Winemaker Notes
Dark wood paneling? Check. Red velvet lighting? Check. Tasteful taxidermy? Check. You’ve pulled all the stops, it’s a wild boar dinner at the Tornado Club: hewn pine, char crust, fresh-pitted-cherry pie, calf leather boots, a dozen red roses, housemade vanilla bean ice cream, marzipan, peaberry coee, and the hope that it is indeed her birthday and not your ex’s...
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 100% Grenache 2015 On the Road, which spent two years in 65% new barrels, offers a rocking nose of black raspberries, toasted spice, dried herbs, and earth. With medium to full body, a seamless, elegant, layered texture, and no hard edges, it’s the real deal and a thrilling Grenache to enjoy over the coming 6-7 years.
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Wine Enthusiast
Roasted blackberry and charred meat aromas show on the nose of this Grenache, which is superripe and extracted in the winery's style, but retains a compelling degree of balance. The palate shows rather elegant touches of star anise and clove against a backdrop of roasted cherries, plums, sagebrush and cola.
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Wine Spectator
Expressive blackberry, grilled beef and licorice aromas lead to potent and slightly tight currant and pepper flavors that build density toward broad tannins. Best after 2019. 629 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.
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.