Winemaker Notes
A distinct departure from prior vintages of TOR Grenache, the cooler climate of Kick Ranch Vineyard has given us a very pretty, aromatic, fresh, elegant style of Grenache, with the depth and mid-palate sumptuousness characteristic of the best examples of this beloved variety. Perfumed aromatics of raspberry, lavender, thyme, rose petals, kirsch and licorice, the finish is bright and the tannins are velvet textured.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Leading off the Rhône releases from this estate, the 2016 Grenache Kick Ranch Vineyard comes from Sonoma County and has a rocking bouquet of kirsch liqueur, blueberries, herbes de Provence, and dried flowers. Medium-bodied, silky and seamless on the palate, it has loads to love as well as tons of character. With silky tannins and nicely integrated acidity, drink it over the coming 8-10 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.
Home to a diverse array of smaller AVAs with varied microclimates and soil types, Sonoma County has something for every wine lover. Physically twice as large as Napa Valley, the region only produces about half the amount of wine but boasts both tremendous quality and variety. With its laid-back atmosphere and down-to-earth attitude, the wineries of Sonoma are appreciated by wine tourists for their friendliness and approachability. The entire county intends to become a 100% sustainable winegrowing region by 2019.
Sonoma County wines are produced with carefully selected grape varieties to reflect the best attributes of their sites—Dry Creek Valley’s consistent sunshine is ideal for Zinfandel, while the warm Alexander Valley is responsible for rich, voluptuous red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are important throughout the county, most notably in the cooler AVAs of Russian River, Sonoma Coast and Carneros. Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Syrah have also found a firm footing here.