RhoneWolf 2021 Reserve Grenache
October Sky Vineyard, El Dorado
Tasting Notes
You’ll enjoy this grenache’s exuberant cranberry and grilled plum aromas, backed by subtle baking spice, and dried herbs. The complex entry is followed by lingering tart cherry, juicy blood orange, and stewed strawberry flavors. This delightful wine is medium bodied, smooth, and bright, making it ideal for pairing with a variety of foods or for enjoying on its own. Grenache, with its lively and refreshing acidity, is the perfect red wine for hotter weather and can even be enjoyed slightly chilled.
Winemaking Notes
We picked these grapes from the coolest block of the vineyard, at 23˚brix, to retain the desired acid structure in the berries. We hand sorted clusters upon arrival to the winery, removing any raisined clusters, which helps maintain fresh and vibrant fruit character in the must. We 100% destemmed the fruit to avoid green and vegetal flavors. We crushed 80% of the berries and kept 20% whole; the whole berries included in the must encourage a fruit-driven character via partial whole berry fermentation.
The reserve designation has been given to this wine because we selected only the five best barrels to bottle for this wine, after aging in barrel. The remaining barrels of grenache were allocated to our Rhône-inspired blends.
Aging
Aged in 100% French Oak barrels, a mix of new and used, for 20 months.
This wine is ready to drink upon release and through 2027 if you prefer more of a fresh fruit character. Or lay it down for a few years to enjoy more of a candied nut profile after further maturation and integration of tannin and oak structure.
Food Pairing
The medium bodied profile of grenache, with bright and juicy flavors, can pair well with a variety of foods. Here are some of our recommendations: Grilled chicken or pork chops with cherry sauce. Smoked trout. Roasted or braised meats and vegetables with Asian five-spice. For cheese and charcuterie boards, this wine will pair beautifully with a fresh herbed chevre, or other fresh cheeses, and rillette.
Wine Specs
100% Grenache
12.5% alcohol
120 cases produced
