Polynesian Girl Winery Blooms In California’s Gold Country
It’s easy to miss the small store front of Polynesian Girl Winery when you’re cruising to your next grand estate tasting of California wine. Who would think you would find a woman raised in Raiatea growing grape and creating wine in El Dorado Country’s Summerset area?
The ambiance of an estate overlooking hills, canyons and trees is missing, but savory wines of an estate await you. The small tasting room is located at the Summerset Four Corner intersection of Bucks Bar & Aukum Highway in California’s El Dorado County. It’s located in a small retail center across the street from their vineyard of 6 acres of cultivated grape: with more grape to come.
Tatiana & Jeremy Vander Velde, co-owners, were in-house for our visit and spent time sharing their well-crafted wines. They’re a shade more expensive than other wines we found the area but worth the extra couple of dollars.
Why the exotic name? She grew up in Raiatea, Polynesia watching he father create his own wines.
As Tatiana visited with other guests Jeremy told us of the reasons they set up shop in Pleasant Valley Appellation of California’s Gold Country. He attributes their wine quality to loamy soil and the 40° diurnal variance in temperature. The heat of the day stresses the grape and the cool of the night allows grape healing. There’s a common saying in wineries that ‘angry grape makes good wine’.
Sonoma and Paso Robles’ diurnal variance averages 40° just like theirs. He also claimed their wine has no active sulfites. If you’re seeking wine without sulfites make sure to visit Polynesian Girl.
What did we taste? Here goes:
2017 Barbera Reserve $44.95 ✰+
2018 Tempranillo Reserve $44.95 ✰+
2019 Cabernet Sauvignon $44.95 (topped with Barbera, Malbec & Tempranillo) ✰++ (92 pts)
2018 Malbec Reserve $44.95 ✰+
We enjoyed the Cabernet the most and took one home with us. Frankly, we should of purchased more.
Their small winery is bound to grow. On average they produce 800 cases of wine yearly. With plans to expand their vineyard these numbers will increase and they can hopefully keep their price point in check with more volume.
We’re always interested in a winemaker’s temperature preferences so queried him on his thoughts. Jeremy’s likes to store his wine at 55° to keep the maturation rate at bay. He likes to drink his wine in the mid-60° area, 65° is best he says. Any colder than 60° in the nose & palate closes off. See our story on other winemaker’s wine enjoyment temperature zones.
You owe it to yourself to visit Tatiana and her fine California wines. While you’re there make sure to peruse her Polynesian pearl jewelry available for purchase.
Some notes on our wine ranking system.
Bill & Erin Hodge write about California Wine, the estates & winemakers producing them and educational information about Vino. Living in California Wine Country provides a front row seat to the places you want to visit the most here in the Golden State.
– -✰ means -What’s next on your list of wines
-✰ means -Not liking it too much
✰ means -We’ll drink this wine, especially if it’s hosted!
✰+ means -You’ve got our attention and we might buy this wine.
✰+ + means -We’re hooked and we’re going to buy this wine.
When you see -✰/✰+ with a slash, it means we disagree.
