Hello friends. Two new releases from Gramercy Cellars today. One is an old standby. The other is a new addition to the lineup, which until today had only been available through the winery doors:
2009 Gramercy Cellars Tempranillo “Inigo Montoya”
An odd member of the Rhone-focused Gramercy lineup, no doubt, but I was never one to refuse a delicious oddity. This is Greg Harrington’s fourth vintage making Tempranillo, and he has settled into a style that pays homage to Rioja. The proportion of Tempranillo here (97%) is as high as it has ever been, and much like in Rioja, the majority of the barrels here are American (75%; the remainder French, and only 10% new).
All the Tempranillo comes from the Walla Walla Valley, a combination of Les Collines (89%) and Gramercy’s own estate vineyard (11%). Aromatically, it’s a slam dunk for Tempranillo, with its telltale combination of tobacco leaf, dark berry fruit, and spicy leather. Spanish Tempranillos often walk the line between old-world and new-world style, and this is no different. The moderate alcohol (13.5%) and notable structure (plenty of jazzy acid, and nice chewy tannins) suggest old-world, but there’s a ripeness to the fruit and to the tannins (here giving a suggestion of sweet pepper) that would perhaps push you towards the new world in a blind tasting. There’s something to like for everyone. For me, this vintage had a compelling umami character I didn’t recall from previous Inigos, upping the complexity and making this difficult to resist indeed.
Washington Wine Report (Sean Sullivan): “[REVIEW TEXT WITHHELD]. Rating: ***** (Exceptional).” [note: Sean Sullivan has shifted his ratings to a simple, 5-star system for 2012]
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate (Jay Miller): “[REVIEW TEXT WITHHELD]. 93pts.”
2009 Gramercy Cellars L’Idiot du Village (Syrah/Grenache Blend)
Move along.
Nothing to see here.
All indications have pointed to this being winery-only (to the best of my knowledge, no other retail or restaurant accounts in the United States are currently stocking this), so I inquired about a parcel as something of a lark. My surprise at hearing “yes” is exceeded only by my desire to hit send before anyone changes their mind, so I will keep this brief.
A play on a Cotes du Rhone Villages (a step up from Cotes du Rhone) and a play on, well, the village idiot, this is an 89/11 blend of Syrah and Grenache, which in 2009 is meant to showcase Les Collines Block 50, the infamous sprawl block; the wild beast of the Walla; the destroyer of worlds; the… okay, I’m getting carried away.
But this is an odd block of Syrah vines, trained differently than the rest, and it seems to express itself, when harnessed properly, in a note of wildness to the fruit; a sauvage character; a blast of black olive. Here we get wild mountain blueberries, dusted in cocoa powder, and this is notable for the almost Cabernet-like grip of the tannins. This is a chewy Syrah, with plenty of boldness to the flavor and structure, a rare Syrah that could complement your next porterhouse. It’s a fine introduction to an odd little piece of the Walla Walla Valley, and as far as I know, it’s not available anywhere else.
Please limit order requests to 12 bottles total (mix and match as you see fit), and we’ll do our best to fulfill all requests. The wines should arrive in about a week, at which point they will be available for pickup or shipping during the spring shipping window.
