A varietal too often ignored in the U.S., Grenache Blanc produces remarkably rich, full-bodied wines which usually find their way into sumptuous white Rhone blends in the south of France, or join up with Macabeo to make the minerally blends of Catalonia and Priorat.
It apparently travels well across the ocean. These grapes are from Lodi’s Vista Luna Vineyard.
This wine features lovely purity of fruit, pear and lime, with hints of pineapple and tomato stem.
The round, creamy introduction gives way to a flash of yogurt tang highlighted by cilantro, the fleshy texture welcoming with open arms only to condense into crisp saline austerity, an undercurrent of pure mineral water shoring up the lengthy finish.
An interesting and delicious wine, it playfully hints at lushness but remains on the lean side. Enigmatic because it lives in between, throwing hints without commitment, subtle, elusive, and quirky, its aura of eccentricity the most distinctive feature. A perfect wine with which to “Fetch the Bold Cutters” by Fiona Apple
Notes: Whole cluster pressed, native yeast, and full malolactic fermentation, aged 12 months in neutral barrels. Ferdinand is a small Napa winery specializing in Spanish varietals.
Score: 92
Price: $21
Alc: 12%
Exploring the Philosophy of Food and Wine 