The Cellar: Travessia Urban Winery

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Steffen Rasch, GoLocal Wine Critic

A line-up of delicious wines that are locally made at urban micro-winery Travessia. Photo: Eric Tripoli

This summer and fall, GoLocal's wine writer Steffen Rasch is exploring Southern New England’s Coastal Wine Trail. This week he visits Travessia Vineyards in New Bedford, MA.

Travessia Urban Winery is located a block away from the Historic District in downtown New Bedford. Here owner and winemaker Marco Montez is putting his mere 1100 square feet to good use making some of the Coastal Wine Trail’s best wines. Travessia Urban Winery is just that—a winery. Marco doesn’t own a vineyard but makes his wines from grapes he purchases from carefully selected growers around the country. The business of purchasing grapes and making a wine from them under one’s own label is called a ‘negociant business’ and is a practice that dates back hundreds of years.

Travessia

Travessia Urban Winery opened its doors in 2008. After acquiring the adjacent 670 square feet in 2011, Marco has been able to separate the winery from his tasting room where he is more than happy to pour his well-made wines to locals and visitors alike. While most of the grapes that go into Travessia’s wines are sourced locally, 30% are purchased from growers on the West Coast, like the soon-to-be-released ripe and delicious 2009 Trapeze, a 100% Pinot Noir sourced from a grower in Washington State. In total Marco makes around 600 cases of wine per year with most of his wines being sold at the winery. At a recent visit I tasted the current lineup, as well as a barrel sample of the 2011 Jester; a red blend made primarily from Zinfandel and the 2011 Bandit, a 100% Tempranillo that is already showing really well and that I can’t wait to stock up on.

Tasting favorites

Among my favorites were the crisp and steely 2010 un-oaked Chardonnay with its green apple and citrus flavors, as well as the aromatically intriguing, off-dry, 2010 Vidal Blanc; a great wine made from the very versatile hybrid grape varietal that grows really well in our region. The 2010 Bandit was a real treat as well. This unfiltered red blend is made from 75% Tempranillo and 25% Touriga Nacional sourced from Amador County, California and aged 13 months in French Oak. It displays nice concentrated fruit flavors, but also noticeable tannins and acidity indicating that this wine could use a year or more in the bottle.

Marco is very passionate about what goes on at his ‘micro-winery’ and with every right. These are some well-made wines. Plan for a delightful education and a delicious tasting the next time you find yourself heading towards New Bedford. Check out Travessia’s website for upcoming events, which includes an intimate evening with singer/song writer Rebecca Correia, who will be visiting the winery on Friday, September 21st.

Travessia Urban Winery is located at 760 Purchase St., in New Bedford, MA, 774-929-6534. www.travessiawine.com

Enjoy…

Steffen Rasch CSW is ready to answer any wine-related questions, comments or concerns you may have. Feel free to email him at [email protected]. And as always, don’t forget to follow GoLocalProv’s Wine Cellar on Facebook and sign up for one of his tastings through the Providence Wine Academy.