Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Ora et Labora offers up notes of kirsch, baked blackberries and dried mulberries with touches of Sichuan pepper and Chinese five spice, plus a touch of sautéed herbs. Full-bodied, rich, opulent and packed with red and black fruit flavors, it has a firm backbone of velvety, ripe tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing long.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2015 Grenache Ora Et Labora (100% Grenache) comes from the Bien Nacido Vineyard, which is a cool-climate vineyard in Santa Maria. Raspberries, violets, strawberries and hints of spice all flow to a silky, medium to full-bodied, elegant Grenache that's impeccably balanced and finesse driven. With no hard edges, excellent mid-palate density and a great finish, it's just about impossible to resist today, and I see no need to delay gratification.
Barrel Sample: 91-93
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 lesser-known but elite AVA within the larger Santa Barbara district, the Santa Maria Valley AVA runs precisely west to east starting near the coast. The valley funnels cool, Pacific Ocean air to the vineyards more inland, allowing grapes a longer hang time to ripen evenly and achieve their full potential by harvest time. Combined with minimal rainfall, consistent warm sunshine, and well-drained soils, it is an ideal environment for grape growing.
Many of the wineries here are small and highly respected, having established a reputation in the 1970s and 80s for producing excellent Central Coast wines like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. More recently, Syrah has also proven quite successful in the region. Many vineyards are owned by growers who sell their grapes to other wineries, so it is common to see the same vineyard name on bottlings from different wineries. Bien Nacido Vineyard is perhaps the best-known and most prestigious.