Phenomenal red from a famous Monterey name
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2021 Private Property Grenache Santa Lucia Highlands 750 ml
Retail: $30 | ||
| $25 | 17% off | per bottle |
- Curated by unrivaled experts
- Choose your delivery date
- Temperature controlled shipping options
- Get credited back if a wine fails to impress
Coastal Richness and Elegance
Scott Caraccioli represents the fourth generation of a family that has been farming the Salinas Valley in Monterey County for decades. They’re best known for their eponymous wine label, under which they produce some of North America’s finest sparkling wine. Private Property is Scott’s side hustle—one that shows off his family’s phenomenal vineyard sources.
The result: wines like Scott’s Private Property Grenache. It’s a bottle that not only does its Santa Lucia Highlands provenance proud, but shows that Grenache—most associated with France’s Rhône Valley—can thrive beautifully on California’s Central Coast.
In Santa Lucia Highlands, which skirts the Salinas Valley inland from the town of Monterey, the maritime winds take the bite out of the summer sun, stretching out the growing season, which leads to ideal ripeness. The area is best known for the Burgundy varieties Pinot Noir and Chardonnay—indeed, some of California’s top sites for those grapes are located there—but the gorgeous conditions suit Grenache equally well.
Grenache loves sun: It’s the marquee grape of the Southern Rhône, where it forms the foundation of the famed blends of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, channeling the warmth of France’s Midi perfectly. It also does extremely well in the parched vineyards of Northern Spain.
But while intense heat can lead to blockbuster-type richness, the long, mellow growing season of the Santa Lucia Highlands results in a red wine of fantastic grace. Light ruby in color, the 2021 Private Property Grenache boasts aromas of red fruit and red florals, along with hints of sage and tobacco. The palate offers beautiful purity, with cherries and raspberries, hints of spice, and an excellent acidity that lingers through the long finish. A lovely and elegant wine.