Light thin garnet. Mild and shy at first, but slowly developing a fantastic nose of smooth calm cinnamon asphalt and sweet oak with a bit of alcohol. Intense stirrings of sour pie cherry over mascarpone and whipped cream alongside an elegant earthiness. Honey camelizing on hot rocks create an alpine icing so full and round the rich Cola–laced and dirty–can barely keep it grounded.
Alisos Vineyard is one of my top couple Rhone sources in Santa Barbara Couty and BOTH are in Los Alamos Valley. This tiny in-house production Grenache truly shines and is is a 4-barrel lot which brilliantly represents what Alisos–and Los Alamos Valley–is capable of.
In the mouth, everything you expected in the nose shines through perfectly. Round and full but still edgily nuanced–biting and sharp–its acid and bitter tannin manage perfect balance throughout the palate alongside the round smoky fruit. More cola and licorice mingle with mint and minerality making for one of the most memorable Grenaches in memory.
2014 PRESS GANG CELLARS Grenache Alisos Vineyard Santa Barbara Co. 14.9

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