2016 Qupe Sawyer Lindquist Edna Valley Grenache

The world’s most famous Grenache vineyards are planted in quite warm to hot growing areas such as the southern Rhone and Priorat in France, and the Paso Robles region in California. Grenache can excel in those conditions and the wines are usually big and ripe, almost syrupy.

Cool-climate Grenache is quite different, especially when harvested at reasonable sugar levels. Qupé’s Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard is in California’s Edna Valley, near the coastal community of San Luis Obispo, which is much cooler than nearby Paso Robles.

The vineyard embraces biodynamic farming, and in 2009 was Demeter Certified Biodynamic. There are four clones or selections of Grenache planted, and this single-vineyard bottling uses a clone selection that came from the Alban Vineyard, also in the Edna Valley. The 2016 vintage is elegant and layered with a purity of fruit — delicious proof that not all great Grenache wines come from hot climes.