Nose
Our Hope Family Estate Grenache is strong powerful wine yet possesses an enticing elegance. On the nose, fruit flavors of cherries, raspberries and dried blueberries delight.
Palate
On the palate the mood depends with dark fruit flavors and more intense savory spices evolve with cardamom, black pepper and a touch of cinnamon. The wine finishes, fully coating your pallet with refined velvety tannins that linger.
Growing Conditions
Our Estate Grenache is grown in the Templeton Gap district, which is a near-perfect condition for the varietal; Warm days, cool nights and afternoon spring and summer breezes with some maritime influence from the Pacific Ocean, just 22 miles away. Soils are clay-based but integrated with small, water worn limestone deposits that help to keep the soil well-drained. Plant spacing is 5.5’ x 6’ which accommodates more plants per acre, thus allowing each plant to produce less fruit with concentrated color and flavors.
Bottling
February 2023
Winemaking
Four Grenache clones were used in the 2021 blend: Alban clone (Rayas CDP France), Tablas Creek Vineyard Selection (Beaucastel CDP) Tinta Clone 01 (Spain), Garnacha clone 814 (Spain), France via Paso Robles). The grapes were handpicked and fermented separately by vineyard block in five-ton, open-top tanks. After daily pump-overs (for color and tannin extraction) for 10 days, the tanks were tasted and analyzed for their tannin and structure to determine the length of extended maceration. These wines were held from 10-20 days on their skins before the being aged separately for 10 months in 100% once used French oak barrels. The wine was racked once during Summer of 2022 to be blended and a second time just prior to bottling.
Aging
10 months in 100% Once Used French Oak, 6 months in 50% New and 50% Once Used French Oak
