Merisi Wines, Los Carneros (California) Grenache 2019

 This wine caught my eye recently when a local retailer featured it at the deeply discounted $14.99 price.  A few days later invino.com featured it at a discounted price of $18.95.   Merisi is a new winery owned by winemaker Mandy Donovan who worked her way up the winemaking ladder with stints at Cain and Sky Ranch.  Though very little Grenache is grown in the Carneros, this wine is an eye-opener.  Deep, dark color, the wine needs a little aeration and then rewards you with its attractive mix of raspberry, black pepper and spicy aromas.  On the palate, it is solid with a framework of light tannin and flavors of berries, dark plums and spice.  Far more complex than many Grenache from warmer climates, this is a serious, and very together version that can be enjoyed now through 2027 or so.  Merisi has also made a Pinot Gris from Carneros which merits another trip back to that retailer.