Winemaker Notes
A very healthy bright ruby red color, with nary a sign of brown at the rim. The nose is dominated by notes of autumnal spice - cloves, allspice, star anise and hints of sandalwood. In addition there are the reliably Grenache tones - strawberry/rhubarb and peach, with some suggestion of citrus. There is a definitely discernible characteristic of menthol or peppermint, which builds in intensity as the wine becomes saturated with oxygen. Very good volume on the palate: the wine seems to expand with exposure to air in the way that inspirational Pinot/Burgundy sometimes does. Definite tannic backbone to the wine, presaging a good long life.
Blend: 100% Grenache
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Crushed boysenberry, white peppercorn and scarlet-red rose petals make for a dark while opulent and spicy nose on this bottling by Randall Grahm. It's firmly structured on the palate, giving depth to baked cherry, light toast and herb-dust flavors.
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James Suckling
A crunchy and fresh grenache with strawberry, crushed stone and hibiscus character. Orange peel as well. It’s medium-bodied with fine tannins. Rich but light at the same time.
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.