibrant wines of good acid structure to be naturally enjoyed with a wide range of foods, there is no oak influence or malolactic fermentation.
The 2019 growing season featured a mild summer which allowed the grapes to ripen slowly. Heat waves and rain spells were limited, and the harvest was slow and cool. As a result, this vintage shows exceptional quality and elegance. This wine is sourced from one vineyard that has earned the Sustainability in Practice (SIP™) Vineyard Certification. This vineyard site has historically been farmed in a careful and responsible manner, taking into account all facets of the surrounding environment. This certification proves the commitment to environmental stewardship, economic viability and equitable treatment of employees.
“Our rare example of a cool climate sauvignon blanc is bright and racy. Full of flavors of zesty citrus, guava and passion fruit with a chalky minerality and a hint of salinity. This wine highlights all the benefits of our cool climate estate vineyard, ideal for growing this vibrant varietal. We like to think of this wine as the perfect combination of sauvignon blancs from New Zealand and Sancerre — bursting with fruit flavors and balanced with the perfect amount of racy acidity.” Made with coastal fruit grown just a few miles from the ocean along the Central Coast of California and with winemaking practices that allow the varietal characteristics to be showcased, our wines unlock a world of possibilities. Life is distinctly vibrant when you take a Tangent.
