Vinous reports: “It’s hard to overstate the impact that the Talley family has had on high-quality grape-growing and winemaking in California’s Central Coast. The standard here is very high, starting with the impeccably maintained vineyards and extending to the winemaking… Talley has slowly been expanding outside the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay box in recent years, with great success. Production is still small for their Riesling, Grüner Veltliner, Sauvignon Blanc, Grenache, and Syrah bottlings, but they are more than worth the search…”

The search is OVER!

Excited, is putting it mildly for today’s feature. It’s been long established (first by Wine Enthusiast) that Talley’s Rincon is a “California Grand Cru” if there ever was one from Arroyo Grande Valley. While famous – no, make that LEGENDARY – for its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, it has recently and somewhat quietly added Grenache to that list of growing varietals on this prized vineyard.

This should not come as a surprise though, as the Grenache plot on Rincon is a CONTINUATION of their next-door neighbor: ALBAN. And that fact, dear Operatives, changes – and explains – everything…

Robert Parker goes on record that Alban is “from cuttings taken from the famed Chateau Rayas in Châteauneuf-du-Pape… along with the Sine Qua Non Grenache it represents the highest expression this varietal has yet achieved in the United States.”

Chateau Rayas is cruising around $2,000 a bottle these days… Sine Qua Non starts at $250 and goes up from there… Alban’s is a relative value within this cult Grenache trio at around just under $200 a pop.

Making this newer kid on the block, of comparable pedigree, at THIS price today: a genuine STEAL.

What you’ll find in the glass is a gorgeously pure Grenache in its core with Châteauneuf structure and vibes around the edges. Red berries galore, sprinkled with earth spice and fairy dust. The finish is forward and floral, with sneaky tannins refined enough to enjoy now with a roast feast, yet with the complexity to improve dramatically over the next decade. Buy in abundance at this price and see for yourselves how it evolves over time.

Seriously, 94 points AND nearly 40% off? Will it last the morning? We doubt it.

94 Points – Antonio Galloni’s Vinous

“Under the watch of owner Brian Talley and winemaker Eric Johnson, this consistently excellent winery has been going from strength to strength in recent years. That said, these vibrant 2019s is easily one of the most impressive sets of wines that I have had from Talley in the past two decades I have been tasting and drinking them. Grenache is a relatively new member of the lineup at Talley, and so far, the results are extremely impressive. There isn’t much to go around, but I have my fingers crossed that more will come online in the future. Shimmering ruby-red. Highly perfumed red fruit preserve, and incense aromas are complemented by suave floral and exotic spice nuances. Sappy, seamless, and penetrating in the mouth, offering appealingly sweet Chambord, cherry and candied lavender flavors that show excellent clarity and spicy back-end lift. The floral and spice notes drive a persistent, focused finish framed by polished, smoothly integrated tannins. Drink 2024-2033.”