Best of Class ~ 2021 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition 90 points ~ JamesSuckling.com
Tasting Notes
This is our third vintage from this legend of a vineyard in the far northern reaches of Mendocino County. Just 12 miles from the Pacific at 2400 feet in elevation, this is a cooler site and it shows in the wine. Cranberry mixed with forest floor and bramble burst from the glass. Followed by hard cherry candy and ripe red raspberry. This is a picture-perfect showing of a cold-climate Grenache Noir. Fermented 100% whole cluster and aged for two years in once-used French oak barrels which, gives it just a touch of oak. Bottled unfined and unfiltered to preserve freshness and laser like focus.
Vineyard
On the hilly 6,000-acre Alder Springs Ranch in the far northern Mendocino County, Stuart Bewley has been growing some of California’s most outstanding wine grapes since 1993. Bewley practices his patented brand of extremist viticulture on a patchwork of vineyards perched along the steep sandstone slopes of the Coastal Range. The mountainous ranch is a decidedly challenging spot to cultivate grapes, but the results speak for themselves.
Winemaking
The Alban clone 2 Grenache Noir was picked the night of October 11th. And delivered to the winery bright and early, still cold from the night. We never destem our reds, the whole clusters are gently moved into a stainless-steel tank and lightly stomped (yes with our feet) to break some berries at the top of the vessel, and then we saignée roughly about 15% of the juice prior to fermentation to increase concentration. We allowed native, indigenous yeast to start fermentation. The primary fermentation lasted for 14 days, at which point we press the must into neutral French Oak barrels to rest for nineteen months, where it remained undisturbed, except for a monthly topping, and bottled in May of 2023, unfiltered and unfined.
Specs
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: 100% Grenache Noir
Appellation: Mendocino County - Adler Springs Vineyard
This story is not so much about wine; it’s more about life and the lessons we’re taught by the people we encounter through it. I was lucky enough to know a man who, in my eyes, was the epitome of how to live life, love, and smile.
His name was Cliff Graybehl, and he was my grandfather. His signature adorns every bottle I make, as we also share initials. Cliff grew up in Santa Monica, on the beach, on the pier, in the water. He was a water-man through and through. My cousins and I all have very fond memories of summers with grandpa, learning to body surf, swinging on the rings, and playing in the sand in Santa Monica and Muscle Beach. He taught us all to swim, he taught how to play gin, shuffleboard, and golf. But more importantly, he taught us how to live. He taught us all about kindness, laughter, and unconditional love.
So I make these wines in his honor, even though Cliff was never much of a wine drinker. But as my career path has led me down the wine trail and not the vodka gimlet route, his drink of choice, I think he would approve. He would approve of anything that brings a little more joy to that special occasion or even just an old regular type occasion.
Now my story and the background as to why I love Grenache and make Grenache and Grenache Blanc is a story for another time. It involves wines and wineries and what seems like a lifetime of making other people’s wines and working in other people’s cellars. Now I make what I love. The details, the nitty-gritty, the “I would have gotten away with it, if it wasn’t for those meddling kids”, well maybe I’ll tell you it someday, or if you see me and have a few hours, I will explain. But to me, it is of little importance. What’s important are the wines, the place, and trying to remember all those stupid jokes that my grandfather told. Lucky for me, he only had a few, and he told those few often.
We have a singular focus. A focus on the wine grape varietals, Grenache Noir and Grenache Blanc. Which allows us to hone in on the subtleties and nuances of the varietal we love so much. We’re passionate about Grenache, and through the years we’ve adjusted and learned and adjusted and learned, and we think every vintage we get a little closer. Closer to what you ask? To Grenache’s true expression. And although we love and honor the wonderful wines of Southern Provence, where in our minds, Grenache reigns supreme, we make Californian wines. We are happy to see more and more Grenache and Grenache-based wines on the shelf, but we are unique in that this is all we do. We are Grenache activists and Noir rebels. And it’s literally in the definition of "Grenachista” to believe in the underdog. So here we are. I’m glad you found us.
We make very small quantities of our wines. It helps make sure that we can pay full attention to all that goes into them.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
2021 Grenachista Alder Springs Grenache Noir
Best of Class ~ 2021 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
90 points ~ JamesSuckling.com
Tasting Notes
Vineyard
Winemaking
Specs
What’s Included
3-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$552.00/Case for 12x 2021 Grenachista Alder Springs Grenache Noir at The Grenachista
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Thursday, Oct 2 - Monday, Oct 6