Birichino Grenache Old Vines Besson Vineyards 2018

George and Martha Besson’s old Grenache vineyard near Gilroy is one of the best sites with which Birichino works. It could be nothing but Grenache, yet tastes like no other Grenache. While the wines ultimately revert to their highly refined centre of gravity as they resolve some time 4 or 5 years after bottling, an elegant composition of tertiary spices, fruit liqueur and alpine botanical extracts, Besson Grenache comes out of the gate dominated by one of those elements. The 2018 falls squarely in the liqueur corner, the effect of the rested fraction of the grapes being at least temporarily buried beneath the considerable cherriosity. 

From vines planted in 1910, this wine impresses on multiple levels. Aromas of dark berry, strawberry, dried thyme and turned soil are both rustic and refined. The palate is framed by fresh acidity and a delightful rocky minerality, which give depth to the cranberry, raspberry and herbal flavours.