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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 90.1 pts. and median of 90 pts. in 27 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by PDX-S on 1/20/2023: Open 2-3 hours in Zalto burgundy glass.
This, last, bottle is singing at the moment.
Aromatically, intense and intriguing with darker cherry cola aromas, a nice bit of funk, along with carbonic sweetness.
On the palate, this wine has gained some weight over the last couple of years. The fruit has gained some darker edges and richer fleshiness, while maintaining a nice acidic cut and arguing to a relatively lean finish.
All in all a very fun expression of older vine Grenache that remains composed and stips well short of being overly fruited- while having a nice candied fruit appeal. Definitely walks a nice line of balance. I think it is just now hitting a great stride and, sadly, this was the last bottle for me. I definitely opened the others prior to this level of pleasing nuance.
Definitely drink now and over at least what feels like a few years yet. (439 views) | | | Tasted by maxmanx on 9/2/2022: Last bottle and very good QPR from Garagiste at ~$17. (680 views) | | | Tasted by tward on 6/2/2022 & rated 90 points: Scanning others' TNs, it seems there's been a wide variation in experiences. Perhaps it's style preference, perhaps some bottle variation. I thought this was Very Good++ / Excellent. Great purity of Grenache fruit without being to fruity. I see it was all whole-cluster and partial carbonic maceration. Perhaps this just showed too many high notes and candied fruits when young? I can say now that it retains the best of those approaches to transmit Grenache purity. Soft tannins, medium-bodied and a perfect fit for a meal of lima beans, feta, spinach, lemon, sumac, onion, and garlic. If you're having a red with a dish like that, you need a wine like this or even lighter.
13.5% abv
Sharp QPR at the sub-$20 close-out price (757 views) | | | Tasted by maxmanx on 4/17/2022: Really good on PnP. Would drink up. (747 views) | | | Tasted by klezman on 2/11/2022: Light, bright, crunchy, berries, some herbs, and nice with lighter food or on its own. (1607 views) | | | Tasted by Doc90 on 12/11/2021 & rated 86 points: Some boutique Garagiste bottle. Very spring-time. Roses and strawberry jam, fresh acidity. Simple. A picnic wine. (597 views) | | | Tasted by Leomania on 3/15/2021: This is one of those interesting cases of experiencing a wine differently than most people. It has an odd combination of berry flavors that I don't enjoy, a mix of blueberry and mulberry. On top of that, I find it quite harsh, with very coarse tannins. I didn't even finish the bottle which is rare indeed. (792 views) | | | Tasted by maxmanx on 2/9/2021: Really enjoyed. Works on PnP and in the Decanter. Would buy again for ~$17. (755 views) | | | Tasted by wineismylife on 1/19/2021 & rated 90 points: WIML90
Tasted double blind.
Garnet color in the glass, slightly dusty looking. Nose of dust, black pepper, black berries and anise. Flavors of cranberries, red tangy berries and red raspberries. Seems a little hot on the finish. Tart acidity, drying tannin, medium to full bodied. Drink over the short term.
Smells a looks like it might be an older wine.
My guess was Nebbiolo (0), Piedmont (0), Italy (0), Vintage (0). Missed that one by a country mile! (768 views) | | | Tasted by mtaczak on 11/27/2020 & rated 91 points: Juicy but with a robust tannic backbone. Really nice example of new world fruit done in a restrained style. (681 views) | | | Tasted by OaktownRush on 9/10/2020 & rated 92 points: Liked this more the second time I had it, just felt like it was a little more aromatic and defined than the first time I had it. Red plums, raspberry, mint, fennel fronds. Medium+ acid, lithe palate with a really nice sense of refinement. Quite a bit of charm here. (843 views) | | | Tasted by PDX-S on 9/4/2020: Smells like black cherry cola and black tea.
On the lighter side of medium bodied, it enters the palate fairly lean and angular. There is plenty of acid to play off of the lean fruits and foliage, finishing with a nice astringency that lays over a core of moderately coarse tannins.
The dominant impression is that of cherry fruit and green bark with a nice back end of white pepper.
Days two and three see the wine remaining composed and the acid carrying through. Nice enough wine, if relatively simple. Served chilled, it makes for a nice lightweight and slightly snappy and crunchy red wine, more reminiscent of a Grenache from Spain than CA. Great with chicken and light, earthy fare.
Drink now and over the next year or two for the fresh edge that is likely this wine’s strong suit. (554 views) | | | Tasted by fingers on 8/21/2020 & rated 91 points: Another perfect representation of the (sadly, former) house style. Light ruby color with a wide rim, clear and sediment-free. Profound dark sweet berries in the bouquet and the palate is fully awash in flavor and acidity and minerality. Proof that certain California winemakers know how to craft wines in elegant and restrained fashion, too. Might be close to its prime window, in my humble estimation.
5+11+17+8= 91 (803 views) | | | Tasted by Snoski62 on 8/1/2020 & rated 90 points: Delicious, light summer red. Chilled for about 20 minutes prior to drinking. Great value as well. (556 views) | | | Tasted by Portland Seth on 7/28/2020 flawed bottle: This was my only bottle. Marking it as flawed because it tasted like cherry kombucha. Punishingly sour, no real flavors outside of tart cherry and a hint of earth. Less fun to drink than a pinot noir. (556 views) | | | Tasted by ebpayne on 5/2/2020: Tutti Fruiti. Weird. (616 views) | | | Tasted by geoffreychambertin on 4/15/2020 & rated 90 points: Didn't know this went through partial carbonic maceration, but it shows. Super fruity and delicious. Moderate alcohol. I wish more Grenache was made this way. (692 views) | | | Tasted by winepog on 4/10/2020 & rated 90 points: Very nice. Bright and fresh, balanced with cranberry and pomegranate flavors. (597 views) | | | Tasted by OaktownRush on 3/18/2020 & rated 90 points: Red plums, hints of raspberry, mint, an aromatic lift that reminds me of fennel or crushed herbs. Medium acid and medium+ tannins. Nice sense of clarity, poise, and focus. (677 views) | | | Tasted by Matt Scott on 8/20/2017 & rated 91 points: Dark and saturated, there's a striking purity and underlying elegance. Plumb sauce, roasted game, cacao nibs and lavender. A medium finish and a glycerin shroud. Drink now - 2022. (2168 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, Sonoma’s Stellar 2016s (Apr 2018) (4/18/2018)
(Wind Gap Grenache Old-vine Sceales Vineyard Sonoma Red) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous. (manage subscription channels) |
| Wind Gap Wineshttp://www.windgapwines.com/'> Producer website
Website "Website currently on hold" as of 20191117.
Likely due to sale.
Archives can be found at
https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.windgapwines.com/Grenache Varietal character (Appellation America) - Read more about GrenacheUSAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Sonoma CountyMendocino CountySonoma CountySonoma Coast |
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