Christian Roguenant, winemaker for Niven family wines, makes Tangent white wines that are true to their original source, in this case Rias Baixas, Spain. Refreshingly bright, it has flavors of white peach that meld with zingy citrus notes and a delightful minerality. He doesn’t use oak or malolactic fermentation in order to showcase the vibrant fresh fruit flavors. It’s grown SIP Certified Sustainable in the Nivens’ Paragon Vineyard. Available at their schoolhouse tasting room on Orcutt Road in SLO for $17, it’s a very good value for the quality.
This article appears in Aug 2-9, 2012.