Eleven Confessions Vineyard is located in the Sta. Rita Hills appellation and was the first vineyard purchased by Manfred and Elaine Krankl. It is defined by Manfred as “a warm site in a cool region” — a spot on the eastern sector of Sta. Rita Hills that the Krankls identified as ideal for Rhône varieties more than twenty years ago when virtually no one was thinking about Grenache and Syrah here. The 22-acre vineyard is planted to Syrah, Grenache, Roussanne, and other Rhône varieties in dense configurations with clay, loam, and limestone soils.

The late-bottled 2019 Grenache Eleven Confessions Vineyard is another undeniably great wine from this incredible estate. It’s a powerful, full-bodied, opulent Grenache that brings to mind a great vintage of Domaine de Marcoux’s Vieilles Vignes with its gorgeous red and black fruits, smoked herbs, leather, and assorted spicy, sandalwood, and peppery nuances. Full-bodied on the palate, it has flawless balance, a deep, layered mid-palate, and velvety tannins — that rare mix of richness and elegance that only Grenache can deliver.