Andremily Grenache 2022 (750ML)

Slide Hill, the Edna Valley vineyard now owned by winemaker Jim Binns, and the Alta Mesa vineyard supply the fruit for this Rhône-style blend. The 2022 combines 82% Grenache with 10% Syrah and 8% Mourvèdre, fermented with 60% whole clusters and raised in barrique and demi-muids, half of the wood new. It was a sunnier, more generous year for Andremily than the cooler 2023, and the wine wears that warmth in its scale and richness. Black raspberry, garrigue herbs, cracked pepper and a ferrous streak open the nose; the palate is full, concentrated and deep, with ripe tannins and lasting persistence. Critics give it a window running to about 2037. Serve it with smoked brisket, spiced pork sausages or a slow-cooked ratatouille.