I’ve got “winery” in quotes here, because I feel a bit silly calling this a winery spotlight when I’m not at all sure there’s an actual winery involved… Tangley Oaks is a brand owned by Terlato Wines International, that much I know. And I think it may well fit the category of a “virtual winery,” depending on how you define that term. My hunch is that there are no actual Tangley Oaks vineyards and that grapes are purchased from growers in various regions. Which is all fine – you can end up with perfectly good wine that way.

Referring to the Tangley Oaks website is not especially enlightening. General references to “our story” and “our team of winemakers” and “our vineyards” is what I found — with no specifics about actual names or sites. Not even a phone number.

Again, all that doesn’t preclude the possibility of good wine, and I can understand from a marketing perspective why they’d want to package it like a “real” winery. My only real cringe moment came when I read about their commitment to sustainable farming, when I’m not sure “they” are doing much farming at all. Some wineries really do work hard on sustainable farming, and I hate to see the term tossed about insincerely or for marketing filler…

(By the way, if I’m on the wrong track about all of this, then they seriously need to improve their website copy!)

(And one further note — this whole exercise started because I tasted the wines first, liked them, and tried to figure out a bit more about them. But now that whole sustainable farming thing is making me cranky, and I have half a mind to just scrap the article completely. Well, maybe someone at Terlato will post a comment that will clear things up…)

Tangley Oaks 2006 Chardonnay Santa Barbara County ($15). Fuller-bodied than the reds, below, with plenty of cream and smoke accents to the ripe, vanilla-scented tropical fruit. Finishes with a welcome touch of crisp citrus. Ready to drink now. Locate this wine online or in your area.

Tangley Oaks 2006 Merlot Napa Valley ($15). Quite light-bodied, but with some bright acidity and red cherry and raspberry character that make it appealing. Minty accents on the finish. Ready to drink now. Locate this wine online or in your area.

Tangley Oaks 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley ($22). This is one tasty under-$25 Napa Cab! Sleek, structured, intense blackberry and currant fruit, with accents of dusty cocoa and deep spices. Medium-bodied but rich enough, food friendly, delish. Ready to drink now and over the next two or three years. Locate this wine online or in your area.