Winemaker Notes
COLOR: dark ruby AROMAS: black raspberry, blackberry, black cherry, baking spices, anise, vanilla, lavender FLAVORS: black cherry, dark chocolate, herbs de Provence, blackberry preserve, black currant, vanilla
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Dark, candied fruit aromas of mulberry meet with sage, marjoram and baking spice on the complex nose of this single-vineyard expression. The palate is both full and hearty yet crisp in texture, blending dark cherry with peppery black cardamom, as acidity and tannins push into the finish.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Leading off the reds, the 2017 Grenache Rodney's Vineyard is 85% Grenache and 15% Syrah that was brought up all in larger barrels. This medium ruby-colored effort offers a spicy, peppery style as well as lots of garrigue and herbes de Provence notes, medium-bodied richness, light tannins, and a good finish. It's a complex, mid-weight, delicious Grenache to drink over the coming 4-5 years.
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.