2008 Horse and Plow, Grenache, Unti Vineyard, Alexander Valley California

This is a delightful wine with bright fruit but yet an earthy character. Although you do sense the oak on the nose, it should integrate in a year or so. If you are looking for the soft edges of Pinot but want a notch more in terms of tannin (a little Syrah and Mouvedre are blended in), this is your dream wine come to life. The wine has grace, yet is perky—almost wise beyond its years. Technical stuff: This wine was punched down by hand in open-top fermentors, gently pressed, then aged in French oak barrels for 10 months. This wine was not fined or filtered.