Cheers to a happy Friday to you all. As part of another exciting Oregon Wine Month we bring you one of the top producers of Oregon Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Tendril was founded by the talented, Tony Rynders, who has made wine in Oregon for more than twenty years. A graduate of the esteemed master’s degree in Enology and Viticulture from UC Davis, Rynders previously has stints in Napa (Acacia Winery), northern Italy (Friuli), South Australia (Petaluma Winery), and Tuscany (Col d’Orcia). Previously working at Argyle Winery as assistant winemaker, at Hogue Cellars as red winemaker, as well as Domaine Serene Winery/Rockblock Cellars (10 years) as head winemaker, Tony brings a wealth of winemaking experience to Tendril. It is worth noting that during his tenure at Domaine Serene as head winemaker, Rynders obtained more 90+ point scores from the Wine Spectator magazine than any other winemaker during this period of time. Rynders is one of the great winemaking talents in the Pacific Northwest.
Last summer I had the chance to visit his winery and spend the afternoon with Tony. A truly great person to chat wine with, Tony talked about how he developed a white Pinot Noir which is now one of the great Oregon wines, the ‘Pretender’ White Pinot Noir. I recently had the chance to review his new releases as part of our Oregon Report. His new releases were just as impressive as last year. Check out the 2015 Tendril Chardonnay (WWB, 93) which holds its own with the best in the Willamette Valley. Even better is the following up his 2014 scintillating White Pinot Noir bottling the 2015 Tendril ‘Pretender’ White Pinot Noir (WWB, 94), shows a wonderful combination of range, weight and structure. Grab a case of this gorgeous wine and enjoy over the next ten to fifteen years. Learn more about this outstanding Oregon winery at http://www.tendrilwines.com Here are the fantastic new wines by Tony Rynders and Tendril.
2015 Tendril Chardonnay- The compelling nose hits you instantly with creme brulee, roasted hazelnut and ripe nectarine. The mouthfeel and acidity here is simply outstanding. Lemon zest, kumquat and Japanese apple all mingle with the mouth-watering acidity. The huge, acid and citrus zest finish lingers for nearly a minute. Impossible to resist now, try to enjoy this great Chardonnay over the next decade or so. Drink 2018-2030- 93
2015 Tendril ‘The Pretender’ White Pinot Noir- This unique bottling from Tony Rynders, who first brought this style of wine to North America, opens with an intense bouquet of candied white peach, Welches white grape juice and a touch of vanilla cream. The silky texture is refined and connects with the wonderful balance in the wine, which excites considering the heat of the vintage. Meyer lemon cream, marzipan and Pink Lady apple flavors complete this absolutely stunning wine. Enjoy this over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2018-2030- 94
2015 Tendril ‘Tight Rope’ Pinot Noir- A stunning wine, this great Pinot Noir needs more than an hour in the decanter to fully develop. This barrel select wine by Tony Rynders begins with aromatics of black tea, creosote, forest floor and blood orange puree. The palate shows a wonderful combination of dark and red fruits with citrus and peat moss undertones connecting. Beautifully balanced, this great wine will cellar well over the next fifteen years. Drink 2018-2033- 93