tercero wines in Houston

Many times in this space, I have alluded to the fact that I am a rather fortunate individual: I have a loving wife, two healthy kids, an obedient dog, and still have most of my faculties (most?).

It does not stop there (although that is already plenty). Over the course of writing this blog, I have been very fortunate to visit some fascinating parts of the world, drink some amazing wines, and, most importantly, become friends with some incredible people.

Most of the interactions I have with those people are on their home turf, which is fine with me; getting out of Houston is usually a positive, particularly in the summer. On occasion, however, some of those friends pay me a visit here in the Bayou City.

Such was the case last week when Larry Schaffer, the owner and winemaker at tercero wines in Los Olivos, CA came to Texas. [On an aside, if you are a wine-lover and have never been to Los Olivos on the Central Coast, you should add it to your bucket list.] I first met Larry a dozen years ago, when, as a nascent blogger, I attended my first Wine Bloggers Conference.

We had a lot of fun at that conference and maintained contact off and on for the next dozen years. When he contacted me a few weeks ago that he was coming to Houston and had some free time, we quickly decided that a wine tasting/dinner was in order. Thus, this past Friday, I invited a few other wine writers over, cooked up a little fajita bar, and tasted through ten of Larry’s wines.

Larry at the fajita “bar”.

Larry focuses mainly on Rhône varieties and his wines are easily some of the most interesting wines you can buy. Ranging from his racy whites to his robust and reflective reds, tercero produces low-production but high-caliber wines at more than reasonable prices.

I can’t speak for Mr. Shaffer, but I have a feeling this will not be the last such get-together.

2023 Tercero Picpoul Blanc, Santa Barbara County, CA: Retail $35. Very Responsible Bottle (478g, 16.8oz). Under screw cap. Somewhat muted on the nose with some subtle apple and a hint of citrus. On the palate it is quite tart and fruity. Whoa. This might be the best Picpoul outside of France I have tried. Outstanding. 93 Points.

2022 Tercero Chenin Blanc Jurassic Vineyard, Santa Barbara County, CA: Retail $35. Very Responsible Bottle (475g; 16.7oz). On the nose? Delightful. Rich and layered with beeswax and even cinnamon on the nose. Lovely. Oak noticeable on the palate with plenty of acidity and a zingy tartness. Yowza. This is unlike most domestic Chenin and I like it. Excellent. 91 Points.

2017 Tercero Verbiage (Blanc), Santa Barbara County, CA: Retail $40. Responsible Bottle (571g; 20oz). Under screw cap. 50% Grenache Blanc, 30% Roussanne, 20% Marsanne. A bit of beeswax and a hint of petrol on the nose, quite lovely and intriguing. Whoa. The palate is weighty and layered with peach and green apple. But it is more than that with a zingy acidity and an amazing finish. Yowza. Outstanding. 93 Points.

2021 Tercero The Outlier, Carrari Vineyard, Santa Barbara County, CA: Retail $35. Very Responsible Bottle (468g; 16.5oz). Under screw cap. 100% Gewürztraminer. Floral and expressive. Called “The Outlier” because “Gewürztraminer” is too hard for Americans to pronounce. Essentially completely dry at 0.5% grams of sugar per liter. Stainless steel fermented and aged. Wonderful. I’m not a huge fan of Gewurz but this is delightful, rich, and weighty but also fairly light on its feet. There is no doubt that this is Gewurz, but it is not at all overdone like most domestic versions of the variety. Excellent. 92 Points.

2023 Tercero Counoise, Santa Barbara County, CA: Retail $35. Very Responsible Bottle (483g; 17oz). Under screw cap. 100% Counoise (pronounced coon-WAHZ). Foot stomped by the winemaker/owner, Larry Schaffer. Fairly light in color but full in aromas and flavors. Bright red fruit, a brilliant acidity, really easy to drink, and quite fantastic. I have had a few Counoises and this is particularly enjoyable. Outstanding. 94 Points.

2020 Tercero Grenache Spear Vineyard, Santa Barbara County, CA: Retail $35. Very Responsible Bottle (481g; 16.9oz). Under screw cap. A cool climate Grenache from the Sta Rita Hills appellation on the Central Coast. Surprisingly, more black fruit than red but with a lovely brightness, considerable lift, and a hint of black pepper. Tart and on point, this is quite lovely with oodles of fruit on the palate and a super-zingy acidity. Excellent. 92 Points.

2021 Tercero Pinot Noir, Kessler-Haak Vineyard, Sta Rita Hills, CA: Retail $50. Very Responsible Bottle (473g; 16.7oz). Under screw cap. Larry Schaffer just started making Pinot in 2020, rendering this his second vintage. Well, if this wine is any indication, he seems to have gotten it down rather quickly. Earthy yet fruity with bright red fruit and a hint of florality. A bit stemmy on the edges, but gorgeous. Rich, bright, fruity, and tart on the palate, this is both quite tasty and complex. A lovely iteration of the variety. Outstanding. 93 Points.

2021 Tercero Cabernet Franc, Santa Barbara County, CA: Retail $40. Very Responsible Bottle (485g; 17.1oz). Under screw cap. Lovely nose with just the right amount of pyrazine compounds but here it is more of a mint or basil than green pepper. Lovely. Rich and engaging on the palate but with a zippy acidity. There should be more Cab Franc like this in my life. Fantastic. Excellent. 92 Points.

2015 Tercero Syrah, White Hawk Vineyard, Santa Barbara County, CA: Retail $60. Responsible Bottle (570g; 20.1oz). Under screw cap. Foot-stomped by Larry. 40 months in barrel. Current release; take a second to let that soak in: this is a nine-year-old wine! Dark. Even really dark with blackberry fruit and tons of acidity. Rich and a bit rustic with oodles of character. Super. Outstanding. 93 Points.

2016 Tercero Roussanne, Zaca Mesa Vineyard, Santa Ynez Valley, CA: Retail $40. Responsible Bottle (567g; 19.9oz). Under screw cap. Being a white, this was a curious choice for the last wine of the night. Larry said he also wanted it barely chilled, close to room temperature. I was curious as to why, but once I tasted it, it was clear, this wine is more reminiscent of a fortified wine; think sherry, but without the sweetness. Some citrus and tree fruit are evident on the nose, but they are escorted out of the way by the beeswax and honey blossom. The palate is delightful, with those aforementioned flavors but also a gripping acidity that begs for more. “Special” is over-used, but this wine? Yeah, it applies. Outstanding. 95 Points.