I almost think of this wine as a blend between a cab and a pinot... this 100% grenache has the strong acidity and moderate tannins of a pinot (which increased with air), with the brambly nose and long finish of a Howell mountain cab. An interesting and appealing mix for those who like the style as I do. Aromas of cherry, brambles, and some flowerly notes as well. Definitely an aroma I noticed as soon as I opened the bottle, yet with enough complexity to keep it interesting. The finish had good length with a touch of complexity, as well as some drying tannins. Showing its age on the rim, but still a solid core. Still plently of fruit and life left in this one - I don't see this fading anytime soon. Paired fairly well with meatballs and rosemary red potatoes. Even at this age, this is a fruit forward wine - not for those seeking a classic Grenache.
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A nice grenache. Mostly rasberry an d cherry flavors that have a baked, richness to it with dry tannins firmly in place with the fruit. I don't see these tannins resolving, it's a pleasantly dry wine and it will remain that way. It softens with 2 hours of air time but you'll enjoy it with food a lot more than on its own. Drink now.
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WIML90. A bit more restrained than previous bottles. Fairly simple and straightforward aromas and flavors of red berries and cherries. Medium acidity, tannins and body. Drink now.
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Just for Sandy...opened and glass decanted 30 minutes before serving. Then tasted again at +.35, +.44, +1.01, +2.32, +3.34, +4.00, +14.00, +25.00 and +26.00 hours with a few quick minor reference points throughout. Dark garnet to purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose started off a little green but the green went away after a hour and then returned yet again as a tour de force at the 14 hour mark before fading away again at the 25.00 hour mark. Nose of cocoa powder for the first hour with a strong aroma of thistle as well with a slight note of potpourri that all gave away eventually to a simple nose of red fruits and elevated alcohol. Flavors of black cherries and black berries with some red licorice that eventually show nothing more than simple and barely detectable fruits firmly wrapped in elevated alcohol levels. Medium acidity,medium to firm tannins, medium to full body. Drinking now with a decant didn't seem to help much as the wine overall didn't waver much over the extended decant time so I'd recommend either just popping and pouring or holding onto the wine and praying it morphs in the bottle over time. I'll be popping and pouring my last bottle in early 2009 myself. No rating.
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Tasted January 1, 2008. Opened and served immediately. Garnet color in the glass, slightly cloudy throughout. Nose and palate have settled down quite a bit (not a Garnache on steroids any longer) but it's mostly jammy like flavors of red fruits on the nose and palate other than a lovely perfume like aroma upon opening and later some coffee like notes. Medium acidity, medium to firm tannins, full body. Drink or hold.
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Whoops!. I meant to keep this wine around a little longer. Not much upon opening, but just got better and better through the evening. Sweet cherries on the nose, with a little more alcohol than I like. Nice rich mouthfeel, with more cherry in the flavor, anise, chocolate. Finish continues with cherry and liquorice. Surprise food paring from heaven--roasted pistacios!
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Delicious. Dark fruit and anise on the nose, thick chewy mouthfeel. A little rough round the edges, but this is still very young. Should just get better and better.
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This wine is everything is really gorgeous. Beautiful nose. Although neither I or Joan would ever have picked this as a grenache it is drinking great right now. Kudos to Thomas Brown for making such a wonderful wine.
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Tasted June 10, 2006 at an offline. Opened and served immediately in a Spiegelau Authentis Magnum glass. Visited several times over the evening. Dark garnet almost purple color in the glass, little cloudy throughout. Huge nose chalked full of aromas of mocha, melted black licorice, black berries, smoke and a medley of dark fruits. Big on the palate with juicy and full flavors of blackberries, anise, dark plums, black cherries and a bit of a peppery finish. Well rounded tannins and crisp acidity to boot. You would never confuse this Grenache as being from the Rhone or Spain! Heck, you’d probably not confuse it as being Grenache! Not a lot of typicity going on here but I have to thank Eric White for insisting I buy some of this wine. Just pop, pour and enjoy while completely ignoring the bottle has the word “grenache” on the front. This one should be fun to watch over the next 5-7 years but I’ll likely plow through mine no later than 2010. Based on the direct from winery price of $35.00 a bottle I’d say the value here is highly recommended.
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Holy crap this is some good stuff; I opened and poured straight from the bottle. Dark purple, nose of dark fruit. On the palate dark cherry and other fruit with a hint of pepper on the end. This wine seemed to go on forever, at least a 45 second finish. Over the course of the night this wine opened up more and became even better.
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First bottle of this. Medium purple color. Smoke and licorice on the nose, along with some red fruits. In the mouth this wine showed roasted cherry, darker berries, and hints of pepper on the finish. Good structure, but I think this will fill out a bit on the mid-palate over the next year. Drank over two nights. The second night was similar flavors, but the wine seemed to have put on a bit of weight.
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1/18/2015 - VinoDiver Likes this wine: 91 Points
Beautiful Grenache. Drinking very well right now. Not sure if this will improve but saw no signs it won't last for awhile yet.
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12/8/2014 - VinoDiver Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drinking beautifully right now. This has a wonderful nose and tons of fruit on the pallet. This should continue to drink well in the coming years.
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5/23/2013 - GoBlue2002 Likes this wine: 92 Points
I almost think of this wine as a blend between a cab and a pinot... this 100% grenache has the strong acidity and moderate tannins of a pinot (which increased with air), with the brambly nose and long finish of a Howell mountain cab. An interesting and appealing mix for those who like the style as I do.
Aromas of cherry, brambles, and some flowerly notes as well. Definitely an aroma I noticed as soon as I opened the bottle, yet with enough complexity to keep it interesting. The finish had good length with a touch of complexity, as well as some drying tannins.
Showing its age on the rim, but still a solid core. Still plently of fruit and life left in this one - I don't see this fading anytime soon.
Paired fairly well with meatballs and rosemary red potatoes.
Even at this age, this is a fruit forward wine - not for those seeking a classic Grenache.
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8/30/2011 - Screameagle wrote: 90 Points
I really liked this wine. Seems to be in it's prime but no where near going over the hill. A very nice but not a spectacular grenache.
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4/18/2010 - Outplaying wrote:
Getting together with friends: vanilla, cherries and red fruits. This is all I wrote down and I don't remember anything more about it.....
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2/16/2010 - dino_mike wrote: 86 Points
A nice grenache. Mostly rasberry an d cherry flavors that have a baked, richness to it with dry tannins firmly in place with the fruit. I don't see these tannins resolving, it's a pleasantly dry wine and it will remain that way. It softens with 2 hours of air time but you'll enjoy it with food a lot more than on its own. Drink now.
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9/20/2009 - wineismylife wrote: 90 Points
WIML90. A bit more restrained than previous bottles. Fairly simple and straightforward aromas and flavors of red berries and cherries. Medium acidity, tannins and body. Drink now.
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12/7/2008 - wineismylife wrote:
WIMLNR
Tasted December 7, 2008.
Just for Sandy...opened and glass decanted 30 minutes before serving. Then tasted again at +.35, +.44, +1.01, +2.32, +3.34, +4.00, +14.00, +25.00 and +26.00 hours with a few quick minor reference points throughout. Dark garnet to purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose started off a little green but the green went away after a hour and then returned yet again as a tour de force at the 14 hour mark before fading away again at the 25.00 hour mark. Nose of cocoa powder for the first hour with a strong aroma of thistle as well with a slight note of potpourri that all gave away eventually to a simple nose of red fruits and elevated alcohol. Flavors of black cherries and black berries with some red licorice that eventually show nothing more than simple and barely detectable fruits firmly wrapped in elevated alcohol levels. Medium acidity,medium to firm tannins, medium to full body. Drinking now with a decant didn't seem to help much as the wine overall didn't waver much over the extended decant time so I'd recommend either just popping and pouring or holding onto the wine and praying it morphs in the bottle over time. I'll be popping and pouring my last bottle in early 2009 myself. No rating.
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2/22/2008 - dino_mike wrote: 90 Points
This has aged nicely and is complex. It will improve for another year but has a refined, yet wild jam and tobacco flavor.
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1/1/2008 - wineismylife wrote: 90 Points
WIML90
Tasted January 1, 2008. Opened and served immediately. Garnet color in the glass, slightly cloudy throughout. Nose and palate have settled down quite a bit (not a Garnache on steroids any longer) but it's mostly jammy like flavors of red fruits on the nose and palate other than a lovely perfume like aroma upon opening and later some coffee like notes. Medium acidity, medium to firm tannins, full body. Drink or hold.
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12/23/2007 - Nanda wrote: flawed
Horribly corked. As useless as a Green Bay Packers' punter.
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9/13/2007 - zheem wrote:
Whoops!. I meant to keep this wine around a little longer. Not much upon opening, but just got better and better through the evening. Sweet cherries on the nose, with a little more alcohol than I like. Nice rich mouthfeel, with more cherry in the flavor, anise, chocolate. Finish continues with cherry and liquorice. Surprise food paring from heaven--roasted pistacios!
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1/16/2007 - zheem wrote:
Delicious. Dark fruit and anise on the nose, thick chewy mouthfeel. A little rough round the edges, but this is still very young. Should just get better and better.
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12/29/2006 - Lou Briccant wrote: 93 Points
Drank this one with Bud & Family. These just keep improving. TRB sure seems to have this varietal down!
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11/26/2006 - Screameagle wrote: 91 Points
This wine is everything is really gorgeous. Beautiful nose. Although neither I or Joan would ever have picked this as a grenache it is drinking great right now. Kudos to Thomas Brown for making such a wonderful wine.
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6/12/2006 - Lou Briccant wrote: 93 Points
This is an outstanding Grenache!
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6/10/2006 - wineismylife wrote: 92 Points
DAWGS Impromptu Dinner June 10, 2006 (De Tapas, Addison, TX): WIML92,NOWA,NOWS
Tasted June 10, 2006 at an offline. Opened and served immediately in a Spiegelau Authentis Magnum glass. Visited several times over the evening. Dark garnet almost purple color in the glass, little cloudy throughout. Huge nose chalked full of aromas of mocha, melted black licorice, black berries, smoke and a medley of dark fruits. Big on the palate with juicy and full flavors of blackberries, anise, dark plums, black cherries and a bit of a peppery finish. Well rounded tannins and crisp acidity to boot. You would never confuse this Grenache as being from the Rhone or Spain! Heck, you’d probably not confuse it as being Grenache! Not a lot of typicity going on here but I have to thank Eric White for insisting I buy some of this wine. Just pop, pour and enjoy while completely ignoring the bottle has the word “grenache” on the front. This one should be fun to watch over the next 5-7 years but I’ll likely plow through mine no later than 2010. Based on the direct from winery price of $35.00 a bottle I’d say the value here is highly recommended.
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5/12/2006 - Seanr7 wrote: 94 Points
Holy crap this is some good stuff; I opened and poured straight from the bottle. Dark purple, nose of dark fruit. On the palate dark cherry and other fruit with a hint of pepper on the end. This wine seemed to go on forever, at least a 45 second finish. Over the course of the night this wine opened up more and became even better.
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3/1/2006 - Lou Briccant wrote: 93 Points
No formal note.
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12/8/2005 - MarkC wrote: 91 Points
First bottle of this. Medium purple color. Smoke and licorice on the nose, along with some red fruits. In the mouth this wine showed roasted cherry, darker berries, and hints of pepper on the finish. Good structure, but I think this will fill out a bit on the mid-palate over the next year. Drank over two nights. The second night was similar flavors, but the wine seemed to have put on a bit of weight.
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