Booker Vineyard Ripper 22 Grenache 2016, Paso Robles, California

Ruby in color with a wide reddish/brick rim.

Beautiful nose of cherries, sweet strawberries, blueberries, black plums, cedar, licorice, chocolates, tobacco, herbs, earth, light vegetables, coffee, eucalyptus and Mediterranean spices.

Full bodied and smooth with medium plus acidity.

Dry and very fruity on the palate with blackberries, black currants, plums, cooked cherries, oak, light vanilla, spices, tobacco, alcohol, peppercorn, espresso, chocolates, earth, light vegetables and pencil lead.

Long finish with fine grained tannins, cherries and red chili pepper.

This is a gorgeous Grenache from Paso Robles. Spicy and rich. Fruit forward and opulent. Just delicious.

Great right out of the bottle, and gets more complexity after 2 hours of airtime.

This 6 year old is showing great complexity now, and will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years.

100% Grenache grapes were aged in French Oak barrels for 22 months.

14.9% alcohol by volume.

94 points.

$80.

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Optio Vineyards San Luis Obispo Grenache 2020, California

Deep purple in color with a short purple rim.

Strong nose of blueberries, dried figs, raisins, oak, licorice, cooked cherries, vanilla, spices, espresso, cola, light tobacco and black pepper.

Full bodied and smooth with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and fruity on the palate with stewed blueberries, cherries, oak, licorice, spices, chocolates, tobacco, bitter herbs and peppercorn.

Nice length on the finish with round tannins.

This young Grenache is drinking very nicely already. Spicy and rich.

Nicely balanced with mild complexity. Showing a smooth mouthfeel.

Good right out of the bottle, and better with airtime. Will continue to age nicely in the next 5 to 7 years.

Easy drinking and good by itself. I paired it with a Charcuterie board of meats and cheeses.

Grapes were aged in oak barrels for 17 months. A tiny production of only 3 barrels.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$58.

Halter Ranch Vineyard Grenache 2019 Paso Robles, California

Purple in color with medium intensity and a wide purplish rim.

Fruity nose of blueberries, red cherries, sweet strawberries, herbs, wild flowers, spices, light metals and black pepper. Smells fresh and clean.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and fruity on the palate with blueberries, cherries, strawberries, herbs, spices, dark chocolates and peppercorn.

Long finish with round tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a very tasty Grenache from Paso Robles. Easy drinking and good right out of the bottle.

Showing nice complexity with a nice mouthfeel. Feels like a fruity Gigondas.

After 30 minutes of airtime, tannins show up and bring good structure to the wine.

It’s easy to finish this bottle without even realizing, so watch out.

A great sipping wine. Spicy and interesting. Would be nice to revisit it in 3 years, and see how it evolved.

Good by itself or with food. I had it by the pool, and it paired very nicely with dried meats.

100% Grenache grapes were aged in concrete vessels for 16 months. A small production of only 12 barrels made.

14.2% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$50.

Lucky Rock Wine Co. Grenache 2020, California

Pretty color of ruby with medium intensity.

On the nose blueberries, raspberries, light wood, earth, light vegetables, vanilla, herbs and peppercorn.

Light to medium in body with medium acidity and nice legs.

Dry on the palate with currants, cherries, raspberries, black plums, oak, licorice, vanilla, earth, light vegetables, pencil lead and peppercorn.

Tangy finish with round tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a nice Grenache from Mendocino County. Showing mild complexity with a nice mouthfeel.

A nice porch wine and easy drinking. Good right out of the bottle and better with airtime.

Still young, but already enjoyable, even by itself.

Nicely balanced now, and would be interesting to try it again in 3 years.

I paired it with burger and fries.

Aged in French oak barrels for 11 months. Unfiltered and unfined.

13.8% alcohol by volume.

88 points.

$26.

Bee Hunter Wines Eagle Point Ranch Grenache 2015 Mendocino, California

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A very pretty color of ruby with a very wide brick rim.

Interesting nose of blackberries, cedar, cooked cherries, raisins, figs, chocolates, sweet vanilla, cola, spices, mint and black pepper.

Medium bodied with medium plus acidity and long legs.

Dry and very fruity on the palate with cooked cherries and strawberries, lemon peel, vanilla, light raisins, dried fruits, cedar, herbs, licorice, cola, chocolates, sweet vinaigrette, spices and black pepper.

Long finish with fine tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a delicious Grenache from Mendocino County in California. Much lighter than I expected it to be, but it is so yummy.

This Single Vineyard is good right out of the bottle, and better after an hour of airtime, when it shows the complexity.

This six year old is peaking now, and drinking very nicely with nice complexity and a soft mouthfeel.

Alcohol is not showing at all, so watch out. Nicely balanced at this point. Easy drinking and tasty.

A great sipping wine, but good with food too. I paired it with Brie cheese and crackers.

14.8% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$42.

RD Winery Hundred Knot Grenache 2019 Sonoma Valley, California

Purple in color with a wide reddish rim.

Sweet nose of cherries, blueberries, sweet strawberries, licorice, oak, tobacco, vanilla, chocolates, spices and black pepper.

Medium bodied with medium plus acidity.

Dry on the palate with cherries, red currants, oak, tobacco, earth, spices, licorice, peppercorn, chocolates and coffee.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a very enjoyable Grenache from Sonoma Valley. Nicely balanced and fruit forward. Easy drinking and good by itself or with food.

Showing mild complexity with a nice, soft mouthfeel. Light and engaging and a good summer wine. A nice light chill would be a good idea.

Good right out of the bottle and better as it opens up and brings in more structure.

Alcohol is nicely integrated already, so watch out.

Would be nice to see how this evolves in the next 3 years.

I had it by the pool with some dried meats, fresh berries and cheeses.

A blend of Grenache, Mourvedre and Syrah. Aged in French oak barrels for 18 months (20% new).

15% alcohol by Volume.

91 points.

$53.

New Napa Winery

Uproot Wines Grenache 2014 Santa Ynez Valley, California

Ruby in color with medium intensity and a reddish rim.

Strong fruity nose of blueberries, cherries, sweet strawberries, light oak, raspberries, spices, light earth, and black pepper. Fresh and inviting.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with cherries, raspberries, red currants, light oak, licorice, dark chocolates, peppercorn, spices, earth and light vegetables.

Medium finish with soft tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a nice and refreshing Grenache from Santa Ynez Valley, California. Easy drinking with mild complexity. Spicy, fruit forward and good right out of the bottle.

This six-year-old feels young and fresh. Would be nice to revisit it in a couple of years.

I gave it a light chill and had it by the pool with cheeses and crackers.

A blend of 86% Grenache, 9% Syrah and 5% Petit Verdot. Aged in French oak barrels for 11 months (33% new). A small production of only 300 cases.

14.7% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$46.

Folded Hills Winery Grant Grenache 2017 Santa Ynez Valley, California

Reddish in color with light intensity.

Fruity nose with bing cherries, spices, raspberries, strawberries, earth, light herbs, light tobacco and peppercorn.

Light to medium in body with medium plus acidity and long legs.

Dry and fruity on the palate with cherries, strawberries, red currants, spices, tobacco, earth, herbs, dark coffee and peppercorn.

Nice finish with fine, round tannins, and tangy pomegranates.

This is a tasty and light Grenache from California. Nicely balanced, spicy and elegant. Easy drinking, relaxing and entertaining. Fruit forward and good by itself or with food.

Good right out of the bottle and better after 30 minutes of airtime when it comes together.

Easy drinking, nice and elegant, especially with a slight chill by the pool.

A Good quality wine with a nice mouthfeel. This is what I call a wine that is dangerously good. So watch out 😉

A blend of 92% Grenache and 8% Syrah.

13.6% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$38.

Folded Hills Estate Grenache 2017 Santa Ynez Valley, California

Reddish in color with medium intensity.

Fruity nose with bing cherries, sweet strawberries, raspberries, spices, earth, milk chocolates and black pepper.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with cherries, strawberries, red currants, spices, minerals, earth, river rocks and peppercorn.

Medium finish with fine grained tannins and red chili powder.

Here is a very nice Grenache from California. Showing mild complexity with a nice mouthfeel, and spicy finish. Well-balanced and easy drinking. The mid palate is not spicy at all, but boy it is lingering on the finish.

A Grenache for the Pinot Noir lover. Well made wine.

Good right out of the bottle and even good with a slight chill. More structure comes in after an hour of airtime.

This is not in the style of a Spanish Grenache, but rather more like a Southern Rhône Style.

A good sipping wine to drink by itself.

100% Grenache grapes were aged for 11 months in neutral French Oak barrels.

13.9% alcohol by volume.

89 points.

$67.

Bolt to Wines Grenache 2014, Ballard Canyon, California

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Strong nose of blueberries, black currants, plums, oak, licorice, earth, spices, peppercorn, leather, tobacco, barnyard and black pepper.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity and nice legs.

Dry on the palate with blackberries, black currants, plums, vegetables, tobacco, wood, wet leaves, herbs, black pepper, spices and dark coffee.

This is a very nice Grenache from Ballard Canyon in California. This 6 years old is drinking very nicely now.

Needs 2 hours to open up properly. Way different than right out of the bottle, although very drinkable, but it’s worth the wait. Showing a smooth mouthfeel with nice complexity. Very interesting and tasty.

Good by itself and good with food. I paired it with a double cream Brie cheese with truffles that was ripened in Riesling wine.

14.3% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$35.