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2014 Horsepower Vineyards Grenache Sur Echalas Vineyard

2014 Horsepower Vineyards Grenache Sur Echalas Vineyard

99 RP

Featured Review
Reminding me of a hypothetical mix of blood and herbs (blood sausage?), with notes of earth, mushrooms, rose petal and strawberries, the 2014 Grenache Sur Echalas Vineyard is full-bodied, exotic and seamless, with building tannin and a gorgeous saltiness on the finish. Like these latest 2014s, it opens up with time in the glass, has a layered, elegant and incredibly long finish, and perfectly polished tannin. It's not Rayas, it's not Chateauneuf du Pape, it's an incredible, singular wine that stands on its own. Robert Parker Wine Advocate

Robert Parker | 99 RP

Critic Reviews

Reminding me of a hypothetical mix of blood and herbs (blood sausage?), with notes of earth, mushrooms, rose petal and strawberries, the 2014 Grenache Sur Echalas Vineyard is full-bodied, exotic and seamless, with building tannin and a gorgeous saltiness on the finish. Like these latest 2014s, it opens up with time in the glass, has a layered, elegant and incredibly long finish, and perfectly polished tannin. It's not Rayas, it's not Chateauneuf du Pape, it's an incredible, singular wine that stands on its own.

Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RP
The aromas explode with notes of potpourri, olive, smoked meat, fire pit, orange peel, mineral, mushroom, garrigue and white pepper. The palate is lifted, bright but intensely flavored, loaded with flower, berry, olive and charcuterie flavors. The finish seems near endless and the sense of balance is exquisite. It's shockingly good.

Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE
(13.5% alcohol; these vines are planted at a very dense 4,840 per acre and yield just three clusters per vine, according to Christophe Baron): Dark red with an unfiltered appearance. Kaleidoscopic, rather wild aromas of mountain strawberry, dried raspberry, dried flowers, Sen-Sen, tobacco, porcini, leather, pepper, smoked meat, truffle and flinty minerals; the extraordinary aromatic complexity here has got to be at least partly due to the high density of plantation. Fresh and firm in the mouth, showing less primary fruit but more Old World salinity and exotic floral lift than the nose suggests. Excellent tension here from the close planting. Carrying obvious CO2, as this wine will only be racked for the bottling. This very tight-grained Grenache finishes with a hint of positive bitterness. Christophe Baron routinely carries out a 20% saignée and vinifies this wine with 100% whole clusters. Denser than the 2013 release but with a subtler floral character. Splendid Washington Grenache.

Vinous Media | 94 VM
Expressive and distinctive, with smoky meat, raspberry and garrigue aromas and gracefully complex cherry, olive and crushed stone flavors that linger toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2023. 202 cases made.

Wine Spectator | 94 WS
This 0.8ha vineyard with steep slopes is the highest-density planting in the Walla Walla Valley (vines are trained on individual stakes) and one of the highest in North America. It’s part of Baron’s Horsepower project, started in 2011, so-named as it is tilled by draft horses. Full-bodied, it’s also soft textured but with a sense of power and darkness, and has the saline finish of many of Baron’s wines. Smoky meat, liquorice and herbes de Provence aromas join with crushed stones on the palate. Drinking Window 2019 - 2027.

Decanter | 93 DEC
Intense meat, dried-flower and plum aromas follow through to a full body, round and soft tannins and a tangy finish. Hints of asphalt at the end. Complex subtlety. Drink now.

James Suckling | 93 JS

Wine Details for 2014 Horsepower Vineyards Grenache Sur Echalas Vineyard

Type of Wine Washington Red
Varietal Grenache : The vast and complex world of grape varietals is wondrous, fascinating and somewhat baffling. The how and why certain varietals either prosper or fail in winegrowing regions around the world is interesting; varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon thrive in extremely gravely soils, while Merlot finds success in rich clay. The Grenache grape variety is no exception. It excels in some of the most “inhospitable” soils and climates; inhospitable perhaps for anything but the wonderful Grenache grape. It seems adaptable to harsher climates and terroir and when at its best can produce one of the most concentrated and alcohol laden wines.

Grenache (or Garnacha as it is called in Spain) is believed to have originated from the north-eastern Spanish province of Aragon. The varietal first spread south and east, to Catalonia, Rioja and Navarra. It expanded greatly throughout the 12th-17th century, to Corsica, Sardinia, Southern Italy, Sicily, Croatia and even Greece. It was first planted in France in the Languedoc region in the 18th century and eventually its arrival to Rhone in the 19th century. The worldwide expansion of Grenache was inevitable and would eventually find its way to Australia, South Africa, Chile, Argentina, Provence and America. It was first introduced to California by Charles Lefranc, a prominent Santa Clara winegrower, in 1857.

Today, Grenache is one of the most popular and widely cultivated grape varietals in the world covering 163,000 hectares world-wide. It has been used in a myriad of ways and has been both, the workhorse and backbone in blending but also as a single-varietal. It is undoubtedly the magical component of the infamous Chateauneuf-Du-Pape appellation of France where a sea of Grenache grape vines grace the vineyards. Though there are 13 allowable varietals permitted by law in the AOC (controlled designation of origin), Grenache makes up 70-75% of all grapes grown in the appellation. It flourishes in a terroir of large stones, crystalline rocks, quartz, sandstone and the famous ‘galets roules’ (large round stones found throughout Southern Rhone). Chateau Rayas, which produces, perhaps the truest expression of Chateauneuf-Du-Pape is composed of 100% Grenache. Due to grape’s thin skin, the wine of Rayas is reminiscent to the color of red Burgundy offerings.

In Provence, Grenache is widely used in the blending of Rose wines. The great Sasha Lichine, of Chateau D’Esclans, who revolutionized the rose industry uses Grenache as the primary blending agent in his fleet of Rose. The grape’s phenolic qualities, ageability and character have lent to the success of D’Esclans, as his Garrus is the world’s most renowned, prestigious rose wine, while his Whispering Angel is the top-selling French rose in the United States.

In California, Grenache has taken on “new life” as it has found great success in the last 20-some years. New World winemakers and growers have adopted the grape (along with Syrah), producing what is referred to as “Rhone Rangers.” Manfred Krankl of Sine Qua Non and Alban Vineyards may be some of the finest examples of Grenache in California. Alban vineyards was the first important California winery to produce single-vineyard “Rhone” varietals, beginning a craze among other vintners as well as consumers. Krankl has fashioned ethereal wines from 100% Grenache that rival the greatest expression of Grenache in the world, earning him the title “California Cult” producer.

The varietal’s birthplace and most of Spain’s winegrowing regions have enjoyed great success with Grenache (Garnacha), where the varietal thrives in its natural elements of the hot and windy Mediterranean valleys. It ripens late with a long hang-time, so it needs hot, dry conditions. The long and deep roots are well suited to water stress, allowing for super concentrated flavors and aromas, especially with old vines. Spain has some of the finest Garnacha offerings as well as some of the least expensive in the world.

The incredible adaptability to areas of such inhospitable, dry and infertile soils is a mystical quality of Grenache. The world has been granted a gift, one that suits every budget and nearly every palate. From Chateauneuf-Du-Pape to Rose, to Cotes-Du-Rhone to Spanish Garnacha, the varietal has certainly earned its spot on the top of hot list.

Country US : As one of the most prolific and innovative wine regions in the world, America is a joy to explore. Most wine connoisseurs will agree that the nation's finest and most compelling wines are being produced today, which means that we have front-row seats to one of the most inspirational stories in wine history. While other regions tend to focus on specific wine styles and have somewhat strict rules as to which varietals you could grow, areas like California have few such restrictions in place. As a result, creative visionaries behind America's most reputable estates have been able to develop compelling, unique, and innovative styles, with a level of terroir expression that rivals even France's largest giants.
Region Washington : While California definitely owns the spotlight when it comes to excellent American wines, Washington winemakers should certainly not be underestimated. While their traditional focus was set firmly on refreshing, illustrious white wines, they've adopted French red varietals like Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Since then, they've been achieving excellence in both categories and can compete with the world's most prestigious viticultural titans.

Flavor-wise, you can expect a healthy amount of variety when it comes to Washington's finest wines. From acidic and fruity bottles that can shake you up from even the deepest slumber or sadness to rich and ripe powerhouses that command the respect of everyone in the room after as much as a single whiff. Juicy raspberries that gently tickle your tongue, deep and noble blackberries, intense cherries and earthen oak - these are the flavors that characterize this region, despite the presence of an entire orchestral symphony of other aromatic notes. A sampling of fine wine from Washington is a lot like being seduced, so why not uncork one of these bottles for a potential or existing partner? With a drink of this quality, those romantic sparks will turn into a fireworks display, as your emotions are laid bare and intensified, and you make a connection that can last a lifetime.
Subregion Columbia Valley
Appellation Walla Walla
Climat/Vineyard Sur Echalas Vineyard

Overview

Producer Horsepower

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