2023 “Bouléguer” Grenache Noir

TASTING NOTES
Juicy strawberries and sweet cherry preserve burst from the glass, with an underpinning of a  savory garrigue and anise. As it starts to open up, the spice and woodiness from the 100% whole cluster fermentation gathers strength, layering on aromas of cinnamon, vanilla, peppercorns, and black tea. We could sit here and smell this all day. Those initial aromas carry on to the palate with the addition of sour cherries and minerality. Driving tannin balances the great natural acidity and leads to the finish where that sour cherry dances on your tongue long after the sip. This wine is destined for greatness and should hold in your cellar for many years although it’s tasting exceptional now too. Whole cluster ferments tend to do that. The longer these age, the more layers of “Grenachness” will settle in, you can expect the anise to slowly turn into a sweet licorice and the flavors and aromas of cigar box and leather that Grenache is known for develop after a few years of aging. And that is bliss.

HISTORY & VINEYARD
Bouléguer /BOO-le-geh/
Provençal slang for get a move on or get going.

We sourced this fruit from one of the most southern vineyards in SonomaCarneros that grows grapes for still wines. Most of the surroundingvineyards exclusively grow grapes for sparkling wines, which don’t need tofully ripen. As we say in the wine business, it’s too cool for school. Just kidding, no one says that.The vineyard is farmed and certified as Organic and grows one of our favorite clones of Grenache, ENTAV 362. Which is known for its bright fruit aromas and is one of the more expressive clones of Grenache.

WINEMAKING
We handpicked the Grenache Noir for this wine the night of 10/30/2023, the last fruit to come to our cellar for the vintage, one of the coolestvintages in the half decade. The grapes were put Into a small open top stainless-steel tank without destemming—just as they came from the
vineyard—then allowed to slowly warm up rather than a more traditional cold soak. (It was cold already!) Fermented with indigenous yeast and requiring no additions during fermentation. We pumped the juice from the bottom of the tank once daily until the slow, steady formation was
complete. A total of thirteen days and then pressed to settle. The wine was then moved to neutral oak barrels to age for thirteen months before being bottled unfiltered on December 20th, 2024. Minimal sulfur was added only twice in the wines cellaring, once upon completion of malolactic fermentation and a small add prior to bottling.

Casey Graybehl, Winemaker