The ever-experimental team at Linne Calodo is at it again with this bold Grenache. It spent six months or so in concrete before being racked into oak fourde where it rested for another 30 months. The result is a mind bender — deep strawberry pie and kirsch aromas lead to an intensely concentrated palate, with a touch of heat showing. It works well with the fruit here. There’s no overt oak character, and vibrant pepper comes through in the finish with the heat pushing it. It’s of course highly stylized and not intended to show varietal typicity, but rather to stretch the envelope. The industry always needs pioneers willing to do just that. Contains 3% Syrah.
Linne Calodo, Willow Creek District – Paso Robles (Central Coast, California) 2019
By Rich Cook