The nose is instantly alluring. One expects from your basic Grenache a simple strawberry aroma, but here we have in support of its bright fruitiness an intriguing collection of melon, droughty “garrigue” herbs, saddle leather, and Asian spice. The mouth is medium-bodied with fine tannins and energetic minerality
The Vineyard
There is, in my view, no other region in California that compares to the Santa Cruz Mountains for producing wines of distinctive terroir expression. Something about its mountain soils and mix of sandstone and greenstone, plus the lush surrounding herbs that encircle its tiny vineyards and impart their own distinctive “air-oir” gives each vineyard a unique stamp. The area is moderated by heavy Pacific influence but also lifted above the fog so that it enjoys plenty of cool direct sunlight, the perfect recipe for the grape to express itself.
Because of this, most of the region is best suited to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, of which there are many stunning examples. The Bates Ranch is located in the sheltered Corralitos region just south of Ridge Vineyards, and is famous for their Cabernet Sauvignon, while their Grenache, less well known, is also quite wonderful.
Malolactic fermentation in barrel
Neutral French oak aged 34 months
Food Pairing
As a result, the wine is more complex and intriguing than a simple picnic wine but is certainly suitable for an outing in some summer meadow with a basket full of chicken and three-bean salad with sun-dried tomatoes. Its tannins are more solid than previous vintages, so it would serve well with a steak. It loves game, from venison to quail, and is magic with Hunanese stir-fried beef in garlic black bean sauce.
Specs
Vintage: 2019
Varietal: Grenache
Appellation: Santa Cruz Mountains
Vineyard: Bates Ranch, Corralitos sub-region, 9th leaf of experimental planting
Clark Smith is an MIT drop-out who wandered out to California in 1972 and sold wine retail in the Bay Area for several years, where he acquired a love of Bordeaux, Burgundy, and all things French and observed firsthand the California winery explosion in the 1970s. After a three-year stint at Veedercrest Vineyards, he secured enology training at UC Davis and spent the 1980s as founding winemaker for The R.H. Phillips Vineyard in Yolo County. In 1990, he founded WineSmith Consulting and patented a group of new winemaking techniques involving reverse osmosis, spinning off Vinovation, which went on to become the world’s largest wine production consulting firm over its 17-year history.
Frustrated with California’s winemaking trends, Clark started WineSmith Cellars in 1993 as a teaching winery to make Eurocentric wines to explore traditions beyond the mainstream, expanding for his winemaking clients the range of possibility for California fruit. Choosing to create long-term partnerships with committed growers rather than growing his own grapes, Clark has become a renowned expert on Cabernet Franc, having vinified twenty vintages from a wide variety of sites.
Teaching at Napa Valley College gave him access to the Student Vineyard for Faux Chablis and his Pauillac-style $100 “Crucible” Cabernet Sauvignon. From Renaissance Vineyards in North Yuba County he has made a sulfite-free Roman Syrah and also produces a Pinot Noir from Fiddlestix Vineyard in the Santa Rita Hills in a delicate, age-worthy Côtes de Beaune style. These wines are vinified in an ancient beat-up warehouse in Sebastopol, California.
WineSmith wines are noted for their longevity, classic balance, structural integrity, minerality and understated soulfulness. They often are aged extensively prior to release. When drinking a WineSmith wine, always ask yourself “What is this wine trying to teach me?” Clark is a vocal advocate of living soil and graceful longevity, and generally avoids excessive oak, alcohol, or extended hang-time. He is not shy about employing new tools when they are needed, such as alcohol adjustment to bring fruit into balance or micro-oxygenation to build refined structure, but always fully discloses techniques which are controversial and is outspoken in explaining his rationale.
His book, Postmodern Winemaking, is the culmination of four decades of reflection on wine’s true nature.
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
Greetings, my casemates homies. I feel like this site is the place I go where my work is understood and appreciated.
For those who are new to WineSmith, we specialize in Euro-forgeries and Oddities: oddball varieties seldom seen in California.
Our mission is to demonstrate that California is a great place to make French-style wines - better than France, where getting ripeness is very challenging. Here it’s never a problem, but few of my colleagues appreciate the restraint it takes to make wines of elegant balance, proper structure, graceful longevity and soulful profundity.
This Grenache is all of those. We’ve made Grenache from the famed Bates Ranch in the Santa Cruz Mountains since 2014, and I think you’ll find this one is the best yet. We’ve offered it at a substantial discount off the suggested $40 retail price so you can celebrate International Grenache Day with us.
Just purchased a 3-pack! While I haven’t tasted this 2019 yet, I will say that the 2018 was one of the best Cali Grenaches I have ever had the pleasure of tasting (and I still have a bottle!) Complex and nuanced while still showcasing the soft fruit and great acidity that’s expected of a Grenache, I highly recommend you try this one. Bates Ranch and Clark Smith seem to be a match made in wino heaven.
@rjquillin@Sekraan@davirom
Looks like there’s enough here for 2-4 bottles each. (I’m good for 3 or 4.) I’d prefer it not have to come here if somebody else is willing to do the distribution.
@klezman@rjquillin@Sekraan I’m in the same (reverse?) position as Sekraan, i.e., I’m not likely to be in SD anytime soon. That said, I am willing to take delivery but I don’t have free shipping.
@klezman@rjquillin@Sekraan It was only 2 of the bottles, at the neck. I used a person thermometer and below 94F it just said ‘dead’ (actually, ‘low’). The wine is packed in Styrofoam and quickly came to room temperature. I am optimistic that all is well.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations.
2019 WineSmith Grenache, Santa Cruz Mountains - $60 = 23.06%
I’m so happy to be a Lab Rat for the 2019 WineSmith Bates Ranch Grenache! I am a dedicated Rhône
Ranger, and Grenache is a favorite!!!
On the pop and pour, I got a lot of “not the usual Grenache” aromas flooding my nose! What a surprise!
I detected floral notes of roses and jasmine, along with plums, allspice, white pepper, and a lingering
hint of green bell pepper. The floral notes were complimented by the fruit and spice notes, not in
conflict. (Not the “usual” strawberry aroma. This was an intriguing mix…)
In the glass, it is the characteristic “light red” that you would expect from a varietal grenache. Not the
inky depths of syrah or mourvedre. You can see through this one. Once again, just right for a Grenache!
On the palate, it started tight and a mix of medium tannins and astringent (not so unusual). Then
deliciously tart plum and raspberry took over. Medium high across the center of the palate.
As I sipped a bit more, I was thinking this would pair great with burgers, grilled pork tenderloin, or
maybe some lamb chops. Not a chicken or steak, though. Wrong sort of wine. But, because this is choir
night, I was snarfing down a Big Mac after 9pm. To be perfectly honest – it went great with the Big Mac!
This is a fabulous wine! Right up my alley for a light(er)weight red for that perfect BBQ evening with friends.
Congratulations @winesmith – you have done it again. This is delightful.
Well that last LabRat review plus all the great past experiences with @winesmith led me to the order now button pretty quick. Also noted the sales map is filling up so we have a lot more stealth buyers than commenters. so would not be surprised to see this sell out mid-day.
Clark is no stranger to these parts, so I’ll get straight to the point. This wine is a gem and you should definitely get yourself some if you want to experience an exceptional example of Grenache.
Per usual, I recruited a friend to have another person’s opinion 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: Moderate
Development: Youthful
Aromas: Strawberry, black cherry, a bit of cola perhaps, a gentle hit of oak, and something herbal I couldn’t pinpoint.
Dry/Sweet: Dry
Body: Medium
Acidity: Crisp
Tannins: Medium and round.
Balance: Good (great honestly)
Flavor intensity: Moderate
Flavors: Strawberry, black cherry, and inscrutable bright red fruit.
Finish: Short
Misc notes:
The alcohol was not noticeable. Clark works his magic to get the abv dialed in exactly where it should be. The wine is impressively crystal clear. It’s youthful, but also incredibly smooth. It could pair well with food, but drinks well on its own.
Conclusion: It’s elegant, refined, and a joy to consume. It’s very easy to drink and it will disappear sooner than you expect.
Many thanks to @winesmith , @winedavid49 , @wccwinegirl and the entire Casemates crew for all the work you do. It’s much appreciated, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to be a Lab Rat. Cheers!
For anyone interested, here’s a link to the wine tasting note form that can be downloaded for free.
Bright, medium intensity ruby center toward garnet color
Strawberries, blueberry, vanilla, cloves and cinnamon on the nose
Medium alcohol
Medium plus acidity
Medium light body
Fine ripe tannin with nice grip in harmony with the fruit
Medium length finish
An elegant Grenache with good structure, would be great with rich seafood, pork, roast chicken or as a cocktail or aperitif
My cellar is running low on Clark’s wines. Always an enjoyable wine with dinner. One of the best winemaker’s California has to offer! I’m in.
Cheers,
Scott
@ScottHarveyWine Hi Scott! I think you’ll really like the style of this one. The earthy “garrigue” note comes from a little white flower that grows in the vineyard called tarweed. A good example of “air-oir.”
Happy International Grenache Day
If you have been fortunate enough to taste & buy Clark’s 2017 & 2018 vintages, then you won’t be slow to order this 2019.
This Grenache is delightful, with a complex & intriguing nose of red fruits and even herbal notes. Whereas it has medium body and length with fine tannins and light colour, it is drinking beautifully and, in the finish, it is far from being a ‘medium’ wine.
It will match well with a very diverse range of foods from picnics to barbeque and with its’ spices it will be a happy companion to your favourite Asian cuisine.
Sounds like you are associated with the production of this – with a name like @Grafter I assume it might have to do with viticulture. (as opposed to Grifter which would be something else entirely… )
If so, @winesmith, I’d love to hear the story of how this wine comes to be. And what will happen of the land. And why nobody has bought it yet? It features 22 ACRES OF AWARD WINNING CABERNET, CABERNET FRANC & GRENACHE VINEYARDS
Also if 66,000 of us want to go in at the case price, we could just share the whole place for $13 million. You get 4 houses with it, apparently. Note: property taxes and insurance not included.
Yes, it’s that very same Bates Ranch. In 2008, I was running the Best of Appellation panel for AppellationAmerica.com and we did an extensive exploration of Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Bordeaux varieties. I worked extensively with renowned viticulturalist Prudy Foxx to define six sub-regions and review hundreds of wines. Prudy and I became fast friends, and she asked me to present our findings at Pinot Paradise.
Prudy approached me to see if I’d be interested in making Grenache off Bates Ranch and in 2014 we made both a red and a Brut Zero Methode Champenoise Grenache Blanc de Noir sparkling wine. Once they have around three years in neutral oak, these wines are immensely popular.
Many thanks to WineDavid for giving me the International Grenache Day slot every year. We still have lots of the '17 and '18 at the winery if you’re interested.
@forlich@winesmith I think I have 2 (of my 3) of the sparkling saved away for some special occasion. I noticed that the 2018 WineSmith Cellars Grenache Dry Rosé was also sourced from the Bates vineyard.
@winesmith I had a bottle of the 2014 a few months ago. A relatively new grape for me. Fabulous - One of the best wines I’ve drunk in recent memory. It prompted me to buy some 2017, 2018 (both of which were also great), and now the 2019. They have prompted me to seek out other Grenache wines, from Rhone as well as California.
@GNOP Chateauneuf du Pape alllows 16 varieties and is generally a complex blend of these. However, it is generally acknowledged that the very best CdP is Chateau Reyas, which is 95% Grenache.
2019 WineSmith Grenache, Santa Cruz Mountains
Tasting Notes
The Vineyard
Fermentation techniques
Elevage details
Food Pairing
Specs
What’s Included
3-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
Not for sale online, $360/case MSRP
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
Thursday, Oct 13 - Monday, Oct 17
2019 WineSmith Grenache
3 bottles for $64.99 $21.66/bottle + $2.67/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $199.99 $16.67/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
Greetings, my casemates homies. I feel like this site is the place I go where my work is understood and appreciated.
For those who are new to WineSmith, we specialize in Euro-forgeries and Oddities: oddball varieties seldom seen in California.
Our mission is to demonstrate that California is a great place to make French-style wines - better than France, where getting ripeness is very challenging. Here it’s never a problem, but few of my colleagues appreciate the restraint it takes to make wines of elegant balance, proper structure, graceful longevity and soulful profundity.
This Grenache is all of those. We’ve made Grenache from the famed Bates Ranch in the Santa Cruz Mountains since 2014, and I think you’ll find this one is the best yet. We’ve offered it at a substantial discount off the suggested $40 retail price so you can celebrate International Grenache Day with us.
Clark, thank you, once again, for allowing us to take part in your journey. Your wines are an auto buy and a joy to drink.
@danandlisa It’s a great pleasure to offer a wine that nobody doesn’t love.
Just purchased a 3-pack! While I haven’t tasted this 2019 yet, I will say that the 2018 was one of the best Cali Grenaches I have ever had the pleasure of tasting (and I still have a bottle!) Complex and nuanced while still showcasing the soft fruit and great acidity that’s expected of a Grenache, I highly recommend you try this one. Bates Ranch and Clark Smith seem to be a match made in wino heaven.
Any splits happening in SoCal?
@klezman I was about to ask this very question
@klezman @Sekraan
could help, as long as this goes northward.
@rjquillin @Sekraan because I have so much space?
@klezman Weather seems to have cooled enough that I would be interested in 2-3 bottles.
@rjquillin @Sekraan @davirom
Looks like there’s enough here for 2-4 bottles each. (I’m good for 3 or 4.) I’d prefer it not have to come here if somebody else is willing to do the distribution.
@davirom @klezman @rjquillin I’ll do it if you don’t mind picking it up in SD at some point (it might be quite a while before I’m headed northward)
@klezman @rjquillin @Sekraan I’m in the same (reverse?) position as Sekraan, i.e., I’m not likely to be in SD anytime soon. That said, I am willing to take delivery but I don’t have free shipping.
@davirom @klezman @Sekraan
I have zero storage room for a case…
@davirom @rjquillin @Sekraan Ron order to davirom then?
@klezman @rjquillin @Sekraan I’m good with that.
@davirom @klezman @Sekraan
done, but it seems the address was bad, so cancelled, corrected and reordered
@davirom @rjquillin @Sekraan Straight 3 each, or a different split?
@davirom @klezman @rjquillin I’m good with 3/ea
@klezman @rjquillin @Sekraan 4x3 works for me
@davirom @klezman @Sekraan
Why should I be the odd one out when we’re all odd…
@klezman @rjquillin @Sekraan The wine is here! 97F ambient at delivery. Highest bottle temperature was 94F, most were under that. Capsules look fine.
@davirom @klezman @Sekraan
My delivery in SD, different order, in styro, was just warm to the touch. Ambient only slightly lower than you report…
@davirom @rjquillin @Sekraan the whole bottle or just the neck? That’s hot!
@klezman @rjquillin @Sekraan It was only 2 of the bottles, at the neck. I used a person thermometer and below 94F it just said ‘dead’ (actually, ‘low’). The wine is packed in Styrofoam and quickly came to room temperature. I am optimistic that all is well.
Splits for MD/VA/DC?
@bunnymasseuse I’d go halvsies if you’re up for it. I’m in the Alexandria VA area.
@dkrupps
/giphy ambivalent-wireless-rat
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations.
2019 WineSmith Grenache, Santa Cruz Mountains - $60 = 23.06%
I’m so happy to be a Lab Rat for the 2019 WineSmith Bates Ranch Grenache! I am a dedicated Rhône
Ranger, and Grenache is a favorite!!!
On the pop and pour, I got a lot of “not the usual Grenache” aromas flooding my nose! What a surprise!
I detected floral notes of roses and jasmine, along with plums, allspice, white pepper, and a lingering
hint of green bell pepper. The floral notes were complimented by the fruit and spice notes, not in
conflict. (Not the “usual” strawberry aroma. This was an intriguing mix…)
In the glass, it is the characteristic “light red” that you would expect from a varietal grenache. Not the
inky depths of syrah or mourvedre. You can see through this one. Once again, just right for a Grenache!
On the palate, it started tight and a mix of medium tannins and astringent (not so unusual). Then
deliciously tart plum and raspberry took over. Medium high across the center of the palate.
As I sipped a bit more, I was thinking this would pair great with burgers, grilled pork tenderloin, or
maybe some lamb chops. Not a chicken or steak, though. Wrong sort of wine. But, because this is choir
night, I was snarfing down a Big Mac after 9pm. To be perfectly honest – it went great with the Big Mac!
This is a fabulous wine! Right up my alley for a light(er)weight red for that perfect BBQ evening with friends.
Congratulations @winesmith – you have done it again. This is delightful.
Thank you so much @winesmith and @casemates for the opportunity to taste this!
I need to dig out one of the 2018 bottles and give it a try. Missouri is now on the map.
/giphy merry-minor-scrooge
@Mark_L I see a giphy theme happening here.
@pmarin Once I got that one, there was no way I would edit my post and have it change.
Well that last LabRat review plus all the great past experiences with @winesmith led me to the order now button pretty quick. Also noted the sales map is filling up so we have a lot more stealth buyers than commenters. so would not be surprised to see this sell out mid-day.
/giphy common-owlish-quartz
Fred Fanzia
Clark is no stranger to these parts, so I’ll get straight to the point. This wine is a gem and you should definitely get yourself some if you want to experience an exceptional example of Grenache.
Per usual, I recruited a friend to have another person’s opinion 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: Moderate
Development: Youthful
Aromas: Strawberry, black cherry, a bit of cola perhaps, a gentle hit of oak, and something herbal I couldn’t pinpoint.
Dry/Sweet: Dry
Body: Medium
Acidity: Crisp
Tannins: Medium and round.
Balance: Good (great honestly)
Flavor intensity: Moderate
Flavors: Strawberry, black cherry, and inscrutable bright red fruit.
Finish: Short
Misc notes:
The alcohol was not noticeable. Clark works his magic to get the abv dialed in exactly where it should be. The wine is impressively crystal clear. It’s youthful, but also incredibly smooth. It could pair well with food, but drinks well on its own.
Conclusion: It’s elegant, refined, and a joy to consume. It’s very easy to drink and it will disappear sooner than you expect.
Many thanks to @winesmith , @winedavid49 , @wccwinegirl and the entire Casemates crew for all the work you do. It’s much appreciated, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to be a Lab Rat. Cheers!
For anyone interested, here’s a link to the wine tasting note form that can be downloaded for free.
https://www.delongwine.com/products/wine-tasting-note-form
@kawichris650 @winesmith what a beautiful color! Nice photos kwc650. Way to go Clark
Bright, medium intensity ruby center toward garnet color
Strawberries, blueberry, vanilla, cloves and cinnamon on the nose
Medium alcohol
Medium plus acidity
Medium light body
Fine ripe tannin with nice grip in harmony with the fruit
Medium length finish
An elegant Grenache with good structure, would be great with rich seafood, pork, roast chicken or as a cocktail or aperitif
Anyone in North NJ/NY (Rockland Westchester Counties) interested in a split ?
@forlich I’m interested
@forlich @jmbaker I make it up to Rockland every so often (probably next up there in late Nov). Happy to join a split if that works/helps.
any Denver area peeps interested in a split?
@jasisk I’m interested
@jasisk I’m interested too!
I purchased. will work through splits. thanks!
My cellar is running low on Clark’s wines. Always an enjoyable wine with dinner. One of the best winemaker’s California has to offer! I’m in.
Cheers,
Scott
@ScottHarveyWine Hi Scott! I think you’ll really like the style of this one. The earthy “garrigue” note comes from a little white flower that grows in the vineyard called tarweed. A good example of “air-oir.”
Happy International Grenache Day
If you have been fortunate enough to taste & buy Clark’s 2017 & 2018 vintages, then you won’t be slow to order this 2019.
This Grenache is delightful, with a complex & intriguing nose of red fruits and even herbal notes. Whereas it has medium body and length with fine tannins and light colour, it is drinking beautifully and, in the finish, it is far from being a ‘medium’ wine.
It will match well with a very diverse range of foods from picnics to barbeque and with its’ spices it will be a happy companion to your favourite Asian cuisine.
Overall, another winner, making it 3 in a row.
Sounds like you are associated with the production of this – with a name like @Grafter I assume it might have to do with viticulture. (as opposed to Grifter which would be something else entirely…
)
So is this the same Bates Ranch (the ranch itself!) that is for sale here?
https://www.batesranchvineyard.com/
If so, @winesmith, I’d love to hear the story of how this wine comes to be. And what will happen of the land. And why nobody has bought it yet? It features
22 ACRES OF AWARD WINNING CABERNET, CABERNET FRANC & GRENACHE VINEYARDS
Also if 66,000 of us want to go in at the case price, we could just share the whole place for $13 million. You get 4 houses with it, apparently. Note: property taxes and insurance not included.
Yes, it’s that very same Bates Ranch. In 2008, I was running the Best of Appellation panel for AppellationAmerica.com and we did an extensive exploration of Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Bordeaux varieties. I worked extensively with renowned viticulturalist Prudy Foxx to define six sub-regions and review hundreds of wines. Prudy and I became fast friends, and she asked me to present our findings at Pinot Paradise.
Prudy approached me to see if I’d be interested in making Grenache off Bates Ranch and in 2014 we made both a red and a Brut Zero Methode Champenoise Grenache Blanc de Noir sparkling wine. Once they have around three years in neutral oak, these wines are immensely popular.
Many thanks to WineDavid for giving me the International Grenache Day slot every year. We still have lots of the '17 and '18 at the winery if you’re interested.
@winesmith You know, I have to check my cellar I think I might have a bottle of that Sparkling Granache.
@forlich @winesmith I think I have 2 (of my 3) of the sparkling saved away for some special occasion. I noticed that the 2018 WineSmith Cellars Grenache Dry Rosé was also sourced from the Bates vineyard.
@Mark_L @winesmith
I have the 2012. I put it in the fridge so now I have a special occasion in the coming weeks
@winesmith I had a bottle of the 2014 a few months ago. A relatively new grape for me. Fabulous - One of the best wines I’ve drunk in recent memory. It prompted me to buy some 2017, 2018 (both of which were also great), and now the 2019. They have prompted me to seek out other Grenache wines, from Rhone as well as California.
@GNOP Chateauneuf du Pape alllows 16 varieties and is generally a complex blend of these. However, it is generally acknowledged that the very best CdP is Chateau Reyas, which is 95% Grenache.
/giphy organized-restorative-dancer
/giphy bitty-homely-centipede
In for 3 just in time!