Winemaker Notes
Following the early rains of 2016, Santa Barbara County enjoyed a long, steady ripening season with a revived sense of depth compared with the intense drought years prior. This Grenache represents four vastly different expressions within this climate: the Highlands with her 3200 feet elevation extremity and wide open skies, the Vie Caprice vineyard with 5’ x 4’ spacing amidst Santa Ynez horse country, the tee-pee-planted Jorian Hills vineyard in Ballard Canyon, and the ampitheatre-like setting of the Spear vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Based on 100% Grenache, the 2016 Grenache Santa Barbara County is another beautiful wine. Black cherries, strawberries, forest floor, and peppery herbs give way to a silky, medium-bodied, ethereally textured beauty that shines for its purity and finesse. This cuvée comes from a handful of vineyards (Santa Barbara Highlands, Vie Caprice, Jorian Hill, and Spear) and spent 11 months in neutral barrels.
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Wine & Spirits
Angela Osborne harvests grenache at four vineyards in completely different settings within Santa Barbara County. The Highlands Vineyard is one extreme, at 3,200 feet in altitude; another is in Santa Ynez, a third in Ballard Canyon and a fourth in the coastal Sta. Rita Hills. She makes the wines the same way—destemming the grapes, aging in neutral barrels—then blends the four lots in July of the following year. Her 2016 emphasizes freshness, with strawberry leaf, strawberry seed, cranberry and licorice flavors. The gentle tannins have a sandy feel and the wine leaves a clean impression. Generous and open to most anything off the grill.
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Wine Enthusiast
This is the most affordable and easiest-to-find take on Angela Osborne's uniquely light style of Grenache. Cranberry, hibiscus and crushed gravel show on the nose, while the palate carries her typically lively texture, persistent acidity and fresh flavors of pressed raspberries.
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.
With a dry and mild climate cooled significantly by moist ocean fog and breezes, Santa Barbara County is a grape-grower’s dream. Part of the larger Central Coast appellation, Santa Barbara is home to Santa Maria Valley and Santa Ynez Valley. The conditions here provide an opportunity for nearly effortless production of high-quality cool-climate Central Coast wines. This is also the site of the 2004 film Sideways, which caused Pinot Noir’s popularity to skyrocket and brought new acclaim to the region.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the stars of Santa Barbara, producing wines marked by racy acidity. Crisp Sauvignon Blanc and savory Syrah are also important. The region is home to many young and enthusiastic winemakers eager to experiment with less common varieties including Chenin Blanc, Grüner Veltliner, Trousseau Gris, Gamay and Cabernet Franc, making it an exciting area to watch.