Bonny Doon makes some fun wines! This is Grenache for under $20. It's a fun and great for parties. Light ruby in color. The nose is all about strawberries. So is the palate. This wine is light and easy drinking. Some acidity but drinks more like a rose. Food friendly-ish.
Had a second bottle of this and it had some Brett (barnyard notes). If that is an issue, look for well stored bottles.
One of the more humorous labels in the wine world (check it out). It is a bland of 52% Grenache, 35% Cinsault, and 13% Syrah. This is much less robust than prior vintages of this wine. Deep ruby in color. The nose has cherries, bitter cherries, baking spices and black pepper. On the palate, this is medium bodied. Plenty of cherry fruit with underlying char and spice. Nice finish. This is drinking well now and should continue for seven to ten years. It worked well with a curry dish and will work better with food.
There are not a lot of great producers of Grenache in California, but there are a few who excel and at the top is Manfred Krankl and his Sine Qua Non wines. At age 13, this is just hitting its stride and just outstanding. A blend of 82% Grenache, 14% Syrah, 2% Viognier and 2% Roussanne. Purple in color, opaque and bright. The nose is great with black cherries, black raspberries, roasted meats and spices. Full bodied. 15.8% abv but no heat. On the palate, black cherries with some black raspberries over a bit of char. Deep and powerful. Delicious. Long finish. The kind of wine that
Grenache seems to be one of the more difficult grapes to make wine with in California. So many are overdone and taste roasted while others are thin and insipid. It is a grape that gets very ripe and matching that to the California sunshine is not easy. Andremily is one winery that seems to achieve that balance. They are big wines but not roasted or hot, but full of flavor and texture. A blend of 80% Grenache, 14% Mourvedre and 6% Syrah. Purple in color, opaque and bright. The nose has black cherries, black raspberries, dark chocolate and spice. Full bodied. Medium tannins. Great
Campesino is a winery that makes excellent Rhone varietal wines for fair prices. It is a list that people should be signing up for if the wines are not available in the local marketplace. This is one of the better, more refreshing Rose's on the market made from mostly Grenache.
