Garré – 121
Thursday, July 21st, 2005
Garré Winery and Café is apparently a destination of sorts. Located on a main corner of Livermore, considerable traffic was streaming in to both the tasting room and the adjacent café. I am sorry I didn’t take pictures of the entrance. It is a tad misleading as the dirt entryway cuts right between two buildings. Initially, I parked my car under the shady tree, thinking that the building on the right was the tasting room. Nope — I figured out when I saw other folks driving towards the back that the entire action is at the back of the property; tasting room, café, and a bocce ball court.
The tasting room is a single large room with slanted ceilings. An old wall-installed air conditioner just barely keeps the room tepid. Not quite as hot as the 100+ temperature outside, but still a tad too warm to enjoy red wines. Besides the red, they offered a White Zinfandel, which I turned down when I heard another guess exclaim how sweet it was.
From what I could gather, the Molinaris are the proprietors and own the Pleasanton Transfer Station but have only been in the wine business for eight years. They have ten acres of vineyards from which they produce 2,500 cases. I have to add that I asked about prices while there and was told conflicting information. I was told the Cabernet Franc was $23.00 but their website indicates it is $18.00. With that discrepancy in mind, I’m leaving all the prices out of this report.
2002 Cabernet Franc – Seared bacon aromas present themselves immediately, but give way to produce light fruit. Even entry with a tangy, acidic mid-palate. The soft finish shows cocoa and muted, integrated spice.
2001 Cabernet Franc – Rich and jammy with dark blackberry, brambleberry, and strawberry. The jamminess subsides and hints of eucalyptus remains. Even mouth entry with smooth finish that pales a bit but still displays a tease of spice.
2000 Merlot – Spice is what comes out first, then dark plum and cherry tones. The entry is a bit dry with a taste of dried twigs and warm spice.
1997 Merlot – Dusty floral pairs with hints of blueberry in the nose. The entry is sweeter than anticipated. Very easy and well-balanced, but a tad more perfumey than I’d prefer.
2002 Cabernet Sauvignon – This was odd. I could have sworn the bottle from which I was poured was corked. I indicated as such to the lady behind the counter who didn’t seem to know what corked meant. Perhaps it was a description that she did not realize was bad. So I tried to explain that it was a bad bottle and she asked if I would like the next vintage. "No," I explained, "I’d like to try a new bottle." There was a young man behind the counter who seemed to understand and opened another one. It was similar, so either I tasted two corked wines in a row, or they are just mediocre. The color was pale red, almost Pinot-like with hints of green bell pepper behind the wet cardboard.
2001 Cabernet Sauvignon – A medium-body wine with a bit more color than its predecessor. Herby tones with layers of mint. Thin mouthfeel and unexciting.
Garré Winery & Café ~ 7986 Tesla Road ~ Livermore ~ CA ~ 94550 ~ 925-371-8200