I'm a huge fan of Grenache and Grenache Blanc. In France's Rhone Valley and Spain, the grapes thrive and produce wines that I've always enjoyed, as regular readers of this site will note. What we've seen in the last 5-7 years is more winemakers on the West Coast begin to put serious effort behind their Grenache offerings, and the output from my experience has been wholly worth while. That's certainly the case in this Grenache Blanc from Dobbes Family Estate in Oregon with grapes grown a bit further south in the state from their other offerings.
The wine starts with a vibrant, citrusy nose that reminds me of Citrus Gatorade (the dark yellow Gatorade, one of the originals); in the mouth there's a dose of puckery fruit including grapefruit, apricot and peach; clean without wood influence; there's a good shot of acidity that helps create a lasting, sticky finish. I'm enjoying this wine during the winter months, and it's great, but the bright fruit and lively acidity would really shine on a warm spring or summer day. This wine in many ways reminded me of another favorite, Albarino from Spain, but with a little more tart and citrus.
I'd say Grenache Blanc is a grape of the rise in the US. When you're tired of the standard Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnays, you might find this to be a nice change of pace. And from a quick Google search, Costco's $15.99 price tag makes this an even more solid buy.
CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 88 Points
Costco item number: 963076
