2008 Larner Vineyard Grenache
This is the first release of our Larner Vineyard Grenache and I could not be happier with the results! This vineyard is a truly special one, planted on 100% sand so the grapes really need to struggle to find water. Subsequently, at harvest, the grapes are fully ripe at lower sugar levels, possess higher acid and a lower pH than grapes from other vineyards in the area, and have a real ‘vibrancy’ to them. As with all other red wines I produce, this wine was aged in neutral French oak, in this case for about 22 months. I used about 20% whole cluster in this 100% grenache wine to add structure and give more ‘nuances’ to the aromas. If you like grenache, or want to like grenache, get your hands on this wine soon!
Here is what The Rhone Report had to say about the wine in their December, 2011 newsletter:
Slightly less aromatics but richer and more structured than the Watch Hill, the 2008 Tercero Grenache Larner Vineyard has solid ripeness on the nose with blackberry, smoked earth, dried meats, and toasted spice aromas. This leads to a medium-bodied wine that has fleshy, yet focused texture, good concentration, almost too much juicy acidity, and plenty of length on the finish. Upfront and approachable, this benefits from a decant and should have 5-8 years, if not longer, of prime drinking. As with the Watch Hill Vineyard, this is made in a slightly restrained, fresh style and it is far from a fruit bomb.
Only 50 cases produced.
- Description
- 2008 Larner Vineyard Grenache
