Winemaker Notes
In the same mold, the Little Basket Press (all Grenache) offers good pepper, spice and herbs in a medium-bodied, easy drinking package. It's a solid, bistro-styled red to drink over the coming couple of years.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Pure grenache and made as a solera that has been alive for twenty years with half of the new harvest being exchanged into the solera each year. The final blend is 50% solera wine and 50% wine of the new vintage. The richness is really something. Such deep-set grenache red and dark berries, as well as riper, raisiny notes. Long, smooth and deep. Drink now.
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.
A small category representing the wines that either fall outside of appellation lines or don’t subscribe to the law and traditions set forth by the French government within certain classified appellations, “Vin De France” is a catch-all that includes some of the most basic French wines as well as those of superior quality. The category includes large production, value-driven wines. It also includes some that were made with a great deal of creativity, diligence and talent by those who desire to make wine outside of governmental restrictions. These used to be called Vin de Table (table wine) but were renamed to compete with other European countries' wines of similar quality.