As with many grape varieties, Grenache can be grown and vinified to produce a wide range of styles from massive and jammy to lightly-fruited and quaffable. While we often aim for a more elegant “Pinot” style of Grenache to highlight its exuberant and spicy red berry qualities, this baby has an intensity unlike any we have produced before.
Kent and Hanna pulled out all the stops in the cellar – it’s a true labor of love. Whole clusters of Grenache were fermented via carbonic maceration, bleeding off every drop of free run juice during cold soak for 8 days straight, then foot trod, punched down and pumped over in tank, and left on the skins for a month to soften the tannins until it was pressed and aged in neutral puncheon for a year and a half. Whew! We think you’ll agree it was totally worth it once you get it in your glass.
Ripe fruit and exotic spices absolutely soar from the glass and while there’s still that gentle grippyness on the palate that makes Grenache so food friendly, it remains quite supple and generous. When paired with a meat, cheese or a hearty red sauce pasta, you’ll unlock its true potential and really blast off.
Although this is our last vintage from Steel Plow Vineyard, the growing legions of Grenache fans shouldn’t despair. We’ve already found another great source and will apply all we’ve learned to it. Stay tuned!
DRINKING WINDOWS
Prime drinking: late 2018 — 2021 Graceful ageability: 2022 — 2024
VINEYARDS
100% Steel Plow
CLONES
100% Tablas Creek clones A, B, C & D
STATS
pH: 3.7 | TA: 5.6 g/L | Alcohol: 14.9% Bottling: March 3, 2018 | Pre-Release: Fall 2018 Cases Produced: 83
Direct sales are allocated exclusively to EK Allocation List members at a 10% discount. Orders of 6+ bottles save an additional 50% off shipping. New releases ship twice a year, once in the spring and again in the fall. Join EK Allocation List
CUSTOMIZED ALLOCATIONS
You may customize your spring and fall allocations any way you like, from 0–12 bottles of each wine. (Small-lot and list-only wines will have lower limits.) To modify your allocations, click on MY ALLOCATION above. Join EK Allocation List
REORDERS
Wines often sell out at or close to release, so we encourage making the most of your spring and fall allocations. As long as wine remains, you are welcome to reorder online through our EK Special Order store. Or contact John Gillis at john@erickentwines.com or 415.244.9453.
