SINE QUA NON DIRT VERNACULAR GRENACHE 1.5L 2016

The label of the 2016 Dirt Venacular is based on a picture of a stone imbedded in another stone. The wine is composed of 78% Grenache, 11.5% Mourvèdre, 7% Touriga Nacional and 3.5% Petite Sirah, fermented using 43% whole cluster with the whole cluster mostly used on the Grenache component. The vineyard sources are 42% Eleven Confessions Estate, 25% The Third Twin Estate, 22% Cumulus Estate, 9% Bien Nacido and 2% Molly Aida Estate. It was aged for around 23 months in 38% new French oak, 53% used French oak and 9% concrete. Medium to deep garnet-purple, this Grenache beauty sashays out of the glass with stunning kirsch, black raspberry, stewed tea, red roses, Chinese five spice and redcurrant jelly notes with nuances of wild blueberries and candied violets plus enticing cardamom, chargrill and black pepper undertones. Full-on decadent and full-bodied, the palate is also so vivacious, possessing amazing freshness and velvety/fine-grained tannins, finishing with tons of floral and red fruit layers. Pure hedonism. 1,208 cases and 600 magnums were made.