Domaine Artefact, San Diego County (California) Grenache Noir 2018

 San Diego County is the oldest wine producing region in California.  That said, the county has struggled to find its way of late, having lain fallow for many years, and having only recently decided to rejoin the rest of state as a beacon of domestic production.  Some have leaned toward market forces that say, “Plant what sells” while others, like Domaine Artefact, have researched the terroir and moved to plant varieties that could do well in the given circumstance.  This Grenache shows a careful consideration of circumstance, and the result is a wine that can reach past the local stage and shout the attributes of the area with full throated authority.  It’s fully ripe, with singing strawberry fruit and bright white pepper that hang in from start to finish.  It’s a pleasure to drink now, and it will continue to improve over the next five to six years.