Our 2020 Grenache Noir displays the exuberant black fruit flavors and rich, spice characteristics typically found in Grenache from cool coastal climates. The aromas are bright and bursting with notes of black raspberry, pie crust, and bay leaf on the nose. On the palate, the wine has vibrant acidity, fine-grained tannins, and notes of cracked white pepper and black cherries.
Vintage
2020 created a new meaning for the term "dry Januaryā. We saw no significant rainfall for all of January and February, which are normally our wettest months. Luckily, we received some late rain in March, April, and May, which in many ways is when it is most beneficial as the vines are coming out of dormancy and able to uptake the moisture. Bud break was a little delayed for us, largely due to the late moisture. The summer was for the most part cooler than average on the coast, with minimal heat spikes until September, when we saw a record-breaking 120Ā°F at the winery over Labor Day Weekend. We rushed into harvest although the vines proved resilient in the heat. 2020 was a historic year for wildfires but fortunately there were no grapes in this bottling negatively impacted by smoke.
Viticulture & Winemaking
Sourced from Morro View Vineyard. This vineyard is one of our closest neighbors, less than a mile North West from the Estate. As such, it shares our cool climate and produces Grenache that is stylistically and qualitatively very similar to our Estate Grenache with great purity of fruit and exceptional acid retention.
The grapes are hand-harvested at night and processed at the winery in the cool of the morning. We destem some of the fruit into the fermenter and then add a portion whole cluster on top. After a 3-day cold soak, we allow the ferment warm and the native yeasts to become active. We manage the extraction using gentle pump overs, not allowing the ferment to exceed 85Ā°F. The whole clusters contribute a semi-carbonic lift to the red fruit aromatics. Following fermentation, this wine is aged in large format French oak for 8 months.
Pairings:
This wine will pair well with cuisine ranging from eggplant parmesan to spicy pork tacos and can be aged for up to five years.
Malene is uniquely dedicated to producing distinctive wines with a ProvenƧal-style flair and meant to be served outdoors with a wide range of foods. We make our wines sustainably and simply with an uncompromising commitment to quality and in partnership with farmers who share in our values.
Our winemaker Brianne Engles crafts wines that speak to the distinctive varieties that thrive in the warm, long growing season on the Central Coast of California. Over her 20 years in the winemaking industry, Brianne has had the opportunity to work at several notable wineries including Two Hands in South Australia, Duckhorn and Quintessa in Napa Valley, and Adelaida Cellars in Paso Robles. With each wine she makes she strives to honor the terroir from which the grapes are grown and to capture the essence of San Luis Obispoās coastal sunshine, soil, and the uniqueness of each vintage.
You can find our ā69 Airstream trailer, the Malene Scene, parked adjacent to Chamisal Vineyards in San Luis Obispo. Malene is open from April through October.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
TL/DR: This is a great young, fruity, Grenache perfect for enjoying on a warm day.
I received the email from Alice well in advance letting me know a Lab Rat bottle was on its way. So it had plenty of time to rest and I opened it Sunday evening. Per usual, I recruited a friend to have another personās perspective and we used a De Long tasting note sheet as a framework to form the following notes.
Color depth: Medium
Color hue: Ruby
Clarity: Clear
Aroma intensity: Low
Development: Youthful
Aromas: Strawberry, spice, and something herbal I couldnāt pinpoint.
Dry/Sweet: Dry
Body: Medium
Acidity: Tart
Tannins: Low and soft.
Balance: Fair
Flavor intensity: Moderate
Flavors: Strawberry, black pepper, sour cherry.
Finish: Medium
Misc notes:
This wine is very young, fresh, and fruit forward. The wine is completely dry, but the fruit does provide a little bit of perceived sweetness. This is a great warm weather wine.
I know this isnāt exactly a fair comparison, but I decided to open a 2014 WineSmith Grenache as a fun experiment to compare/contrast the two wines.
Just to be clear, the Malene is a very enjoyable wine. However, when compared side-by-side with Clarkās Grenache, both of us liked the WineSmith better. With it being 6 years older, it had more depth and complexity that we both enjoyed. It was simply more in our wheelhouse.
Many thanks to Malene, @winedavid49 , @wccwinegirl and the entire Casemates crew for all the work you do. Itās much appreciated, and Iām always grateful for the opportunity to be a Lab Rat. Cheers!
For anyone interested, hereās a link to the wine tasting note form that can be downloaded for free.
@kawichris650 thanks for the rattage. If I recall correctly, Clarkās Grenache is earthier with some mushroom undertones. I assume this Grenache is made in a more fruit forward style that is leaner and not as complex. Am I far off? That being said, would you consider this a great QPR? The $40 SRP seems a bit high imo but the case price is intriguing
In regards to the price, my friend and I both thought ~$15 would be a good value for this wine. The MSRP does seem inflated, but the case price here is reasonable.
@kawichris650@losthighwayz I find a lot of grenache-led wines to be very fruit forward, including some ChĆ¢teauneuf-du-Pape. Itās almost something I consider an attribute of the grapeā¦ but Winesmithās Bates Ranch grenache is made in a dramatically different style.
This does look lighter in color than most (although I notice itās sitting in a ray of sunlight). I think some Iāve had have been this light, maybe Ocelli? Itās been a while. But thank you for the rat report! From the notes Iām definitely interested, so Iām in:
/giphy flexible-unkind-silicon
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations).
2020 Malene Grenache Noir - $60 = 23.07%
2020 Malene Grenache Noir, Edna Valley
Tasting Notes
Vintage
Viticulture & Winemaking
The grapes are hand-harvested at night and processed at the winery in the cool of the morning. We destem some of the fruit into the fermenter and then add a portion whole cluster on top. After a 3-day cold soak, we allow the ferment warm and the native yeasts to become active. We manage the extraction using gentle pump overs, not allowing the ferment to exceed 85Ā°F. The whole clusters contribute a semi-carbonic lift to the red fruit aromatics. Following fermentation, this wine is aged in large format French oak for 8 months.
Pairings:
Specs
Whatās Included
3-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$276.00/Case for 12x 2020 Malene Grenache Noir, Edna Valley at Malene
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Jul 10 - Thursday, Jul 13
2020 Malene Grenache Noir
3 bottles for $64.99 $21.66/bottle + $2.67/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $199.99 $16.67/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2020 Malene Grenache Noir
TL/DR: This is a great young, fruity, Grenache perfect for enjoying on a warm day.
I received the email from Alice well in advance letting me know a Lab Rat bottle was on its way. So it had plenty of time to rest and I opened it Sunday evening. Per usual, I recruited a friend to have another personās perspective and we used a De Long tasting note sheet as a framework to form the following notes.
Color depth: Medium
Color hue: Ruby
Clarity: Clear
Aroma intensity: Low
Development: Youthful
Aromas: Strawberry, spice, and something herbal I couldnāt pinpoint.
Dry/Sweet: Dry
Body: Medium
Acidity: Tart
Tannins: Low and soft.
Balance: Fair
Flavor intensity: Moderate
Flavors: Strawberry, black pepper, sour cherry.
Finish: Medium
Misc notes:
This wine is very young, fresh, and fruit forward. The wine is completely dry, but the fruit does provide a little bit of perceived sweetness. This is a great warm weather wine.
I know this isnāt exactly a fair comparison, but I decided to open a 2014 WineSmith Grenache as a fun experiment to compare/contrast the two wines.
Just to be clear, the Malene is a very enjoyable wine. However, when compared side-by-side with Clarkās Grenache, both of us liked the WineSmith better. With it being 6 years older, it had more depth and complexity that we both enjoyed. It was simply more in our wheelhouse.
Many thanks to Malene, @winedavid49 , @wccwinegirl and the entire Casemates crew for all the work you do. Itās much appreciated, and Iām always grateful for the opportunity to be a Lab Rat. Cheers!
For anyone interested, hereās a link to the wine tasting note form that can be downloaded for free.
https://www.delongwine.com/products/wine-tasting-note-form
@kawichris650 wow that is very light, almost looks like rose
@kawichris650 thanks for the rattage. If I recall correctly, Clarkās Grenache is earthier with some mushroom undertones. I assume this Grenache is made in a more fruit forward style that is leaner and not as complex. Am I far off? That being said, would you consider this a great QPR? The $40 SRP seems a bit high imo but the case price is intriguing
@losthighwayz
You hit the nail on the head.
In regards to the price, my friend and I both thought ~$15 would be a good value for this wine. The MSRP does seem inflated, but the case price here is reasonable.
@kawichris650 write up mentions whole cluster
Did you detect any? We are big fans of whole cluster/stem inclusion
Thanks
@losthighwayz
Per the writeup:
Unfortunately that wasnāt detected whatsoever.
@kawichris650 @losthighwayz I find a lot of grenache-led wines to be very fruit forward, including some ChĆ¢teauneuf-du-Pape. Itās almost something I consider an attribute of the grapeā¦ but Winesmithās Bates Ranch grenache is made in a dramatically different style.
This does look lighter in color than most (although I notice itās sitting in a ray of sunlight). I think some Iāve had have been this light, maybe Ocelli? Itās been a while. But thank you for the rat report! From the notes Iām definitely interested, so Iām in:
/giphy flexible-unkind-silicon
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations).
2020 Malene Grenache Noir - $60 = 23.07%