2021 The Grenachista Grenache Noir, Cottonwood Vineyard, Napa Carneros
Tasting Notes
A new vineyard source for me in 2021, I give you my first foray into Napa Carneros with this showing from the Cottonwood Vineyard. Situated in southern Napa Valley, a stone’s throw away from the San Francisco Bay. This vineyard should have Chardonnay planted on it but Mark English decided to plant some Grenache Noir here in 2018 just because he’s crazy. The first crop came off in 2020 but was sold to a large winery that used it in a blend, which Mark wasn’t thrilled about. So a mutual friend connected us in the spring of 2021. This site is cool, probably a little too cold for Grenache, but that makes for an extraordinary expression of the varietal. Savory and dark, with loads of blackberry and bay leaf and the most amazing mid-palate. It’s almost reminds me of a Mourvedre from Bandol in that aspect.
For winemaking, I picked on September 14th 2021 in the morning. The grapes were at 23.8 degrees Brix. The fruit was fermented 100% whole cluster with indigenous yeast with a daily pump over until the juice was dry. I then pressed it into 500L neutral puncheons to age for 18 months before it was bottled unfined and unfiltered.
The 2021 Napa Carneros “Cottonwood Vineyard” is one of this winery’s exclusive Single Vineyard Designate wines produced for our special visitors and club members.
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 us 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, 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
Hi! LabRat here! I was excited to try this as I have not had a Grenache Noir before. Anytime I’ve had a Grenache its been a GSM or used as a blend in a wine so I wasn’t sure what to expect.
The initial sip was very jammy, had a lot of fruit and was very full. Later on the palate it was much softer but the initial sips maintained that jammy fullness.
Because of its fruit and boldness, I think I’d prefer to have this as a wine I drink on its own rather than pair with food. You could obviously pair it but it really shone on its own.
The wine held up to a couple of days on the UPS truck in the ~100 degree Texas weather. It arrived pretty warm so we gave it a day to recover before opening on Saturday. Pop and pour revealed a strong scent of alcohol, very tart, and a slight funk. We let it rest for about an hour and it opened up substantially. It has a nice garnet color that is neither heavy or rusty. The nose is strawberry, cherry, and leather. Very clean, bright and tart cherry on the first taste and even next day. It is ever so slightly dry. My wife likes dry reds, but I don’t typically like dry wines. However, I really like this wine and find that the berry brightness counterbalances the slight dryness to reveal an elegant easy drinking wine. We had the wine by itself and with some smoked oysters. We found that it actually paired very well with the oysters. More conservatively, I think this would be great with salads, chicken, and fish dishes, but also great on its own. Although we didn’t have the opportunity to try this weekend, it could also function as a nice counterbalance to heavier dishes like stews, Texas brisket etc. We don’t have a good guess for what it will go for but recommend this to anyone who enjoys a slightly lighter wine that still carries a big punch of tart cherry. It’s veerrry nice!
Thanks Alice and Casemates for the opportunity!
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2021 The Grenachista Grenache Noir - $50 = 16.66%
Ordered their 2019 Mathis in June last year. Definite perfect expression of Grenache = a definite “re-order” of this different vineyard from same producer.
Hey All!
Happy to be back here. Seems like it’s become an annual thing. This was my first vintage off a new site. And a really unique site at that for Grenache. For those of you not familiar with the southern end of Napa, or “Napa Carneros” it is a cooler, wind swept part of Napa County right next to the San Francisco Bay. Most of what is grown there is Chardonnay, with some plantings of Pinot Noir and some of the Bordeaux’s that like a little less heat too, such as Cab Franc and Merlot. But Grenache? Not so much. But this crazy bastard that I was introduced planted a little over an acre to some of my favorite clone of Grenache and was looking for a buyer. The previous vintage (the vineyard’s first with fruit) had ended up in a big Rosé blend and the grower was not thrilled with that. So when I went out to meet him and see the site, I was all in at first glance. It it’s right in the middle of a HUGE ranch that’s 100% Chardonnay. I’m finding more and more that I like the expressions from cooler sites when it comes to Grenache, this fits the bill perfectly. great fruit, blackberries and black plums, savory, bay leaf and garrigue. And great tannin structure and this salinity that is most unique. I also have a feeling this wine is going to be in it for the long haul. A great candidate to lay down for a while as I think it’s still got a another few years before it’s really ready to drink. But I like it now too.
@TheGrenachista
Any comparisons/contrasts you could make to your other offers here from earlier? For those of us that are familiar with those…
And, btw, thanks for again joining in with the offer and presence here.
Hard to compare/contrast between the other two vineyard designate Grenache’s I’ve had here in the past. Those being my Dry Creek, which in my opinion leans towards Pinot Noir in it’s profile vs my Sonoma Valley Grenache, which is more in the style of a Grenache from Gigondas. This is uniquely it’s own and closer to my Alder Springs, Mendocino County bottling, which is a cooler site as well. And also a wine I have not sold here. I find the cooler sites for Grenache seem to make bigger wines. More density and ripe fruit and the cooler site also means more natural acidity. I always lean toward balance and nuance in my wines vs big and bold (and overtly “hot”). So, I guess short story long, No I can’t.
I can’t do a full case, unless some 'mates want to split, but if that doesn’t happen I’m in for the three bottle offer I really would have liked to see as four.
I’m sure y’all have seen the useless drivel I’m about to post by now, I’ve been looking over my shoulder at Debby…on to more important things, like those 100% accurate can’t be argued with pro reviews!
Wine Enthusiast had this to say December '23:
89 points. Sweet spice and berry pie aromas lead to ripe and dried-fruit flavors in this rich, jammy wine from a producer passionate about the grape variety. A full body and medium tannins give a mouthfilling effect to the texture. — Jim Gordon
Spectator:
92 points. Delicate and pretty, with rich and floral notes of raspberry, fresh violets and savory pepper that glide toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2031. 125 cases made. Tim Fish
Observation on pricing, there is an error above where it states case price at the winery is $336. That is for the $28 North Coast bottling. The correct price at the winery for case 12 of this wine is $552.
2021 The Grenachista Grenache Noir, Cottonwood Vineyard, Napa Carneros
Tasting Notes
Specs
What’s Included
3-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$336.00/Case for 12x 2021 The Grenachista Grenache Noir, Cottonwood Vineyard, Napa Carneros at The Grenachista
About The Winery
The Story
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, 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
Monday, Aug 26 - Tuesday, Aug 27
2021 The Grenachista Grenache Noir
3 bottles for $74.99 $25/bottle + $2.67/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $249.99 $20.83/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
Hi! LabRat here! I was excited to try this as I have not had a Grenache Noir before. Anytime I’ve had a Grenache its been a GSM or used as a blend in a wine so I wasn’t sure what to expect.
The initial sip was very jammy, had a lot of fruit and was very full. Later on the palate it was much softer but the initial sips maintained that jammy fullness.
Because of its fruit and boldness, I think I’d prefer to have this as a wine I drink on its own rather than pair with food. You could obviously pair it but it really shone on its own.
The wine held up to a couple of days on the UPS truck in the ~100 degree Texas weather. It arrived pretty warm so we gave it a day to recover before opening on Saturday. Pop and pour revealed a strong scent of alcohol, very tart, and a slight funk. We let it rest for about an hour and it opened up substantially. It has a nice garnet color that is neither heavy or rusty. The nose is strawberry, cherry, and leather. Very clean, bright and tart cherry on the first taste and even next day. It is ever so slightly dry. My wife likes dry reds, but I don’t typically like dry wines. However, I really like this wine and find that the berry brightness counterbalances the slight dryness to reveal an elegant easy drinking wine. We had the wine by itself and with some smoked oysters. We found that it actually paired very well with the oysters. More conservatively, I think this would be great with salads, chicken, and fish dishes, but also great on its own. Although we didn’t have the opportunity to try this weekend, it could also function as a nice counterbalance to heavier dishes like stews, Texas brisket etc. We don’t have a good guess for what it will go for but recommend this to anyone who enjoys a slightly lighter wine that still carries a big punch of tart cherry. It’s veerrry nice!
Thanks Alice and Casemates for the opportunity!
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2021 The Grenachista Grenache Noir - $50 = 16.66%
The 2017 vintage was offered here 3/5/2021.
@Mark_L
reminding that the write-up however does say this is the first time from this vineyard, not the same as the prior offers from SV and DCV
Ordered their 2019 Mathis in June last year. Definite perfect expression of Grenache = a definite “re-order” of this different vineyard from same producer.
Hey All!
Happy to be back here. Seems like it’s become an annual thing. This was my first vintage off a new site. And a really unique site at that for Grenache. For those of you not familiar with the southern end of Napa, or “Napa Carneros” it is a cooler, wind swept part of Napa County right next to the San Francisco Bay. Most of what is grown there is Chardonnay, with some plantings of Pinot Noir and some of the Bordeaux’s that like a little less heat too, such as Cab Franc and Merlot. But Grenache? Not so much. But this crazy bastard that I was introduced planted a little over an acre to some of my favorite clone of Grenache and was looking for a buyer. The previous vintage (the vineyard’s first with fruit) had ended up in a big Rosé blend and the grower was not thrilled with that. So when I went out to meet him and see the site, I was all in at first glance. It it’s right in the middle of a HUGE ranch that’s 100% Chardonnay. I’m finding more and more that I like the expressions from cooler sites when it comes to Grenache, this fits the bill perfectly. great fruit, blackberries and black plums, savory, bay leaf and garrigue. And great tannin structure and this salinity that is most unique. I also have a feeling this wine is going to be in it for the long haul. A great candidate to lay down for a while as I think it’s still got a another few years before it’s really ready to drink. But I like it now too.
@TheGrenachista
Any comparisons/contrasts you could make to your other offers here from earlier? For those of us that are familiar with those…
And, btw, thanks for again joining in with the offer and presence here.
Hard to compare/contrast between the other two vineyard designate Grenache’s I’ve had here in the past. Those being my Dry Creek, which in my opinion leans towards Pinot Noir in it’s profile vs my Sonoma Valley Grenache, which is more in the style of a Grenache from Gigondas. This is uniquely it’s own and closer to my Alder Springs, Mendocino County bottling, which is a cooler site as well. And also a wine I have not sold here. I find the cooler sites for Grenache seem to make bigger wines. More density and ripe fruit and the cooler site also means more natural acidity. I always lean toward balance and nuance in my wines vs big and bold (and overtly “hot”). So, I guess short story long, No I can’t.
@TheGrenachista @winedavid59
Thanks!
I can’t do a full case, unless some 'mates want to split, but if that doesn’t happen I’m in for the three bottle offer I really would have liked to see as four.
@rjquillin @Winedavid59
@rjquillin I’m down to split
@swizzel
Do we have a third for any bottles?
Doesn’t need to be an even split.
@swizzel
Work is moving in a couple of weeks.
Bottles still holding there for you.
Gonna be around anytime soon?
Sounds interesting - in for 3
fascinated-rushing-krill
I’m sure y’all have seen the useless drivel I’m about to post by now, I’ve been looking over my shoulder at Debby…on to more important things, like those 100% accurate can’t be argued with pro reviews!
Wine Enthusiast had this to say December '23:
89 points. Sweet spice and berry pie aromas lead to ripe and dried-fruit flavors in this rich, jammy wine from a producer passionate about the grape variety. A full body and medium tannins give a mouthfilling effect to the texture. — Jim Gordon
Spectator:
92 points. Delicate and pretty, with rich and floral notes of raspberry, fresh violets and savory pepper that glide toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2031. 125 cases made. Tim Fish
Observation on pricing, there is an error above where it states case price at the winery is $336. That is for the $28 North Coast bottling. The correct price at the winery for case 12 of this wine is $552.
fwiw
@kaolis
100%? Perhaps if you add them together?
/snark
@rjquillin The rats did not agree either
very jammy, had a lot of fruit and was very full
an elegant easy drinking wine
Your highlights point this out as well
@kaolis clearly differing palates, pallets, palettes…
bottle variation?
Auto buy. Bring back the Blanc!!!
/giphy money rain
@KingKoopa Since we went all Estate with the Grenach Blanc, there just hasn’t been enough of it.
@TheGrenachista do you have a drinking window for this? Pulled and drank a bottle of 2019 in anticipation, and it was singing
@KingKoopa Glad to hear. I’d probably give it a least another year.
Anyone get shipping notices on this one yet?
I do realize it’s still 10 days before the earliest expected date, but just asking.
@rjquillin I received delivery today
I received my 3 pack yesterday, SoCal 103 - 2 bottles leaking.
@PLSemenza
damn, better look at mine then…
@PLSemenza sad. My 3 pack was fine. Midwest.
@bobferg @PLSemenza
all sealed, no leakers, in my (styro) delivery
@PLSemenza Well that sucks. email me and I’ll see what I can do for you casey@thegrenachista.com