No Girls Tempranillo
Produced 2012 - present
Professional reviews and tasting notes from prior vintages added as published. Scores within parentheses indicate barrel samples:
2021 No Girls Wines Tempranillo
96 Points
The gorgeous 2021 Tempranillo from No Girls saw approximately 25% new French oak during 21 months of aging and boasts a brooding deep blue-purple core with a lighter purple rim. Dark fruits abound with notes of bramble, blackberries, smoked earth, dried purple flowers, and just a hint of green peppercorn. Rich and decadent, the ripe tannins and lovely acidity carry the finish through. A bit over 300 cases were made. Highly recommended. —Jeremy Young, International Wine Report
96 Points
An outstanding Tempranillo wine, the 2021 No Girls ‘La Paciencia Vineyard’ Tempranillo shows off a velvety texture with dark currants that mingle well with black cherry compote, kumquat zest, oyster sauce, wet stone and violets. Full-bodied and filled with freshness, and gorgeous flavor range, this. Tempranillo has a long life ahead of it. —Owen Bargreen, owenbargreen.com
95 Points, Editors’ Choice
A sweet Cavendish tobacco scent fills the air with the first sniff of the glass, followed by aromas of
raspberry jam on whole-wheat toast. Burly tannins and a healthy amount of acidity escort flavors like cassis, dark plum, smoked brisket and a hint of orange pith. What a treat. —Michael Alberty, Wine Enthusiast
94 Points, Critic’s Choice
100% varietal, this wine was aged 21 months in French oak (20-30% new). It shows some initial reduction. Beyond that are notes of cherry, flower, tangerine rind, peat, and licorice. Soft, full-feeling dried and fresh tobacco and pit fruit flavors follow. Perfumed floral notes carry on the extended finish that ties it all together beautifully. It’s gorgeous. —Sean Sullivan, Northwest Wine Report
94 Points
More smoky red and black fruits, sappy flowers, wild strawberries, and sandalwood notes all define the 2021 Tempranillo, another medium-bodied, elegant, finesse-driven wine from this team. It has fine tannins and terrific overall balance. It benefits from a decant and will evolve gracefully over the coming 10-12+ years. —Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com
94 Points
Bramble berry fruit, roasted meat, sun-dried tomatoes and paprika on the nose. It’s spicy with an umami complexity and salty freshness. Lots of flavor packed into a medium body. Nicely integrated with juicy tannins. From biodynamically grown grapes. Delicious now but can hold. —James Suckling, jamessuckling.com
2020 No Girls Wines Tempranillo
95 Points
One of the great Tempranillo wines you will find in North America, the 2020 No Girls La Paciencia Vineyard Tempranillo pushes the envelope in terms of weight, intensity and flavor range. This is seriously good right now with dark plum, creme de violette, black currants and Kalamata olive. Really good to enjoy now, savor this over the next five plus years. —Owen Bargreen, owenbargreen.com
94 Points
These aromatics are more about lilac, lemon verbena and orange pipe tobacco than they are about the black fruit. The fruit makes a comeback on the palate, with boysenberry jam on buttered toast point and black coffee flavors. "Just right" acidity with silky tannins. —Michael Alberty, Wine Enthusiast
94 points
One sniff and there’s no question where this wine comes from, with its compelling aromas of olive, charcuterie, fresh peat, flower, and moist tobacco. The savory-filled palate delivers all that and more, with light potpourri accents. It’s backed by a lightly grainy feel. —Sean Sullivan, Northwest Wine Report
93 Points
This shows notes of crushed blackberries and wild berries, together with walnuts, bacon fat, black cardamom and cocoa beans. Medium-bodied with a firm, chalky tannin structure and a polished texture with attractive juiciness underneath. Dusty and fleshy with a lingering finish. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold. —James Suckling, jamessuckling.com
2019 No Girls Wines Tempranillo
97 Points
As this begins to unwind in the glass it displays wonderful aromatics of raspberry coulis and blueberry nuances, which are woven together with spices, herbs, tobacco, florals and earthy minerals all taking shape. The medium-plus bodied possesses a remarkable velvety texture that seamlessly expands beautifully across the palate. It continues to impress with its excellent overall balance and finesse as it leads up to the sleek finish which leaves a lasting impression. While already extremely appealing, this outstanding Tempranillo has the potential to evolve gracefully for well beyond a decade. —Jeremy Young, International Wine Report
96+ Points
Lastly, the 2019 Tempranillo sports a slightly denser purple/plum color to go with both red and blue fruits supported by complex cedar, sandalwood, tobacco, and saddle leather-like nuances. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it's another seamless, elegant wine from this incredible winemaker that has ultra-fine tannins, a great mid-palate, plenty of density, and a great finish. It's a gorgeous wine that can be drunk today or cellared for two decades if you're so inclined. —Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com
95 Points
The glorious 2019 No Girls La Paciencia Vineyard Tempranillo was stored in 30% new French oak prior to bottling. On the bouquet this delivers wild blackberry and salted pork shoulder alongside violets and shades of hoisin sauce. The palate is deep and concentrated with rich dark plum, black currant and white pepper dusted smoked brisket tones with suggestions of creme de violette. With loads of mouth-watering acidity, this beautiful wine is really delicious to consume right now. Drink 2022-2030. —Owen Bargreen, owenbargreen.com
93 Points
Plum, mint chocolate and paprika on the nose. Medium-to full-bodied with silky tannins. Fresh, driving acidity pushes the juicy-fruit and white-pepper character on and on. Floral finish. Lovely. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold. —James Suckling, jamessuckling.com
93 Points
Juicy and dark-fruited, the 2019 Tempranillo la Paciencia opens to fresh and savory aromas in the glass. Medium-bodied, flavors of oak and dusty plum sway with notions of dark cherry and blackberry skin before showcasing a balanced structure with lifting tannins. Displaying finesse and power, the wine glides to a food-friendly finish that will remain crushable for years. Enjoy with food. —Anthony Mueller, The Wine Advocate
2018 No Girls Wines Tempranillo
96 Points
Also gorgeous, the 2018 Tempranillo reveals a more opaque purple hue as well as a great nose of redcurrants, blueberries, raspberries, exotic flowers, and loads of savory spice. This carries to a rich, meaty, medium to full-bodied Tempranillo with polished tannins, notable freshness, and a beautiful finish that keeps you coming back to the glass. It's another 2018 from this team that has the purity and elegance to drink brilliantly today yet the balance and structure to evolve for at least 15 years or more. —Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com
95 Points
The exceedingly good 2018 Tempranillo was aged in roughly 30% new French oak before bottling. The palate is exceedingly salty and savory, with firm tannins that hold everything in place. Bright black cherry, orange rind and salted Parma ham flavors mingle with black olives and exotic spices. Beautiful to enjoy now, this has another decade or more to go. -—Owen Bargreen, Vinous
94 Points
The aromas are reserved, with notes of cassis, ash, crushed rock, tobacco and cocoa powder. Bright, full, fleshy flavors follow. It's a rich, broad wine with chewy tannins. Give it few years in the cellar to see it at its best. —Sean Sullivan, Wine Enthusiast
93 Points
Stewed plums, spices, roasted meat and grilled herbs on the nose. It’s full-bodied with chewy tannins. Fleshy texture on the palate with chalky and spicy character. Flavorful, smoky and earthy finish. Drink or hold. —James Suckling, jamessuckling.com
2017 No Girls Wines Tempranillo
97 Points
Rose petals, forest floor, spring flowers, blueberries, black raspberries, and loads of spice all emerge… feminine, floral, complex bouquet. Nicely textured on the palate, with medium to full-bodied richness, it has great tannins, perfect balance, and just has everything in the right places... —Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com
94 Points
The 2017 Tempranillo la Paciencia shows a solid ruby core and wafts from the glass with aromas of cassis, wild strawberry, baked earth and leather. Medium to full-bodied, the wine has a firm dustiness similar to hot river rocks, then shows lifting, fine-grained tannins that complete the complex yet balanced structure. The Tempranillo ends with an elegant, lingering finish, showing crushed violets and soft savory spiciness before swaying back to expressive fruit tones. —Anthony Mueller, The Wine Advocate
2016 No Girls Wines Tempranillo
97 Points
Similarly colored, the 2016 Tempranillo La Paciencia Vineyard offers an exotic bouquet of black cherries, violets, chocolate, tobacco, smoke, and candied orange rind. It’s deep, beautiful, savory, and full-bodied, with a thrilling texture. It’s another incredibly elegant, singular wine from this estate. —Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com
94+ Points
…a dusty core of dark fruit on the nose, with blackberry, wild strawberry and hints of soft leather and wet river rock. In the mouth, the wine is medium to full-bodied and shows a subtle spiciness that persists through to the finish, with building and structuring tannins. It ends with a long, mineral finish and lingering tannins that make this wine ready for food… —Anthony Mueller, The Wine Advocate
94 Points
This has some savory, fresh leather, earth and tobacco character with more flowers than fruits on offer. The palate has an understated core of smoothly sheeted tannin with quite a juicy edge. Wild-herb infusion, blackcurrants and cherries to close. Drink or hold. —James Suckling, jamessuckling.com
2015 No Girls Wines Tempranillo
97 Points
...ample cedarwood, bloody meat, blackcurrants, and violets aromatics in a rich, full-bodied, beautifully layered package.... it’s already impossible to resist. Drink this beauty anytime over the coming 10-15 years. —Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate
94 Points
Offering up aromas of cassis, dried berries, candied peel, panforte, raw cocoa and baked earth, the 2015 Tempranillo la Paciencia has already integrated its 30% new oak. On the palate, it's full-bodied, seamless and layered, with a deep core of savory fruit and a structuring chassis of rich, fine-grained tannins and a mouthwateringly stony finish. —William Kelley, The Wine Advocate
94 Points
...is truly one of the best Tempranillos in North America. This begins with aromas of smoked meats, wet stone, Umami and peat moss. The wine shows wonderfully juicy red fruits with a meaty character and a wonderful saline steak. Drink 2018-2028. —Dr. Owen Bargreen, Washington Wine Blog
2014 No Girls Wines Tempranillo
95+ Points
Charcoal, beef blood, black currants, roasted herbs and smoked meats all emerge from this rich, full-bodied, concentrated and tannic beauty that has incredibly finesse, elegance and length. It's another wine that builds with time in the glass, has ample fruit authority, and is going to keep for two decades. —Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate
2013 No Girls Wines Tempranillo
(93-95+) Points
...is a firm, structured, backward 2013 that will need to be hidden in the cellar for 4-5 years. It offers textbook Tempranillo notes of dark fruits, scorched earth and charred meat to go with a full-bodied, nicely concentrated, tannic profile on the palate. Like the 2012, I’d be shocked if it’s not still drinking beautifully at age 20. —Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate
2012 No Girls Wines Tempranillo
96 Points
A new cuvee that I absolutely loved from barrel last year, the 2012 Tempranillo La Paciencia Vineyard is brilliantly done and gives up a crazy bouquet of blackberries, black cherries, bouquet garni, roasted meats and dried violets. Full-bodied, seamless and elegant, with silky tannin and fabulous precision and length, it’s slightly more approachable than Cayuse’s Impulsivo, yet should still benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and evolve for 10-15 years after that. Drink 2017-2032 —Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate
95 Points
This wine stops you in your tracks with its aromas of earth, peat, fire pit, tapenade and coffee. The flavors are outrageously rich, dense and textured, with a lightly tacky feel to the tannins and a hyperextended finish. It’s a knockout. —Sean Sullivan, Wine Enthusiast
93 Points
Bright medium ruby. Sexy aromas of earthy purple berries and dark chocolate. Penetrating, inky purple fruit flavors convey lovely sweetness and terrific fruit intensity. Finishes firmly tannic and gripping, with serious tongue-dusting tannins and bright minerality. I can't recall having tasted a more characterful Tempranillo from Washington, with the exception of the Impulsivo bottling that Christophe Baron makes under his Cayuse label. —Stephen Tanzer, Vinous