ESTATE WINES

AmByth Estate believes in producing wines that are made with minimal intervention: letting the wine make itself. We do not use additives or other winemaking gimmicks to manipulate the fruit that comes from our vineyards. Many factors influence that year’s crop, and we want to taste these influences in the wine. We do not fine or filter and we use only native yeasts. We also strive to produce wines lower in alcohol levels, so that we have drinkable wines which create that magical harmony between wine and food. Wine is a lover of food, it should caress and bring out the very best.

On a personal note, AmByth Estate has yet to hire outside labor for harvest. We have been blessed with willing friends and family to arrive before the sun rises, in very cold temperatures, and get to work to bring in the fruit before it is warmed by the sun. Thank you to everyone, you are a part of AmByth Estate—forever in our minds!

 

Library Wines & Tasting Notes:

2006 Grenache/Mourvedre/Syrah--No Added Sulfites

October 12, 2009:  we drank this under a beautiful full moon with a white been soup stocked full of tomatoes from the garden.  It is an absolute "must" to decant this wine, at least 2 to 4 hours before drinking, and it is worth of a big glass:  a proper large bowl glass.  It exhibited an incredible nose with loads of fruit and fresh, crisp plums.  Mary sensed a deep, earthy aroma and thought the wine tasted young and youthful.  Phillip enjoyed the long-lasting taste on the palate.  If you have this wine in your cellar, it is drinkable now, but it still has more years to develop and open up.

 

Current Releases:

 

2008 Grenache 100%--No Sulfites Added
This may be the stunner of the year. The vines are maturing and we're tasting the differences from year to year. Recently, we served this "blind" to a group and the comments were "lovely, pinot-like, delightful, charming, really pretty, pure". Talk about music to our ears! It shines like a star. 13.4% alcohol

2008 Mourvedre 100%--No Sulfites Added
The soil of AmByth Estate seems to be particularly well suited to this grape of hot, southern France. This wine is an intriguing wine, with aromas of tropical fruits like mango and papaya yet there is an 'earthy' essence to it with fantastic depth and deep fruit. 11.75% alcohol

2009 Rosado--El Rancho de Juan Fiesta--Merlot/Syrah--No Sulfites
AmByth is releasing its first Rosado blend just in time for summer! As the name implies, this is a fun wine to enjoy anytime, with anything--even a lump of ice if you feel like it. The wine is a Merlot (66%)/Syrah (34%) blend, it has the most gorgeous full flavor with absolutely no residual sugar, only big fruit. We bought the grapes from a lovely vineyard (El Rancho de Juan Fiesta) that lies at the foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountains in Monterey County. This wine is a certified organic wine, with no added sulfites. 13.5% alcohol

2008 Venustas--80% Sangiovese/20% Tempranillo
Again, we have an unconventional marriage of Sangiovese (80%) and Tempranillo (20%) from our dry-farmed, head-trained vines. The wine is medium to full bodied; it displays damson and firm, crisp plums on the palate with a strong acid backbone (which indicates a good aging wine). It is vibrant, lively, bright and eminently drinkable. Pair it with classic Italian fare and you'll enjoy flavors of the earth through the Sangiovese fruit. 12.1% alcohol

2008 Validus--50% Tempranillo/50% Sangiovese
This wine is fast becoming a perennial favorite. The blend is Tempranillo & Sangiovese (50/50), it does not have as large of an oak profile as in the past, it is much prettier and more approachable, with lovely aromas of fresh-tilled earth and loam. At this stage in its life, the more brooding Tempranillo is dominant: think Spain, think Tapas, think Wine! It is rich, full, round, hearty and robust. 12.2% alcohol

2008 Maiestas--61%Syrah /18% Mourvedre/15% Grenache/6% Counoise
You're greeted with the classical deep, dark color of Syrah in your glass. The aroma is of the earth, so different from the sweet fruit of Grenache, and it reminds us of climbing through the vineyard. And the tannins start to creep in with earthy, delicate fruit flavors which completely permeate the depths of Syrah. This is a beautifully balanced and delicious wine. 12.5% alcohol

2007 Nebbiolo (Non Estate)
This lovely wine has enough acid and spice on the palate to accompany any dish with some pizzazz...think chili, curry, Thai food--but don't limit yourself, this wine will accompany almost anything. We purchased this fruit from a grower in Paso Robles who was stuck with it at the last minute and thought, hey, what's so bad about having 46 cases of Nebbiolo in our cellar? But it was so good, we released it! The color is developing nicely from auburn to brown, as it should do and the nose is full of olives and northern Italian countryside. It is a lovely, easily drinkable wine.

2008 Adamo--67% Grenache/16% Mourvedre/14% Syrah/3% Counoise
Grenache is our fastest, densest growing vine on the estate (with the exception of Tempranillo), thus requiring much more maintenance and care. This fruity, cherry-packed wine has strawberries and warm summer fruits with a dash of black pepper on the nose with an even more fruity, heady flavor. We are reminded of the fresh fruit of the grape breaking through the earth to the surface when we drink this wine-but balanced nicely with the other grapes present. 12.75% alcohol

2008 ReVera--52% Mourvedre/30% Grenache/15% Syrah/3% Counoise
ReVera, which translates as "In Truth" in Latin--oh...so Mourvedre! It displays a nose of blackberries, cherries, game and sweet depth. Very obviously when it first encounters the palate it displays strong tannin (so typical with a young Mourvedre wine) but the longer it lingers in the mouth the more rounded and delicate it becomes balanced with the sweet fruit of Grenache and the spice of Syrah. 12% alcohol