93 points – Wine Enthusiast – Nov 2020: A superb expression of Californian Grenache, with aromas of violets, tobacco, raspberries and wet stone. Reminiscent of Chambord, this wine is racy with fresh raspberry flavours, supple tannins and a spice laced finish. To maximize fruit extraction, 33% whole clusters in an open-top fermenter were used, with treading before de-stemming. Grapes were cold soaked, with wild yeast fermentation before being transferred to barrel for malolactic fermentation. The wine was aged for 16 months in French oak, 20% new. 2018 was the seventh consecutive year Santa Barbara County would face a drought. Daytime temperatures throughout Summer and Autumn were mild, enabling slow, even ripening of deeply concentrated fruit.
