Aonair Wines
Duarte Vineyard Grenache Blend
El Dorado County, Sierra Foothills, California, USA
My last of the Aonair Grenache wines. Fun memories of one of our favorite wine clubs when we first started getting in to wine.
When looking back at my note on the 2015 (consumed Dec 2017, so two years on it), I’m surprised at how different this 2016 was (5+yrs on it). Hardly any trace of smoked meat or candied bacon notes here. While very new world, this 2016 was a bit more varietally correct in profile…ripe red (raspberries) and black fruits (blackberries, black cherries) with sandalwood and peppercorn spice aromatics. Rich on the palate with good acidity and quite a bit of tannin on the finish. Gains a small herbal and savory component the longer it’s open.
I followed over two days and didn’t notice much change. These are normally ready to go upon delivery and easily hold up 5+yrs later.
My last of the Aonair Grenache wines. Fun memories of one of our favorite wine clubs when we first started getting in to wine.
When looking back at my note on the 2015 (consumed Dec 2017, so two years on it), I’m surprised at how different this 2016 was (5+yrs on it). Hardly any trace of smoked meat or candied bacon notes here. While very new world, this 2016 was a bit more varietally correct in profile…ripe red (raspberries) and black fruits (blackberries, black cherries) with sandalwood and peppercorn spice aromatics. Rich on the palate with good acidity and quite a bit of tannin on the finish. Gains a small herbal and savory component the longer it’s open.
I followed over two days and didn’t notice much change. These are normally ready to go upon delivery and easily hold up 5+yrs later.
With friends in town during Thanksgiving, I hit up some wineries that I’ve been curious about. Super cool experience at Aonair. Grant Long, Jr has created something special there, and with David Yorgensen at the helm with the wines, it feels all dialed in. Their Grenache was a surprise to me. From El Dorado and there’s some initial funk, but it blows off and what’s left is a balanced, mineral driven, but kirsch laden, and yet still, a bright style wine that’s quite reminiscent of something from Chateauneuf du Pape.
With friends in town during Thanksgiving, I hit up some wineries that I’ve been curious about. Super cool experience at Aonair. Grant Long, Jr has created something special there, and with David Yorgensen at the helm with the wines, it feels all dialed in. Their Grenache was a surprise to me. From El Dorado and there’s some initial funk, but it blows off and what’s left is a balanced, mineral driven, but kirsch laden, and yet still, a bright style wine that’s quite reminiscent of something from Chateauneuf du Pape.
Nov 29th, 2018
