2018 Alban Vineyards Pandora, USA, California, Edna Valley, Seymour's Vineyard, Wine Review

Although this is still veery young, it was showing great. 100% Grenache. Inky purple in color, opaque and bright. The nose is powerful with black cherries, black raspberries, slight blueberries, violets, dark chocolate, spice and slight char. Full bodied. Medium tannins. Wonderful silky texture. On the palate, this is deep and complex as it unwinds in the glass. Also delicious with flavors of black cherries, black raspberries, slight chocolate and spices. Long finish. This is great on its own and will work with bigger foods. It would be great with a Bean Cassoulet (or meat). Driink over the next fifteen to twenty years.

Grade:

A+

Score:

Vintage:

2018

Current Price:

$325.00USD

America’s Best Rhone Style Red Wines: 11th Annual Rhone Rangers Tasting Reviewed

The Rhone Report: About Rhone and Rhone-Style Wines and Winemakers is part of an ongoing series. Last month we discussed the white Rhone style wines offered at the 2008 Rhone Rangers tasting event at Fort Mason in San Francisco on March 18. This month we turn to the reds, of which we tasted 50. Among those we tasted were some old favorites and some wineries or bottlings with which we were not yet familiar. We don’t pretend that we tasted a representative group of wines, because our sample was skewed to wines we have loved in the past and others about which we have heard positive comments.

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2018 Andremily Grenache, USA, California, Wine Review

Vintage:

2018

Score:

Grade:

Current Price:

$120.00USD

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

2008 Sine Qua Non Grenache The Duel, Eleven Confessions Vineyard, USA, California, Santa Barbara, Santa Rita Hills, Wine Review

Vintage:

2008

Score:

Grade:

A+

Current Price:

$365.00USD

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

2012 Saxum Broken Stones, USA, California, Paso Robles, Wine Review

Vintage:

2012

Score:

Grade:

A+

Saxum is one of my favorite wineries so no surprise, but this is outstanding. It has really opened up since last tried reinforcing my belief that despite what some say, these big reds are best after ten years in a good cellar. This is made from 79% Syrah, 7% Petite Sirah and the rest Grenache, Mourvedre and Roussanne grapes. Inky purple in color. The nose has black raspberries, white pepper, roasted meats and slight violets. On the palate, the texture is wonderful. Velvety with excellent acidity. Complex and layered, this unwinds in the glass. And, it is delicious with black raspber

2018 Saxum James Berry Vineyard, USA, California, Paso Robles, Willow Creek, Wine Review

Vintage:

2018

Score:

Grade:

Current Price:

$135.00USD

This is quite young but still delicious. It is a blend of 64% Grenache, 16% Mataro, 14% Syrah, 6% Carignan. Deep purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright. The nose is nice with black cherries, black raspberries, slight blueberries, some black licorice, floral notes and spice. Full bodied. Vibrant with lots of energy. On the palate, loads of black raspberries and black cherries with medium tannins. It takes some time to open in the glass but then shows a nice minerality. Delicious. Long finish. This needs another seven to ten years to hits its peak but is delicious today

2018 Alban Vineyards Pandora, USA, California, Edna Valley, Seymour's Vineyard, Wine Review

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America’s Best Rhone Style Red Wines: 11th Annual Rhone Rangers Tasting Reviewed

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2012 Saxum Broken Stones, USA, California, Paso Robles, Wine Review

2018 Saxum James Berry Vineyard, USA, California, Paso Robles, Willow Creek, Wine Review