Garnacha/Grenache

Wow.  A spectacular wine.  This is of course very young but it is so delicious and enjoyable.  It won't hit peak for a decade at least.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is peppery with black cherries, spice, soy, garrique and floral notes.  On the palate, this is viscous with a wonderful texture.  Lots of black cherry and black raspberry fruit.  A bit of liqueur.  Long finish.  This is made from 100% Grenache.  Right now it's a difficult food match but give it time in the cellar and it should be great with meats and fowl.  It you have a few though, you would be missing somethi

This producer used to be known as Font de Michelle but has re-branded using this name.  It is a very traditional CdP with about 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre according to the back label.  Purple in color.  The nose has black cherry and spice and a bit of a liqueur note.  Very nice chewy mouth feel.  Black cherries, a bit floral and cherries along with some alcohol on the palate.  Long finish.  This should pair well with stews, charcuterie and roasts.  Both 2015 and 2016 are great vintages in CdP.  This one easily has a decade or more left to enjoy.  

This is a higher end Rose that is a blend of Grenache and Tibouren grapes.   It is a very bright but light salmon pink color.  Quite an expressive nose of watermelon, strawberries along with slight grapefruit and just a touch of wintergreen.  On the palate, this is clean and steely.  Strawberries and peaches with slight tannins (unusual for a Rose).  Long finish.  This drinks well on its own but to really show its class, it needed some food.  It went amazingly well with a Watermelon, Feta and Mint salad.  While this probably will last a few years, the sooner you get to it, the more freshnes

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

This was a difficult vintage in most of California, but Saxum seemed to handle it just fine.  The wines, do, however, seem to be drinking a little earlier than most vintages.  The 2011 Saxum's are ready to drink but no hurry on any of them.  This one has at least another decade but it probably won't get better.  That is fine because it is outstanding.  Purple in color.  The nose has black raspberries, smoke, black cherries, red currants and slight bacon fat.  On the palate, there is nice black raspberry fruit with some black cherries over some pepper and charred earth.  A nice backbone of a

I don't know where you live, but here on the shores of Lake Erie, its been a wet, cool spring.  That might be good for the grapevines, but its put a bit of a damper on drinking outside.  But, it looks like we finally made it.  Time to open up some Rose!  This is a very attractively packaged rose from Provence.  A blend of  Grenache, Cinsault, and Syrah. It is quite pale pale salmon pink in color, clear and bright.  On the nose, this has lots of fresh strawberries, slight hint of orange peel and and a nice minerality.  On the palate, this has a bigger texture than it light color might lead o

Another stunning wine from Torrin.  Still a bit young but starting to show some development especially with a few hours in a decanter.  This is 50% Syrah, 26% Mourvèdre and 24% Grenache.  Inky purple in color.  The nose is great with a  meatiness reminiscent of the northern Rhone but vibrant fruit that says California sunshine.  There is also some black pepper, plums and slight floral notes.  On the palate, this has a great texture.  Black raspberry fruit intertwines with black pepper over a smoke and earth base.  It is pretty big right now with firm tannins.  This should continue to develo

This is a mostly Grenache wine (87%) with the rest Syrah from Dry Stack Vineyard.  It is a delicious and charming wine that is drinking well right now and for the next five years or so.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose has black raspberries, slight saw dust, black pepper and slight sour cherries.  On the palate, this is soft with a nice complexity.  Good acidity.  Black raspberry fruit and a bit of oak.  Light tannins.  Nice finish.  This drinks easy but has enough depth to get your attention.  It works well on its own or with medium or hearty fare.  

40% Mourvedre, 28% Syrah, 22% Grenache, and 10% Counoise.  This is still pretty young but quite delicious.  Sort of like a California version of a Chateauneuf du Pape.  Deep ruby in color with some purple swirls.  The nose has cherries, plums, cedar, spice and slight cocoa powder.  On the palate, the spicy red fruits dominate at this stage.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  This has tight layers that unwind in the glass.  This will work with a wide variety of foods.  It may improve a bit from here but easily has a decade and probably two left in it.  

This is basically the second wine of Esprit de Tablas from Tablas Creek although they make a lot of different wines, not all available without being in their wine club (highly recommended).  This sell for around $30 and can often be found at retail shops.  It is young and will likely improve a bit over the next few years.  Screw capped!  Grenache, Syrah, Counoise and Mourvedre.  Whereas the Esprit can be compared to a Chateauneuf du Pape, this is more like a better Cotes du Rhone or even a Gigondas.  It has a deep ruby color with some purple swirls.  The nose has black cherries, slight eart