Ever had a carbonic white? We’ve all had gobs of Gamay, Cab-Franc and Pinot–maybe even a Merlot or Cab–so this is interesting! Hazy orange with a lazy drift of slurry. Atomic nose of intense green-briar and firm melon and hard pear, with definite cider-y feel. Blind, I might say a flat pet-nat, which… well, don’t think about that one too hard. A sharp edge of mineral coats the citrus.
Tasting it offers a SERIOUS white wine. I feel people tend to automatically classify carbonic wines as lighter and fluffier, but here it somewhat goes the opposite direction. Because I’ve HAD this guy’s Grenache Blanc, and it’s your pretty normal pure, clean, focused GB. This is creamy and piquant, chewily-fruited and even tannic. The pear goes sharp applesauce, the melon goes kiwi and boysenberry, the briar taking on a hairy velvet of rasp.
A very unusual wine fudging boundaries all OVER the place. Bright, granite-sharp grip in the finish bring your carbonic fantasies full-circle. Remember back in the 90’s the whole hilarious”*Viognier is the red wine-drinker’s white” campaign? Well THIS right here is a red wine-drinker’s white. This thing means business.
2021 THE. GRENACHISTA ‘Carbonic’ Grenache Blanc Kitty Face Vyd Sonoma Valley 13.0
Stephen McConnell 