2021 Sine Qua Non Eleven Confessions Vineyard Grenache, Sta Rita Hills

The measurements on this model are:  86.1% Grenache, 8.5% Syrah, 4.4% Petite Sirah and a bit of high notes from 1.0% WHITE (Viognier). Here only 45% of the fruit was destemmed and a whopping 55% was fermented with the stems. The longer I’m in this profession the better I like “ripe” stems on Grenache. 29% of the barrels here were brand new, but ALL of them were larger Demi-Muids (that’s what the French call them). They are 600 Liter vessels versus the 225 or 228 Liter Bordeaux/Burgundy ones. This too spent nearly 39 months in barrel, meditating and self-improving until it was ready to leave the cocoon.

No highfalutin critic has tasted this either, but the toughest one…whom I call E has, and the first words out of her mouth were…“Mmm…that is delicious!!!” And she is no easy push-over, I can promise you that. The color is impressively dark too. Not as black as the Syrah, but fairly remarkable for a Grenache. There is a bright nose that is faintly spicy with red peppercorn, orange peel and even some chamomile tea. In the mouth the wine is VERY soft and supple. There is a certain lifted density and flavors of pure red berry potpourri. It feels very pure and unblemished, like fresh fallen snow that hasn’t had someone trample through it yet. There are some luxurious leather flavors too. E loves it and so do I. It has an extravagantly long finish. Happiness in a bottle, pure succulence.