2018 Alban Vineyards Grenache Alban Estate Vineyard

Community Tasting Notes (4) Avg Score: 94.7 points

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  1/20/2024 - WineDoctors wrote: 93 Points

  made for aging

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  1/27/2023 - Wine G Likes this wine: 94 Points

  Certainly on the richer, more hedonistic end of the Grenache spectrum. Really quite delicious Alban, as always. Cheers!

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  5/6/2022 - dlcass Likes this wine: 96 Points

  Much better on day 2. Very dramatic nose of spice, dark raspberry liquor, herbs. Very youthful and a bit closed on palate but very nice mouthfeel and long finish. It's big and bold. It may merit a higher score.

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  3/25/2022 - RhoneWho wrote: 98 Points

  Wow! This is a splitting image of 2013 vintage (see my notes there). The bouquet jumps out with sweet, ripe red+blue fruit intermixed with well-integrated complex french (burgundian?) oak aroma (oak effect will become less prominent in a year and two) imparting hints of cedar, cocoa and asian spice.
  
  It’s definitely vibrant and fresh (higher acidity and structure than its 2016 vintage but not too different from 2013/2015 SQN grenache); and will peak in 5 years but can cruise for 15-20 years unpacking current highly dense and complex flavor with a hint of orange rind. The flavor exploded when I pair with those finger food with higher acidity suggesting this is promising but be just a little bit more patience.
  
  Drinking along with 2019 Janasse Vielle Vignes; and both are powerful wines; but find Alban grenache is more approachable than Janasse. Janasse has more purple/lavender floral notes.
  
  Rating: 97-99; currently more at 97+ but will not be surprise to see 98-99 in 5 years … time tells :)

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