Winemaker Notes
The Santa Barbara County Grenache is made up of fruit sourced from several top vineyard sites within Ballard Canyon, Santa Maria Valley and Santa Ynez Valley. The fruit is de-stemmed and fermented in 1.5-ton open top fermenters, where gentle punch downs are conducted 3-5 times daily to allow gradual extraction of color and tannin from the skins. A cool and long fermentation retains fruit aromatics and increases flavor concentration. A soft pressing yields a wine full of complex tannins before maturing in neutral French oak puncheons. The wine is then aged for 14 months in neutral 500-liter French oak puncheons.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Fresh and lively aromas of red currant, strawberry, rose petal, sumac and tea leaves show on the nose of this bottling. The palate balances dark red with lighter red-fruit flavors, as fennel-pollen and sage elements add depth.
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Wine Spectator
A lovely and expressive wine, offering floral raspberry, rose petal and smoky, grilled pepper flavors that build structure and tension toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2029.
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.