2020 Department 66 'D66' Grenache Cotes Catalanes France

2020 Department 66 ‘D66’ Grenache Cotes Catalanes France

with No Comment $30 and underFranceGrenacheKevin VogtRhone Valley

Department 66

‘D66’ Grenache 2020
Côtes Catalanes, France

2020 Department 66 'D66' Grenache Cotes Catalanes France

Dave Phinney’s 2020 Department 66 “D66” Grenache embodies bold creativity, revealing richness, old-vine sophistication, and profound depth. Crafted by visionary winemaker David Phinney, known for audacious, crowd-pleasing wines, D66 is a compelling endeavor rooted in the sun-drenched landscapes of France’s Roussillon region, where French elegance converges with Spanish intensity.

Sourced from the distinguished Côtes Catalanes IGP, the grapes flourish under the Mediterranean’s dynamic climate, where warm days are tempered by cool nights. This pronounced diurnal shift imparts remarkable concentration and lively acidity to the fruit.

The 2020 vintage artfully blends the bold, fruit-driven character of Californian winemaking with the refined finesse of French terroir. Each sip weaves a captivating story, harmonizing robust richness with graceful nuance, delivering an unforgettable experience that bridges two worlds. Treat yourself to a Grenache that defies borders and conventions, poised to enchant your senses.

Department 66
‘D66’ Grenache 2020
Côtes Catalanes, France
Retails at: $40

Your Price: $29.99

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“The Orin Swift 2020 Department 66 Grenache open with a rich, complex nose of wild strawberries, blackberries, plums, baking spices, earth, and a hint of wet stony minerality. On the palate, the wine has flavors of ripe black cherries, black currants, fudge brownies, and baking spices. The wine has a solid structure with firm tannins, indicating a suitability for further aging, but also a friendly approachability making it drinkable now.”

94 Points

2019 Scarlett Grenache McGah Vineyard Rutherford Estate

2019 Scarlett Grenache McGah Vineyard Rutherford Estate

with No Comment $30-$40GrenacheKevin VogtNapaRutherfordUSA

Scarlett

Grenache 2019
McGah Vineyard
Rutherford Estate

2019 Scarlett Grenache McGah Vineyard Rutherford Estate

Scarlett’s 2019 Estate Grenache beckons with a captivating departure from Rutherford’s celebrated Bordeaux tradition, revealing the region’s alluvial soils—woven with gravelly sands and loam—as a generous haven for Rhône varietals. Ancient sediments from the Mayacamas and Vaca Mountains have shaped this distinctive terroir, creating an exquisite foundation where Grenache flourishes with striking clarity.

Crafted by winemaker Mike Smith, whose artistry was refined through years alongside acclaimed vintner Thomas Brown, this wine reflects a mastery honed at Napa Valley estates like Maybach Family, Tamber Bey, and Carter Cellars. Smith’s vision captures Rutherford’s distinctive character, yielding a Grenache of remarkable depth and expressive finesse.

Born from Napa Valley’s exceptional 2019 vintage, Scarlett’s Grenache offers elegant refinement and approachable luxury. It celebrates the region’s storied terroir, inviting you to savor Rutherford’s singular character. As Wine Advocate noted, “For the price, the quality is extraordinary.”

At our price, it’s even better…

Scarlett
Grenache 2019
McGah Vineyard
Rutherford Estate
Retails at: $45

Your Price: $32

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“The exotically perfumed 2019 Grenache is—at least for the moment—a one-off effort, as the protective purchaser backed out of their contract, leaving the grapes to Scarlett and winemaker Mike Smith. Made with 50% whole clusters from head-trained vines planted in 2010, this is floral, and spicy—a veritable potpourri on the nose, backed by ripe cherries. Full-bodied and supple, this is just great stuff, which shows no sign of its considerable alcohol (16+%). 150 cases produced. For the price, the quality is off the charts.”

94 Points

2018 Top Source Red Blend Columbia Valley

2018 Top Source Red Blend Columbia Valley

with No Comment $30 and underColumbia ValleyGrenacheKevin VogtProprietary RedSyrahUSAWashington State

TOP SOURCE

RED BLEND 2018
COLUMBIA VALLEY

2018 Top Source Red Blend Columbia Valley
Meredith Hyslop is a Walla Walla native who graduated from the Walla Walla Wine Institute in 2007 before moving to Dijon, France, to complete a Master’s program in International Wine business. After her studies, Meredith moved to the Languedoc-Roussillon in Southern France, where she spent 12 years working in the wine industry and found many significant similarities to the climate of her home in Eastern Washington.
 
Realizing that Syrah and Grenache thrive in Columbia Valley’s volcanic soils and high diurnal range, Meredith founded Top Source to showcase Rhône-style blends from the AVA’s idyllic conditions and terroir. 
 
Meredith hand-selected three organically farmed sites for her 2018 Red Wine, blended at bottled at her partner’s winery, Cayuse Vineyards, one of Washington State’s most iconic producers. The Blend combines 70% Syrah with 30% Grenache, aged in neutral oak, highlighting the region’s fruit and world-class growing conditions.
 
TOP SOURCE
RED BLEND 2018
COLUMBIA VALLEY
Retails at: $30
 
 
 
“The 2018 Red Wine Columbia Valley combines Syrah (70%) with Grenache (30%). The palate is wonderfully stony with bright red fruits that mingle with orange rind, umami and pretty pomegranate seed flavors. The salty accents really make this sing.”
93 Points
2021 Standard Deviation Grenache Bennett Valley

2021 Standard Deviation Grenache Bennett Valley

with No Comment $30-$40Bennett ValleyGrenacheKevin VogtSonomaUSA

STANDARD DEVIATION 

GRENACHE 2021
BENNETT VALLEY

2021 Standard Deviation Grenache Bennett Valley
Standard Deviation is the culmination of two great minds in the wine industry with dreams to create high-quality, micro-production wines at an everyday budget. Winemaker Justin Harmon and Vintner Josh Peeples bring Standard Deviation from exceptional terroir in Bennet Valley. Justin is known for his Argot wines, while Josh owns Elyse Winery and has made wine since 2002. He previously co-founded a start-up order management software company for the beverage industry in the late 1990s.
 
Grenache grapes are widely grown worldwide and used to produce single-varietal wines and blends, particularly notable in the wines of the Rhône Valley. Bennet Valley in Sonoma County provides an ideal growing environment for Grenache with a cool climate that lengthens the grapes’ hang time, promoting deep flavor development. The exemplary 2021 vintage produced lower yields, further concentrating flavors and aromas, resulting in a remarkably pure, fresh, complex wine.
 
STANDARD DEVIATION 
GRENACHE 2021
BENNETT VALLEY
Retails at: $65
 
 
 
“The Standard Deviation 2021 Grenache from Bennet Valley opens with fresh lavender, rosemary, bright red fruits, white pepper, and an earthy minerality. On the palate, the wine has concentrated flavors of bing cherry, strawberry, cranberry, savory spice, and blackberry compote. The wine has a silky texture and fresh acidity that perfectly complements the fruit flavors and delivers a delicious finish.”
94 Points
2018 Proelio Vinedos Viejos Rioja Garnacha

2018 Proelio Vinedos Viejos Rioja Garnacha

with No Comment $30 and underGrenacheKevin VogtRiojaSpain

PROELIO

VINEDOS VIEJOS RIOJA
GARNACHA 2018

2018 Proelio Vinedos Viejos Rioja Garnacha
Palacios Vinos de Finca owns three wineries in Spain, and Proelio is their Riojan winery dedicated to expressing high-altitude vineyard terroirs within the region. Proelio’s small plots of old vine Garnacha, Tempranillo, and Graciano contribute distinctive Riojan characteristics to each wine produced.
 
The high-density vineyards where the grapes for the Viñedos Viejos Garnacha are grown thrive in the Alto Najerilla subzone with calcareous clay soils thrusting forth an array of complex aromas and flavors. The 2018 release is 100% varietal and fermented with native yeasts in wooden vats, with 30% stem inclusion, giving a fuller body with vibrant aromas and a silky texture for an unbelievable value.
 
PROELIO
VINEDOS VIEJOS RIOJA
GARNACHA 2018
 
 
 
“A fragrant garnacha with aromas of redcurrants, pomegranate, wild strawberries, thyme, lavender and lemon grass. Some oyster shell, too. Full-bodied with sleek tannins and bright acidity. Silky and vibrant with a long, fresh finish. Drink or hold.”
92 Points
 
“The red 2018 Viñedos Viejos is a perfumed and elegant Garnacha from Cárdenas in the Najerilla zone on red clay and sandstone soils aged in large oak vats for one year. It has 14.5% alcohol but with great balance, and the wine doesn’t come through as ripe or hot at all. In fact, it feels quite fresh, reflecting a cooler vintage. It’s varietal, clean, with integrated oak and with a vibrant and tasty palate…”
92 Points
2013 Relic Grenache Mount Veeder Napa Valley

2013 Relic Grenache Mount Veeder Napa Valley

with No Comment $30-$40GrenacheKevin VogtMt VeederNapaUSA

RELIC

GRENACHE 2013
MOUNT VEEDER
NAPA VALLEY

2013 Relic Grenache Mount Veeder Napa Valley
Relic is a boutique wine project by Behrens & Hitchcock alumnus Mike Hirby and Schatzi Throckmorton that specializes in high-quality Bordeaux and Rhone varieties. The wines were made in Behren’s cellars for the first eight years of production, allowing Mike and Schatzi to focus on crafting the greatest wines possible without relying on financial investors.
 
Mike gained additional experience as the winemaker for Realm from 2002 to 2010. Together with Schatzi, the two share a limitless passion for creating wines that express the nuances of the vintage and their unique origin. The 2013 Grenache was sourced from shale and sandy soils on steep, south-facing slopes on Mount Veeder, giving perfectly ripe, juicy fruit with spicy undertones and an impressive capacity for aging.
 
RELIC
GRENACHE 2013
MOUNT VEEDER
NAPA VALLEY
Retails at: $60
 
 
 
“The 2013 Grenache, from Paras Vineyard on Mt. Veeder, is deep, plush and bursting at the seams with intense red fleshed fruit. Succulent and beautifully layered, the Grenache oozes character. A hint of French oak shapes the finish in a racy, voluptuous Grenache that is an absolute joy to taste today. Drink 2016-2023.”
94 Points
2019 La Sirena Aviatrix Grenache El Dorado

2019 La Sirena Aviatrix Grenache El Dorado

with No Comment $30-$40GrenacheKevin VogtUSA

LA SIRENA

AVIATRIX GRENACHE
EL DORADO 2019

2019 La Sirena Aviatrix Grenache El Dorado
Heidi Peterson Barrett is one of Napa Valley’s most celebrated and talented winemakers and has created some of Napa Valley’s most sought-after wines since the 1980s. Between her position as an independent winemaker at Dalla Valle in the late 1980s and developing a small project called Screaming Eagle soon afterward, Heidi’s career took flight as she earned five 100-point scores for her efforts within a few short years.
 
Heidi started La Sirena in 1994, and Aviatrix, a brand that’s an homage to her love of flight as a helicopter pilot, is a boutique line of small production wines she crafts with her distinguished expertise, unparalleled passion, and very adventurous spirit. The 2019 Grenache comes from El Dorado County, an area recognized for producing Rhône-style wines with incredible complexity and pure varietal character at a price point with sky-high appeal.
 
LA SIRENA
AVIATRIX GRENACHE
EL DORADO 2019
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“The 2019 La Sirena Aviatrix Grenache has a complex and intriguing nose with aromas of rosemary, lavender, peppercorns, red cherry, berry bramble, and cigar box. On the palate, flavors of cranberry, red plum, white pepper, and dried herbs are in a delicate balance with soft, ripe tannins and juicy acidity. This wine drinks best with a slight chill that allows the complex range of flavors dances into an elegant, lengthy finish.”
95 Points
 
2019 Skinner Grenache Rogue El Dorado

2019 Skinner Grenache Rogue El Dorado

with No Comment $30 and underGrenacheKevin VogtUSA

SKINNER

GRENACHE ROUGE
EL DORADO 2019

2019 Skinner Grenache Rogue El Dorado
Skinner Vineyards is one of the country’s first wineries, established in 1861 by a Scottish miner named James Skinner. The winery serendipitously ended up back in the hands of the same Skinner family in 2006 when Kevin and Kathy Skinner came across the name on an old map and purchased 25 acres a mile from the original property.
 
The Skinners planted their vineyard modeled after the initial planting during the Gold Rush, including an assortment of Rhône varietals for which the winery is known. Grenache is part of the Skinner legacy and thrives in the rocky soils and warm, dry climate of El Dorado County, producing a wine that strikes a balance between bright, juicy fruit and vibrant acidity.
 
SKINNER
GRENACHE ROUGE
EL DORADO 2019
Retails at: $36
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“Vivid, sunbaked fruit flavors and a great structure of moderate acidity and tannins balance this wine out beautifully on a high level. Blackberry and raspberry notes mingle with hints of cedar, clove and black pepper for a tasty complexity.”
92 Points
2017 Wallace By Ben Glaetzer Shiraz Grenache Barossa Valley

2017 Wallace By Ben Glaetzer Shiraz Grenache Barossa Valley

with No Comment $30 and underAustraliaGrenacheKevin VogtSyrah

WALLACE BY BEN GLAETZER

SHIRAZ/GRENACHE
BAROSSA VALLEY 2017

2017 Wallace By Ben Glaetzer Shiraz Grenache Barossa Valley
Grenache and Syrah are superb partners due to their chemical makeup because Grenache tends to oxidize more easily, whereas Syrah is more prone to reduction. This complimentary blend originates from the Southern Rhône and is found in wines such as Chateauneuf-du-Pape but is also very popular in Australia, adding a new, stunning dimension to traditional Shiraz. 
 
Ben Glaetzer’s wine team sources the fruit from 50-80-year-old Shiraz vines and 50-100-year-old Grenache vines that produce minimal yields of highly concentrated berries. The Grenache is unoaked to preserve the lively fruit aromas, while the Shiraz matured for 16 months in two and three-year-old barrels consisting of 80% French oak and 20% American oak, resulting in a wine that’s truly the best of both worlds.
 
WALLACE BY BEN GLAETZER
SHIRAZ/GRENACHE
BAROSSA VALLEY 2017
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“This is a nice drink. Thrills with a chill! I wish I didn’t have to write anything more because to do so, chortles on and contradicts the spirit of a wine that is gulpable because-and not despite of-its virtuous simplicity. Sweet berry fruit notes sashay to Turkish delight and kirsch, all licked by briar and a dash of vanillin oak. There is old-turf-vinosity to this, with length and effusive energy.”
92 Points
 
“Dark magenta. A perfumed bouquet evokes ripe dark berries, candied flowers and licorice, along with hints of cracked pepper and cured tobacco. Fleshy blackberry, cherry-cola and floral pastille flavors show very good depth as well as energy and spicy lift. The clinging finish features fine-grained tannins and repeating floral and licorice notes.”
91 Points
 
“Yes, the 2017 Wallace Shiraz-Grenache blend is heavily weighted toward Shiraz (as usual), but it’s the Grenache that makes itself known on the nose, adding lovely florals and raspberries to the slightly darker toned fruit of the Shiraz. Medium to full-bodied, this is supple yet crisp—perhaps a bit youthful and angular—but finishes with silky tannins and plenty of length. In another year or two, it might rival the impressive 2016.”
90+ Points
2017 Peter Mathis Grenache Sonoma Valley

2017 Peter Mathis Grenache Sonoma Valley

with No Comment $30-$40GrenacheKevin VogtSonomaSonoma ValleyUSA

PETER MATHIS

2017 GRENACHE
SONOMA VALLEY

2017 Peter Mathis Grenache Sonoma Valley
Peter Mathis made wine for over 20 years at Ravenswood while simultaneously working on a side project clearing land in the hills above Sonoma Valley, below the famed Monte Rosso Vineyard. He planted the vineyard himself, carved into Southern-facing slopes, using cuttings from Chateauneuf-du-Pape, achieving his long-held dream of growing premium Grenache in California. 
 
Grown in low vigor volcanic soils, Mathis Vineyard is planted to Grenache vines primarily, but includes a small amount of Petite Sirah, Carigñan, and Alicanté Bouschet, which make up a small percentage of the blend each year. Peter’s clonal selection yields tiny berries with great color and a tannic backbone with extra spice representing European roots with American flair. Our panel was thrilled with the wine’s penetrating fruit, site expression, and stunning balance, and it is a remarkable value at $32.
 
PETER MATHIS
2017 GRENACHE
SONOMA VALLEY 
 
Your Price: $32
 
 
“Among the most dark-fruited examples from the Mathis Vineyard, the 2017 Grenache rivals the 2007 and 2015 for lush blackberry and plum fruit, pepper spice, fresh acidity, firm grip and power—all balanced with the typical sweet, red fruit of all Grenache wines. These past vintages have been some of my favorites: they pair spectacularly with food, age well, and have a “seriousness” about them that I adore. I expect the 2017 to be an absolute top year for Mathis Grenache—highly recommended.”