Provenance, December 21, 2013

www.provenancevineyards.com

After a stop at Duckhorn, it only makes sense to visit Provenance.  After all, the winemaker at Provenance, Tom Rinaldi, made wine for Duckhorn during the 1980’s and 1990’s before coming to Provenance.  And I wanted to compare the wine styles of the two wineries to see how much of Tom’s style remains at Duckhorn.  As it turns out, the current winemaker at Duckhorn started a few years after Tom’s departure, so there was no overlap in training.  And this shows in the wines, as the two styles are indeed different, though I am partial to the style Tom has developed at Provenance.  The tasting experience at Provenance is much more casual and accessible, welcoming guests at the tasting room without an appointment.  Of course, there are no garden-side, veranda tasting experiences at Provenance, but the atmosphere is less fussy.

Relax in the shade on the lawn in front of Provenance Vineyards.

I ended up tasting the same 5 wines (out of 15?) as during my last visit.  This is due in part to wanting share my idea of Provenance’s best with my companions, and in part because I didn’t realize I had tasted the exact same wines.  I started with the 2012 Estate Sauvignon Blanc, then tried the 2009 Three Palms Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2009 To Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon, which was my favorite of the flight.  I ended with side-by-side tastes of the 2009 Hewitt and the 2010 Hewitt.

A full review was written already about Provenance Vineyards during my visit on February 8^th, 2012.