2014 The Third Twin Graciano The Third Twin Vineyard Santa Ynez Valley (750ml) [2x 2014, 2x 2015: O

"97+ out of 100 - A blend of 90% Graciano and 10% Mourvedre, completely destemmed and then aged all in used oak barrels for around 27 months, the 2014 The Third Twin Graciano sports a very deep garnet-purple color and beguiling nose of espresso, tapenade, preserved plums and Indian spices with earth and licorice nuances. The densely packed, full-bodied palate has a firm backbone of grainy tannins and lovely freshness, with loads of earthy layers and fantastic length, which features buckets of exotic spices. This is the first edition of this single vineyard wine, coming entirely from The Third Twin Vineyard in Los Alamos, showcasing not only the potential of this amazing site but of this grape variety in the region. Manfred Krankl commented, Of course I realize this is a Spanish variety, but I think God...or someone...made a slight mistake along the way, as the grape very much reminds me of the Rhone Positively the finest example of this grape I have ever tasted, move over Spain, Graciano has found a new spiritual home in California's Central Coast! 65 cases were made." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate