Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Gorgeous, funky, effusive aromas lead to meaty, roasted black fruit, wood smoke and black pepper. Fermented with stems included, this wine is alive with woodsy, savory elements that complement the deep blackberry and dried black cherry fruit. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drinkable now, but best from 2027.
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Wine Enthusiast
Boisterous acidity and restrained alcohol propel this Grenache-driven blend to “yowza” levels. A ripe blackberry aroma mixes it up with bursts of crushed walnuts and a vanilla soy candle. This perfume is followed by flavors like briary blackberries, candied rose petals, Assam tea and aged balsamic.
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Wine Spectator
A compelling red, with distinctive and nuanced tiers that reveal vibrant raspberry, garrigue, savory wild game and river stone accents that gather richness and structure toward fine-grained tannins. Primarily Grenache with other varieties. Drink now through 2034.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Rocking raspberries, strawberries, rose petals, ground pepper, sappy garrigue, and a hint of iron all emerge from the 2021 Grenache God Only Knows, another pretty, medium-bodied, elegant, finesse-driven Grenache from this team that's just about overflowing with character. With ripe, polished tannins, beautiful balance, and a great finish, it has the class to evolve gracefully for 10-12 years.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Wafting from the glass with a seductive allure, the 2021 Grenache God Only Knows Armada Vineyard delivers an enticing bouquet of black raspberries, cranberry and dusty cherries. This wine offers delicate expressions of earth-driven and floral Grenache complemented by soft herbal and savory spices that elevate its aromatic profile. Medium-bodied and fresh, revealing greater complexity on the palate than the nose initially suggests, the wine showcases a balanced structure with lively acidity and velvety tannins that glide gracefully to a round, fresh finish. Nicely done! The wine rested for 21 months in all neutral French demi-muids and foudre.
Rating: 94+
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.
Responsible for some of Washington’s most highly acclaimed wines, the Walla Walla Valley has experienced a surge in popularity in recent years and is home to both historic wineries and younger, up-and-coming producers.
The Walla Walla Valley, a Native American name meaning “many waters,” is located in southeastern Washington; part of the appellation actually extends into Oregon. Soils here are well-drained, sandy loess over Missoula Flood deposits and fractured basalt.
It is a region perfectly suited to Rhône-inspired Syrahs, distinguished by savory notes of red berry, black olive, smoke and fresh earth. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot create a range of styles from smooth and supple to robust and well-structured. White varieties are rare but some producers blend Sauvignon Blanc with Sémillon, resulting in a rich and round style, and plantings of Viognier, while minimal, are often quite successful.
Of note within Walla Walla, is one new and very peculiar appellation, called the Rocks District of Milton-Freewater. This is the only AVA in the U.S. whose boundaries are totally defined by the soil type. Soils here look a bit like those in the acclaimed Rhône region of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, but are large, ancient, basalt cobblestones. These stones work in the same way as they do in Chateauneuf, absorbing and then radiating the sun's heat up to enhance the ripening of grape clusters. The Rocks District is within the part of Walla Walla that spills over into Oregon and naturally excels in the production of Rhône varieties like Syrah, as well as the Bordeaux varieties.