Happy Wine Wednesday! It's been a rather odd weather day here, with sun and calm, gusty wind and pouring rain, all this afternoon! So after enduring all that, I thought it might be nice to open a bottle of wine and relax this evening. After digging a bit in the cellar, I found a bottle of 2012 L'Ecole No. 41 Grenache, from the Stone Tree Vineyard in the Wahluke Slope AVA of Washington. Over the years I've become familiar with this vineyard and it produces some wonderful Grenache and Syrah, so let's see what this wine has to offer!
The wine is a bright ruby color in the glass, with a lighter weight and great clarity. The nose a warm rush of red fruit and floral notes, with aromas of strawberry, tart cherry and kirsch, intermingled with violet and undertones of tar. The taste is just beautifully fruit forward, with a rush of cherry, raspberry and strawberry that illuminate your tastebuds, before transitioning to some some earthy notes of tar and dusty limestone midpalate. The earthy minerality of this wine shines through a wave of peppery spice notes at the finish. The tannins are smooth and well integrated, providing for a pleasant, long dry finish.
Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a beautiful example of the varietal and a pleasant, food friendly wine. This wine would be ideal for summer (as fall chill is in full swing!) and would pair well with burgers and brats, barbecue, or summer roasted beet and feta salad. Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some spicy chicken fajita tacos, along with all the trimmings. Cheers!
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