“This big, rich, steakhouse red still carries a beautiful sense of freshness and purity.” - Jeb Dunnuck

This will surely be one of our sleeper hits of the year. With FIVE scores from the pros, ranging from 92 to 94 points, this has everything you want in a mind-expanding, value-driven red.

But you might be asking, “What the heck is Graciano?!” The question should be “Do you like your wines inky, fresh, complex, and weighed down with enough character to make Tolstoy take notes?”

Of course you do.

But truthfully, most everyone at HQ posed the same question.

Graciano is an obscure variety, sure. But one that’s on the rise. It represents less than 0.0004% of vines planted. Best known as a blending grape in Spanish Rioja, where it provides richness, concentration, power, and depth to bolster the elegance of Tempranillo. But on its own? Pure magic!

A freight train of deliciousness! With each passenger car bringing a new theme; fruity, savory, floral, mineral, woody. Imagine Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah having a lovechild. And that lovechild is dripping with blueberry and mulberry jam, melted black licorice, peppery spices, exotic wood and violet floral notes, all shrouded in firm tannins.

The sample made its way around the tasting table several times for “research” before being drained completely.

While Graciano remains an obscure grape, consider this. Sine Qua Non, the very definition of a CULT producer, has countless 100 point wines. One of their latest efforts, The Third Twin, is an innovative 100% Graciano (and it goes for $350+!). And this wine? Made from a vineyard just down the road!

While more winemakers are discovering this crazy-cool grape, Frequency Wines winemaker Zac Wasserman (like Sine Qua Non) is among the first to embrace it as a varietal wine. A native son of Santa Barbara, who within a year of working as Assistant Winemaker at the highly accoladed Tensley, started his own label in 2011.

He’s been attracting critical acclaim ever since. “Zac Wasserman creates an approachable and delicious range of wines under the Rhône-focused Frequency label and the Burgundian Di Palermo line.” points out the Wine Advocate. They continue, “Across the board, the wines are refined and pure, with careful attention paid to their textural precision.”

This bottling is from three select vineyards in Santa Barbara, all near Los Alamos. Portico Hills gives it ripe blue fruit core and concentration because of its steep southern-facing slope and excellent drainage. Nolan Ranch provides savory spice complexity due to its various aspects. And Martian vineyards adds old vine intensity and je ne sais quoi.

We know you’re always looking for the next big wine. This one – it’s BIG.

Fear not. Your trusted Agents of Wine will not lead you astray. Even Agents Rôtie and Noir, who both already have too much wine at home (or so their wives say) plan to stock up on it. It is that good!

For just over $30? You’ll be happy you got some, but sad it wasn’t enough.

94 Points – Wine Enthusiast “Very rich and comforting on the nose, this bottling shows intense aromas of baked elderberry and black cherry. The palate is very engaging and complex, pairing boysenberry with flavors of lavender, violet and pepper, as the tension rises on the finish.”

93 Points – Vinous “The 2023 Graciano Los Alamos is savory, peppery and intense, loaded with purple berry fruit, white pepper, tobacco and leather tones. Forceful, chalky acids brace the wine’s rich frame, while mineral nuances add complexity. It’s clear that Graciano does really well here. Drink 2025-2032.”

93 Points – Wine Spectator “Deeply imbued with notes of dried violet, gravel and fresh thyme that weave their way through a generous, juicy core of floral, blueberry and Santa Rosa plum flavors. Hints of chicory, orange peel and fresh, minerally acidity lend some dimension as this finishes on a brambly detail around fine tannins. Drink now through 2036. 500 cases made.”

93 Points – James Suckling “Copious black raspberries and crushed pomegranate seeds are juicy and alive on the concentrated nose and palate. Blood-orange notes amplify that mouthwatering character, serving as nervy counterpoints to red-tea tannins, flowers and spices. Drink or hold.”

92+ Points – Jeb Dunnuck “Zac Wasserman’s Frequency label is his Rhône-focused lineup. The program centers around Rhône varieties, with the lineup ranging from an entry-level GSM to the flagship Select, a Syrah-Graciano blend. There’s also an amphora-aged Graciano from Portico Hills, which is certainly novel. These wines consistently deliver richness while maintaining balance. The value play here is clearly the GSM blend, and it’s a smoking good Rhône-like blend that readers should pounce on. Wasserman also makes Pinot Noir and Chardonnay under the DiPalermo label, and he’s far from a one trick pony. These wines are worth your time. Made from 100% Graciano that was completely destemmed and aged 10 months in neutral French oak, the 2023 Graciano Los Alamos has a deep purple color and reveals piercing notes of blueberries, blackberries, pen ink, liquid violets, and black pepper. Inky and concentrated, it’s medium to full-bodied, with solid underlying acidity and ripe tannins. This big, rich, steakhouse red still carries a beautiful sense of freshness and purity. I think it’s probably best enjoyed in its fresh, vivid youth, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see it evolve nicely over the coming decade. Drink 2025-2035.”