• 2006 Tablas Creek Grenache Blanc - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
  Aromas of honeycomb, citrus rind, and honeysuckle followed by mineral-laced notes of key lime and vanilla custard. Balanced and refreshing. 89-90 points. (90 pts.)
  
• 2007 Tercero Grenache Blanc Camp 4 Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
  Notes of ripe nectarines, vanilla custard, and honeycomb. Rich unctuous texture with nice acidic uplift. (87 pts.)
  
• 2006 Heitz Cellars Grignolino Rosé - USA, California, Napa Valley
  Sweet aromas of strawberries and cream following by a contrasting and austere palate of unripe strawberries. A simple summertime quaffer. (85 pts.)
  
• 2007 Halter Ranch Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedere - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
  Beautiful aromas of watermelon, roses, and strawberries. Bright and summery on the palate, with notes of Maraschino cherries and lemon zest. Slightly hollow on the mid-palate, but overall quite nice and very refreshing. 87-88 points. (88 pts.)
  
• 2007 L'Aventure Côte-à-Côte Rosé - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
  Gorgeous and refined notes of ripe peaches, strawberries, roses, and lemon rind. Bright, elegant, and absolutely delicious. My favorite Rosé of 2008 thus far. Worth seeking out. 91-92 points. (91 pts.)
  

• 1997 SketchBook Mendocino Collection Grenache - USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino
  This wine was a pleasant surprise, most notably because it is still showing a lot of life. That said, I would drink up because I think it is at or near its peak. Notes of blueberries, kirsch liquer, and cocoa powder. Silky texture on the palate with nice acidic uplift. A touch of heat on the finish. (88 pts.)
  
• 2002 Ridge Grenache Lytton Estate - USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley
  Mature notes of macerated cherries, coffee grinds, and wet soil. Some crushed peppercorns on the finish. A unique Grenache with some interesting secondary characteristics peeking through. (87 pts.)
  
• 2004 Outpost Grenache - USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain
  This wine generated some controversy on this night. Some people really did not like this wine, while others (myself included) enjoyed it very much, especially considering the fact that the last time I tasted this wine (about a year ago), it did not appeal to me. This time candied aromas of black raspberries leapt out of the glass followed by concentrated notes of black cherries, cocoa, tree bark, and cedar. Some heat on the finish, but overall a very enjoyable wine. (89 pts.)
  

• 2003 Beckmen Vineyards Grenache Purisima Mountain Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
  This wine was a bit of a disappointment as I am typically a very big fan of Beckmen Grenache. Resembling cherry cough syrup initially, the wine did eventually open up and evolve into a decent and nicely drinking wine. Notes of black raspberry, kirsch liqueur, and bitter anise. A little overdone perhaps. IMO I think use of new French oak on this wine was regrettable. 85-86 points. (85 pts.)
  
• 2003 Core Blend 442 Alta Mesa - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
  This wine had a bit of a rustic old-world character to it that I really enjoyed. Notes of earthy pomegranate, new leather, dried herbs, and minerals. The acidity made the wine quite lively and fresh. A little bit of Southern Rhone in the Central Coast. (88 pts.)
  
• 2003 McPrice Myers Grenache - USA, California, Central Coast
  Rich rotes of dark cherries, wild raspberries, dark chocolate, and a hint of vanilla. Undeniably New World in character, and an interesting contrast to the Core. (88 pts.)
  
• 2003 Shadow Canyon Cellars Grenache Larner Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
  Matt said this was his second corked bottle of this wine. Bummer! NR (flawed)
  
• 2005 Ampelos Grenache Delta Byron Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley
  Vivid notes of sweet raspberry coulee, cherries, and herbs. Firm acidic spine bodes well for further aging. (89 pts.)
  
• 2005 Herman Story Grenache Larner Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
  Lush and hedonistic, this wine boasts notes of raspberry coulee, cherry compote, red licorice, garrigue, and wet loamy soil. Full-bodied with lots of depth and personality. If not for the slight edge of bitterness on the finish, this might have come away with my vote for WOTN. (92 pts.)
  
• 2005 McPrice Myers Grenache L'Ange Rouge - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
  Not exactly sure what was going with this particular bottle, but I found it very angular and disjointed and not altogether pleasant to drink. Beyond that, there were some very primal (and very grapey) wild berry and peppercorn flavors on the mid-palate. Tasted a little like a barrel sample in its incompleteness. (82 pts.)
  
• 2005 Kaena Grenache Larner Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
  Notes of sour cherries and raspberry Jolly Ranchers. Rich and little sweet, but backed by a racy acidity. Easy to drink, but not something to ponder over. (87 pts.)
  
• 2005 Kenneth-Crawford Grenache Larner Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
  The nose is very Pinot-like with floral-laced notes of black cherries, plum, and black raspberries. Muscular on the palate, but good acidity. Interesting and kind of exotic. 87-88 points. (87 pts.)
  
• 2006 Barrel 27 Wine Company Grenache Rock And A Hard Place - USA, California, Central Coast
  Grapey on the attack, with rustic notes of blueberries, wild berries, garrigue, and pepper on the mid-palate and finish. Decent, but did not really distinguish itself on this evening. (86 pts.)
  
• 2006 Tercero Cuvée Christie - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
  60% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 10% Mourvedre. Notes of sour cherries, raspberries, dried herbs, and a touch of pink peppercorns. Rich on mid-palate with some softness on the finish. A nice blend of old and new world characteristics. (88 pts.)
  
• 2006 Thompkin Cellars Grenache - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
  Same notes as my previous tasting: concentrated notes of strawberry and raspberry jam, exotic brown spices, and with a hint of wet soil and espresso on the finish. A rich and decadent wine and my WOTN. I would love to see how this wine ages, but when it tastes this good, the wait seems a little unjustified. (93 pts.)
  
• 2006 Villa Creek Garnacha Denner Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
  An excellent Grenache from a terrific vineyard. Notes of black raspberries, pomegranate, wet soil, crushed minerals, and java chip. Full and rich on the palate with a nice long finish. (91 pts.)
  
• 2006 Villa Creek Willow Creek Cuvée - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
  A bit more candied than the 2006 VC Denner Grenache with notes of sweet raspberries, cherries, red licorice, and crushed rocks on the finish. Softer and more approachable on the palate than the Denner, but a good wine nonetheless. A wine to drink and not to age. (89 pts.)
  

• 2000 Bosquet des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape Chante Le Merle Vieilles Vignes (Chantemerle) - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
  Maybe this is too old world for me, but while others at the table seemed to really enjoy this wine, I thought it was just OK. Rustic notes of saddle leather, garrigue, mineral and dusty clay. Seemed a bit listless to me. A bit more fruit would have been nice. 84-85 points. (85 pts.)
  
• 2005 Domaine Lucien Barrot et Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
  Youthful and muscular notes of currants, cherries, black raspberries, and garrigue. A little hollow in the mid-palate, but overall quite solid and drinking well. I suspect the wine will flesh out more with bottle age. (87 pts.)
  

• 2002 Bodegas Alto Moncayo Campo de Borja - Spain, Aragón, Campo de Borja
  Either a poor showing of this wine, or the Wine Spectator was right. I suspect the truth is somewhere in between, with this wine showing significant bottle variation. Simple sour cherry flavors overpowered by a huge dose of nail polish remover (i.e. volatile acidity). (80 pts.)
  
• 2005 Alvaro Palacios Priorat Les Terrasses - Spain, Catalunya, Priorat
  Deep notes of caramel and black cherry with mineral and pepper on the finish. 87-88 points. (87 pts.)
  
• 2005 Bodegas Borsao Garnacha Campo de Borja Tres Picos - Spain, Aragón, Campo de Borja
  Meaty on the nose, with some simple cherry flavors. (85 pts.)
  

• 2004 De Lisio Grenache - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
  This wine seemed a bit darker than the previous time I tasted it (about a year and a half ago). The bright red fruits seemed more intense, the cocoa was more along the lines of dark chocolate, and I detected more loamy soil and spice in the finish. The finish did seem marred by heat, however. (90 pts.)
  
• 2004 John Duval Wines Shiraz Entity - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
  Accidently bring the wrong wine to the tasting -- thought it was the Plexus. In any case, here is my note: Concentrated notes of of vanilla-laced plums, blackberries, dark chocolate, and earth. Very balance for an Aussie Shiraz. Did not spend too much time with it, however, as I was at a Grenache tasting. (91 pts.)
  

• 2002 Tenute Dettori - Italy, Sardinia, Romangia IGT
  Intense and concentrated wth rustic notes of meat, minerals, and herbs. Seemed to work better with food, as is the case with most Italian wines. 86-87 points. (86 pts.)
  
• 2004 Gabbas Cannonau di Sardegna Riserva Dule - Italy, Sardinia, Cannonau di Sardegna
  Exotic notes of pomegranate, cinnamon, and crushed spices. Balanced and elegant. Very enjoyable. 88-89 points. (88 pts.)
  

quote:

Originally posted by Board-O:
I think the 2005 Alvaro Palacios Priorat Les Terrasses will be truly outstanding in a couple of years.

quote:

Originally posted by Board-O:
I'm sorry you didn't get to try the Curran Grenache Blanc. I think it's the US's best.