Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points: “More subtle and elegant, with slightly less power but possibly more complexity, the 2019 Grenache El Diablo has a beautiful nose of ripe cherry and strawberry fruits as well as herbes de Provence, spring flowers, and baking spices. As seamless as they come on the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, has a pure, elegant mouthfeel, ultra-fine tannins, and a great finish. It’s another heavenly Grenache from this talented winemaker that readers will love. It too should keep for a decade.”
Helen Keplinger Notes: “The stoney sandy-loam soil and gentle south-east exposure make such an intensely pretty Grenache. This special vineyard on Eastside Road in the Russian River was historically farmed to the detail by the amazing Ulises Valdez and is now tended by his talented son, Ulises Jr. The name is due to an unsavory previous owner who thankfully only lingers in colorful stories. This vineyard is less than 5 miles northeast of the Basilisk vineyard, but it has a character altogether very different. With sandy, gemstoney-soils, a southeast face, and a very slightly warmer site, the expression of the Grenache is in the blue fruit range, more perfumed and mineral, with less muscle and more finesse on the palate. In 2019, the Grenache was harvested on September 26th, and co-fermented with 1% whole cluster Syrah in a small tank. After 18 days on skins, the wine was drained to two neutral Demi Muids for 18 months of elevage. The 2019 El Diablo exhibits beautiful notes of red and black fruits, raspberry, sweet peas, blood orange, and fennel pollen. The silky entry opens to a broad mid-palate and notes of black tea, boysenberry, dried thyme, and white pepper with fine, textural tannins throughout and a long finish of pure fruit and aromatic herbs. Drinking well in the near term, this wine will continue to develop and flesh out over the next 10+ years. 120 cases produced.”
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