Another visit to Ficklin Vinyards (Madera, Calif.)
Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 9:14 pm
While driving down California's central valley, I stopped by Ficklin Vinyards again. One of the oldest producers of port-styled wines in California with vinyards planted in the 1940's. They had three new releases.
Tinta Port - Library release. This apparently is similar to their Old Vine Tinta blend but with 4 years of bottle age. Sort of like a LBV with some bottle age. This has faded considerably. Has almost tawny flavors with caramel and toasted nuts. Quite sweet and long. Very nice. I need to lay down some of their Old Vine which is less than $15.
1986 Vintage. A blend of 40% Tinta Madeira (I still haven't figured what this is), 37% Sauzao, 12% Touriga, 2% Tinta Cao. Bottled June 1988. Quite dark core with a tawny rim. Citrus aromas. A bit roasted. Medium bodied, sweet. Toffee flavors. Some tannins. Quite dissimilar to real Vintage Port but a very, very nice fortified.
20 year old tawny. The second release of this wine. Base wines range from 1984 to 1988. True tawny color. Very rich and long with toffee, grapefruit, and caramel flavors. I think this has become my favorite Californian fortified.
Tinta Port - Library release. This apparently is similar to their Old Vine Tinta blend but with 4 years of bottle age. Sort of like a LBV with some bottle age. This has faded considerably. Has almost tawny flavors with caramel and toasted nuts. Quite sweet and long. Very nice. I need to lay down some of their Old Vine which is less than $15.
1986 Vintage. A blend of 40% Tinta Madeira (I still haven't figured what this is), 37% Sauzao, 12% Touriga, 2% Tinta Cao. Bottled June 1988. Quite dark core with a tawny rim. Citrus aromas. A bit roasted. Medium bodied, sweet. Toffee flavors. Some tannins. Quite dissimilar to real Vintage Port but a very, very nice fortified.
20 year old tawny. The second release of this wine. Base wines range from 1984 to 1988. True tawny color. Very rich and long with toffee, grapefruit, and caramel flavors. I think this has become my favorite Californian fortified.