2022 GiGi's Grenache

Tasting Notes:

Grenache is one of the most widely planted red wine varietals in the world. It ripens late so it needs hot, dry conditions such as those found in Contra Costa County. The hot climate with cool afternoon breezes lends to an extended growing season and allows for the development of rich, complex flavors. We sourced this wine from a single vineyard in Contra Costa County, Lazar Vineyard. This Grenache underwent secondary fermentation in barrels to allow this delicate wine to soften while retaining its fruit character. It features aromatics of blackberry and licorice that continue on the palate with flavors of spice.  It boasts a soft, smooth finish.  This delicous wine will pair incredibly well with meat and vegetable dishes, think roasted chicken and root vegetables.

Appellation Notes: Lazar Vineyard, Contra Costa County

We’ll never forget the first time we drove out to see vineyards in Contra Costa, located within the San Francisco Bay AVA, quite east of the city. We ate Ribeyes and baked beans at Mac’s Old House in Antioch and trekked among the vines. The AVA border begins west of the towns of Martinez and Contra Costa, where vineyards are sandwiched between apartment buildings, shopping malls, and rooted along the highways that follow the Sacramento-San Joaquin inland river delta. The AVA spans east, and its northern border follows the delta past Oakley and south to Byron. In the 1890s, a host of immigrants, mostly Italian, who had come for the 1849 Gold Rush, established vineyards in the sandy banks along the delta—field blends of Alicante Bouschet, Carignane, Mataro, Petite Sirah, and most notably Zinfandel. Incredibly, some are still producing grapes today. The wines are deliciously bold with dark blue and black fruit flavors.