Santa Lucia Highlands

The Santa Lucia Highlands AVA is a wine region covering 21,000 acres, to the south of Monterey Bay, California. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay make up most of the 6,000+ acres of vines planted, but the fairly cool climate here suits many other grapes too.

Nacina

Nacina wines is the second label of Tudor Wines. The Tudor family has an incredibly long history in grape growing, which goes back generations. Back then it all started in Croatia, and in fact, “Nacina” means “The Way” in Croatian. The family started planting vines in California, back in the early 1900’s.

Nacina produces 3 variations of Riesling, plus Pinot Noir, and Gewürtztraminer wines.

Tasting Notes

Pale, clear platinum – yellow colour.

Medium intensity nose. Petroleum and rubber up-front, with elements of honey and jasmine. I got a little hint of pear on the nose, but for me, the fruit was much less distinct than the other aromas. Definitely more intense aromas than the Alsace Riesling I tasted recently.

With 1.8% residual sugar, this is an off-dry wine. I eat mostly low-carb foods, so this wine came across as pretty sweet to my palate but was balanced out by mouthwatering acidity.

There’s a lightly oily mouthfeel, with flavours of lemon, honey, and a little jasmine. The finish is pleasant with honey and melon flavours.

Conclusion

This was an interesting wine to try, and a great way to broaden my wine horizons a little further. It’s easy to forget just how varied the climate is in California. From cool-climate Riesling and Gewürtztraminer to world-class Cabernet Sauvignon and Rhone varietals, California has it all. This wine might not be to my usual taste, but it’s definitely well made. Nacina and Tudor wines clearly have a lot to offer.

My special thanks to my friend, Donna, for giving me this wine to try.

For my recent review of a French Dry Riesling from the famous Alsace region, click here.

Visit the Tudor Wines Tasting Room or website for more information, or to buy this wine for $29.

Click here for other California Riesling on Wine.com

For books on Riesling, here’s a link to Amazon.

Darren.