Whitcraft Winery "Stolpman Vineyard" Ballard Canyon Grenache 2022

Decanter : 94 Points

(10/20/2024) A fine example of Santa Barbara Grenache is made in tandem with the elements of a cool climate and early harvest, optimising freshness and acidity. What it lacks in ripe fruit flavour, it gives spice and floral character with a lifted aromatic quality. Dried spice and fragrant orange peel, lavender field and meaty roast beef come to mind before notes of tart cranberry and cherry fruit surface. The eclectic nature of this Grenache gives it a deceivingly playful feel, while the savoury element and grippy tannin structure help elevate this wine to a more serious level. I feel there is more to come with developing this cuvée, and I am keen to taste the natural evolution of fruit in 3-5 years. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2035.

Wine Advocate : 93 Points

(10/10/2024) The 2022 Grenache Stolpman Vineyard is spice-driven, smoky and herbal on the nose, with its pleasantly savory aromas bound together by dark fruits and saline lift. Elegant and weightless on the palate, it concludes with a chalky, persistent grip that holds a sneaky amount of tannic structure that builds with aeration. This lovely expression of Ballard Canyon Grenache should be beautiful to watch evolve through the next decade. Drink Date: 2024 - 2032.