Grenache 2023

Stolpman’s Old Vine Grenache
While Syrah carries the torch for Stolpman Vineyards and the greater Ballard Canyon AVA, Grenache and Mourvèdre have both been gaining recognition and acres planted here.  We feel so blessed with our mature, low yielding Grenache vines, we decided to re-focus on these original blocks for this tiny production “highlight” cuvee, rather than our younger, own-rooted bush vines (which we are still very excited about!).  

Healthy late season rains pushed back bud-break and the growing season by 3-4 weeks.  We escaped the summer without any extreme heat events that would have accelerated ripening.  Knowing we were looking at a delayed harvest, we thoroughly shoot-thinned the younger vines to reduce the yield and enable the vines to ripen a smaller crop-load.  However, the old guys balanced themselves, with the deep-rooted knowledge gained over the decades, they cropped their typical tiny, concentrated crop.  Once aged in barrel, we selected our favorite lots only from the OG blocks for the 2023 Estate Grenache. 
Dense, ripe, and plush with a fresh cut.   Inviting purple counter to the cuvee’s typical red hue.  Coating and rich through the palate until the pepper cracks over a telltale Grenache liqueur note.  A hint of southern French garrigue and dried herbs show the serious side of this lovebird.  Super fine, mature tannin represents our Grenache winemaking evolution to the gentlest extraction possible.  Even upon release the silty tannin will melt with the first morsel of protein accompaniment.