Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Along the same lines quality wise, the 2011 Grenache Purisima Mountain Vineyard comes from a higher elevation block than the Block Eight. Offering up loads of juicy, vibrant fruit, crushed berries, bramble and sweet spice, this rounded, supple and beautifully fresh Grenache will drink nicely through 2019.
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Wine Spectator
Complete and intense, this red is focused on a mix of wild berry, raspberry, black cherry and boysenberry flavors, showing impressive range, depth and persistence. Drink now through 2024. 460 cases made.
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.
Ranging from cool and foggy in the west to warm and dry in the east, the Santa Ynez Valley is a climatically diverse growing area. The most expansive AVA within the larger Santa Barbara County region, Santa Ynez is also home to a wide variety of soil types and geographical features. The appellation is further divided into four distinct sub-AVAs—Sta. Rita Hills, Ballard Canyon, Los Olivos District and Happy Canyon—each with its own defining characteristics.
A wide selection of grapes is planted here—more than sixty different varieties, and counting. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir dominate in the chilly west, while Zinfandel, Rhône blends, and Bordeaux blends rule the arid east. Syrah is successful at both ends of the valley, with a lean and peppery, Old-World sensibility closer to the coast and lush berry fruit further inland.