Alban Edna Valley Grenache 2002
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2002 Grenache (15% Syrah is included in the blend), which I tasted several days after bottling, is absolutely remarkable. The problem is, there is virtually no production as the crop size was minuscule (.6 tons of fruit per acre). This wine, which is destemmed, fermented with indigenous yeasts in open-topped fermenters, and is both punched down and pumped over, may be the finest Grenache the Albans have yet produced. Classic aromas of raspberries, kirsch liqueur, and hints of blackberries, anise, and loamy soil soar from the glass of this dense purple-colored Grenache (one of the blackest I have ever seen). Tipping the scales at 15.3% alcohol, this monumental Grenache is a tribute to just how great this varietal can be in Edna Valley.
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Wine Spectator
Superrich and concentrated, with a wealth of flavor, stretching out from espresso, huskleberry, currant, leather and beef carpaccio, accented by hints of vanilla, sage and dusty berry, ending with a long, intense, fully tannic aftertaste, but in the end it's the fruit that surges to the forefront.
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Grenache thrives in any warm, Mediterranean climate where ample sunlight allows its clusters to achieve full phenolic ripeness. While Grenache's birthplace is Spain (there called Garnacha), today it is more recognized as the key player in the red blends of the Southern Rhône, namely Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Côtes du Rhône and its villages. Somm Secret—The Italian island of Sardinia produces bold, rustic, single varietal Grenache (there called Cannonau). California, Washington and Australia have achieved found success with Grenache, both flying solo and in blends.
The largest and perhaps most varied of California’s wine-growing regions, the Central Coast produces a good majority of the state's wine. This vast California wine district stretches from San Francisco all the way to Santa Barbara along the coast, and reaches inland nearly all the way to the Central Valley.
Encompassing an extremely diverse array of climates, soil types and wine styles, it contains many smaller sub-AVAs, including San Francisco Bay, Monterey, the Santa Cruz Mountains, Paso Robles, Edna Valley, Santa Ynez Valley and Santa Maria Valley.
While the Central Coast California wine region could probably support almost any major grape varietiy, it is famous for a few Central Coast reds and whites. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel are among the major ones. The Central Coast is home to many of the state's small, artisanal wineries crafting unique, high-quality wines, as well as larger producers also making exceptional wines.