Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Light in color, this 100% varietal wine was macerated with 50% stems and 50% whole berries before being aged in 500L neutral French-oak puncheons. It's perfumed with dark raspberries, cherry Jolly Ranchers, herbs, lavender, potpourri and mineral. The outrageously supple yet rich, supremely elegant mouthfeel dazzles.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
There are a scant 290 cases of the 2011 Grenache Upland Vineyard to go around, and as with the 2012, it was fermented with 60% whole cluster and aged in 500 liter neutral French oak puncheons. It exhibits beautiful kirsch, spice, mineral and dried herb aromas and flavors to go with an elegant, yet full-bodied and nicely concentrated profile on the palate that has sweet tannin and superb focus on the finish. Enjoy it over the coming 7 to 8 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.
A seven-mile long anticline ridge with a peak at nearly 1,300 feet, the Snipes Mountain AVA has rocky soils and is home to about 30 different grape varieties. It was also one of the first regions in Washington State to plant Semillon and Pinot Noir.