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What folks are saying about Tulocay wines
From Good Grape: A Wine Manifesto:
Tulocay Winery is an iconoclastic winery in Napa Valley, and it is one
the wineries I always reference in the midst of the answer to the question, “What’s
a good wine I should buy.”
To me, Tulocay falls into that category
of satisfying not only my need for a reliable wine across varietals,
but it also satisfies the requirements for which good ‘friends and family’ wine
recommendations are made:
- The wine is classically structured, but fruit
forward
- The wine is reasonably priced
- The label speaks to a classic wine sensibility
- The winery has a bit of
personality and is “authentic”
- The wine is not available
on the end-cap at your local “Piggly-Wiggly”
Not
only is the Tulocay not available on end-cap at the Piggly-Wiggly,
but it is scarce. Tulocay does not sell online, though you can sign up
for the wine club and you can phone in orders. I have purchased mine at
JV’s
in Napa and on the Internet at a NYC wine retailer and you can find
it elsewhere by looking at the usual places — wine-searcher.com or winezap.com....
Every wine I have had from Tulocay has been pleasurable with a sense of
place, in a distinctive California style. It’s hard to balance approachable,
but classic, yet that’s what Tulocay does, at a reachable price
point, to boot.
***
"It can be hard to find small, unique wineries in the Napa Valley these
days. Another one of my favorites is Tulocay Winery. The winemaker and
owner, Bill Cadman, is more interested in crafting a fine wine than trying
to fit into the mainstream. This is reflected in his delicious Pinots and
bold Cabs."
— Larry Monte, posted on the New
York Times wine blog
***
"Large wineries are impressive, but small wineries should not be overlooked. Worth special mention was the afternoon we spent on the deck with Bill Cadman, owner and vintner of Tulocay. Joining us were a couple up from San Francisco for the day and his cats. We drank several different wines, ate asiago cheese and lazed about all afternoon. By comparison to the big guys, his winery, pieced together with shoestring and bailing wire, is the Millennium Falcon of wineries. Bill has been making wine since the ’70s
and his Casanova Vineyard Zinfandel was
by far the best we tasted anywhere." — Rebecca Henn & David Celento
***
2002 Merlot Sierra Oaks Vineyard, El Dorado County
"Brilliant ruby red hue. Tobacco, cherry, sage and oak aromas. Medium-full with very good concentration, this is an impressive, 'serious' Merlot that has the structure to age for several years. The oak is nicely integrated and there are firm tannins. RATED: 90 points (Exceptional)" — Beverage Testing Institute
2001 Merlot Sierra Oaks Vineyard, El Dorado County
"Cadman has a Merlot which is big. The grapes come not from the Napa
Valley, but from El Dorado County in the Sierra Foothills. The Sierra Oaks
Vineyard has about 5 acres of Merlot and it's located at the 2,500 elevation.
You'll find this obscure place on a map west of Fair Play, north of Fiddletown
and south of Melsons Corner. We're not talking 'center of the universe'
exactly. But Cadman likes this fruit because the grapes have a pretty good
temperature 'swing' from day to night.
"The 2001 vintage 'ain't no flatland Merlot!' No sir. It's a full-throttle, pedal-to-the-metal red wine and it won't appeal very much to those who have buy Merlot 'because Cabernet is too strong.' This is probably the appropriate Merlot to be drinking during the California governorship of a body-builder. Be sure to have your seat-belt fastened when drinking this." — Weimax Wines & Spirits
Pinot Noir Nord Family Vineyard, Napa Valley
"Tulocay Winery Nord Family Vineyard Pinot Noir is an elegant example of Pinot
Noir that is very appealing because of the balance it struck between finesse
and earthiness — just like a good Burgundy." — Sue Dyson
and Roger McShane, foodtourist.com
2001 Pinot Noir Nord Family Vineyard, Napa Valley
“Woodsy, truffly aromas. Burgundian, with deep, black cherry cola flavors throughout. We like this one.” — Taste California Travel
"And the Tulocay pinot? It, too, rocks, but in a more refined way. It's got a depth and wanders all over the palette. To wit, after four or five tastes, a whole world opened up, one that arrived with a touch of whole-wheat toast, then blossomed with pie cherries, a little trace of cranberry, with toffee and dark-chocolate turtles to close. Superb! We give it a 91.754! Yowza! The next time you're watching tabloid TV and you feel dirty, the Tulocay pinot will lift the spirits!" — Randall
Roberts, riverfronttimes.com
"From a cool microclimate in Napa Valley near Carneros, this wine is very
Burgundian, with good notes of earth and muted raspberries, and just the right
amount of acid." — Marc Posner, naplesnews.com
"At a time when Pinot Noir is more popular than ever, it seems that it
is very often made in an over-extracted style that tends to drown any nuances
of the terroir with oodles of fruity aromas. In this case, the winemaker
is counter-stepping the trend or not following any for that matter. In
the 2001 vintage, Tulocay produced a truly elegant, fresh and interesting
wine full of cherry, chocolate and truffle aromas. Very pretty juice. Although
it is a term that is thrown around a lot these days, this wine really does
feel 'Burgundian' while still showcasing its Californian roots.
And, it is of incredible value. You can happily drink this wine on its
own or pair with chicken with rosemary and olive oil or tuna steaks." —
Appellation
Wine & Spirits, NYC
2001 Syrah Sierra Oaks Vineyard, El Dorado County
“Deep cherry flavors with a subtle smokiness in the background. Very good quality.” — Taste California Travel
2001 Zinfandel Casanova Vineyard, Napa Valley
“... displaying complexity that would surprise many who've not
experienced Zinfandel of this style.” — Taste
California Travel
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