#atributetograce

Over the past few years, I've become increasingly interested in wine.  Working in a restaurant downtown with a fantastic wine list has given me exposure not only to great wines, but to a vast body of knowledge.

When I first started exploring wine, I quickly realized that French reds from the southern Rhone were the wines for me.  I just couldn't get over the dark, luscious fruit, structured tannins, decadent finish, and savory aspects that I kept discovering in each Cotes du Rhone and Chateauneuf-du-Pape I tasted.  Syrah, I decided, was my varietal soulmate.  Each wine I purchased that was primarily syrah blew me away with its savory, meaty, earthy, and juicy qualities.

Recently, I've strayed from the dark side, and begun to explore the brighter, juicier, more graceful grape grenache.  Grenache is a key varietal in most French reds from the southern Rhone, and it is noted for the juicy notes of bright cherry and spice/ baking spice that it typically adds to a cepage (blend of different varietals).

Angela Osbourne, a New Zeland-born winemaker now growing grenache in California, has been producing 100% grenache wines under her company's label A Tribute To Grace (named after her grandmother) since 2007.  Angela's fascination with grenache seems rare in California, a state known for world-class cabernet, pinot noir, and zinfandel.  After searching far and wide for the perfect site to grow grenache, Angela discovered the Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard, located 33 miles east from Santa Barbara in the Sierra Madre mountains.  The vineyard is planted on a secluded desert at an elevation of 3,200 ft. This is a land of sand, rocks, and dingos, and just so happens to also be grenache heaven.  Unlike its slightly more temperamental brother syrah, grenache thrives in both cooler, coastal climates and hot, arid climates.

Angela Osbourne with the fruits of her labor.

Angela Osbourne pressing grapes by foot.

Angela leases three rows from the Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard, which allows her to grow perfect grenache in a perfect setting without having to worry about owning a large vineyard.  Leasing vineyard space is a growing trend in the wine industry, for it allows skilled winemakers to select the locations best suited for the particular varietals they are interested in growing, grow and successfully harvest grapes there, and move on without ever purchasing expensive property. Kenny Likitaprong (owner of Hobo Wine Company, MakeWork, and Folk Machine), and Pax Mahle (owner of PAX and Wind Gap) are two other noteworthy winemakers who embody this approach to producing wine.

The first time I tried A Tribute to Grace 2012 Grenache ($45 retail), I was amazed and wanted to jump for joy!  I couldn't believe what I was tasting.  It seemed this wine was the wine to transform any nonbeliever into a wine enthusiast!  The 2012 vintage of the Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard A Tribute to Grace just hit the market this past September, so having only been available for 6 months, most people outside of California haven't tried or heard of this wine yet.   I've now been fortunate enough to try A Tribute to Grace on three separate occasions, and I believe Angela Osbourne has successfully produced the holy grail of grenache.

On the nose, A Tribute to Grace overwhelms you with intoxicating floral perfumes and a hint of spice.  It smells seductive.  On the palate, your mouth is quenched with never-ending waterfalls of ripe, luscious fruit.  The mind-blowing, jaw-dropping fruit is balanced by the perfect amount of tannins. It's bright, luscious, seductive, and floral.  It's the sunlit woman in a red dress standing in a field of flowers.  It's...graceful.  It's the prettiest wine I've ever tasted.

Angela Osbourne's tireless search for the ideal grow site, and acute attention to detail throughout the wine-making, has  produced something perfect.  A Tribute to Grace would pair well with so many foods, but it's so delicious that I'd rather drink it on its own.  Grace is a diamond in the rough in the expanding world of grenache.  Try this wine and you may just find a new varietal soulmate.

You can find Grace at Rosemont (Yarmouth), or special order it from Browne Trading Company (Commercial St.) or RSVP Liquors (Forest Ave.).  The Grill Room on Exchange St. in Portland also offers A Tribute to Grace on their wine list.

If you're interested in reading more about the grenache in California, check out this interesting article written by famed wine writer Jon Bonne.

Image Sources:

Angela and her wine (sacabee.com)

A Tribute to Grace 2012 Grenache label (domainela.com)

Hummingbird cork (losolivoswinemerchant.files.wordpress.com)

Pressing Grapes (/ww1.hdnux.com)