2016 The Third Twin Nuestra Senora del Tercer Gemelo The Third Twin, Santa Ynez Valley, California, USA
| Country | USA |
|---|---|
| Region | California |
| Appellation | Santa Ynez Valley |
| Producer | The Third Twin |
| Vintage | 2016 |
| Type | Red (Dry) |
| Grape Variety | Mourvèdre Blend |
| ABV | 15.8% |
| Format | 5x75cl |
| Packaging | Original Wood Case |
| Duty Status | In Bond |
| Provenance | Acquired from the original owner, a The Third Twin mailing list subscriber who received an allocation directly from the winery; directly imported into the UK by Liquid Assets; securely stored in a climate-controlled bonded facility |
| Stock | 2 cases (in stock and available immediately) |
99+ Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate (June 2019)
“I had never really liked Mourvedre,” Manfred mentioned during our tasting. “But the more I worked with it, the more I liked it. There is some synchronicity that takes place when you blend it.” Apart from being a Mourvedre-dominant blend, the other unusual thing about this wine is that this is only the second wine to be 100% from The Third Twin Vineyard—a vineyard in Los Alamos purchased by Manfred and Elaine in 2000. Not to be confused with some new Central Coast plantings of what turned out to be Graciano, Manfred explained that this is Mourvedre Clone “S,” sourced from John Alban. Composed of 53% Mourvedre, 16% Syrah, 14% 14% Grenache, 9% Petit Sirah, 6% Graciano and 2% Viognier, 42% of whole clusters were used and the rest was destemmed. It spent around 31 months in French oak barrels, 42% new. Very deep garnet-purple in color, the 2016 Nuestra Senora Del Tercer Gemelo has a wonderfully meaty/savory nose over a core of crème de cassis and baked plums with nut and fruit cake undertones followed by yeast extract, tilled soil, fungi and unsmoked cigar notes. The massively rich, full-bodied palate is incredibly precise, features wonderfully delineated, complex savory, earthy and mineral layers, all lifted by fantastic freshness. The jaw-dropping depth of flavors is superbly supported by firm, ripe, grainy tannins, finishing on a compelling iron-ore note. Truly, this is a wine without peers!
95 Antonio Galloni, Vinous (September 2019)
The 2016 Nuestra Señora del Tercer Gemelo, from Sine Qua Non’s The Third Twin vineyard in Los Alamos, is dense, plush and packed to the core. Leather, smoke, licorice, mocha, chocolate, grilled herbs, menthol and tobacco give the 2016 a decidedly savory edge to play off the sumptuous fruit. Full-bodied and unapologetically rich, the 2016 shows the more potent side of these wines to great effect. This flamboyant red is long on richness and intensity.
98 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com (October 2019)
The 2016 Nuestra Senora Del Tercer Gemelo, named after Our Lady of Guadalupe, is based on 53% Mourvèdre, 16% Syrah, 14% Grenache, and the rest Petite Sirah, Graciano, and Viognier, aged 31 months in 42% new French oak. It boasts a huge, powerful bouquet of ripe currants, white chocolate, white pepper, and graphite. This carries to a full-bodied wine that shows more Mourvèdre spice and meaty notes with time in the glass, has a stacked mid-palate, and a blockbuster finish. This is a big, rich wine yet, like everything from the Krankls, it stays incredibly balanced and weightless. Mourvèdre can shut down quickly, so I’d lean toward trying bottles on release or giving then a good 4-5 years in the cellar.