It’s Meant to Be!

Some will be attracted by all the good press; others will discover it as an affordable alternative to their favorite Pinot Noir. Whichever way they get there, your customers are bound to fall in love with California Grenache of one type or another.

It's just meant to be. The world's favorite varietal thrives in the Golden State and, thanks to decades of work to reduce yields and improve quality, the California Grenache renaissance is in full swing. No longer destined for obscurity as a blending grape, Grenache is becoming an "it" category thanks to mono-varietal bottlings from talented artisanal wineries.

The media love it— Eric Asimov, whose NYT articles on California Grenache span two decades, is seeing an "entirely new age of Grenache" in Calfornia (and around the world for that matter), and Esther Mobley declared recently that Grenache could be "the most interesting type of wine being made in California right now."

Of course, "interesting" can be a double-edged sword; versatility can lead to complexity in styles, making it difficult for customers to know what to expect.

But I find there's stylistic clarity emerging in the category—the classic paradigms of "lighter" and "fuller" that you find in Old World Grenache (Rayas vs Beaucastel) and other analogous categories like California Pinot Noir (Hirsch vs Kosta Brown) are playing out now California Grenache.

Within these overarching "lighter" and "fuller" styles of California Grenache, there are a handful of specialty producers who deliver outstanding examples to choose from. And, being half the cost of Pinot Noir of comparable quality, the wines are great value.

Such as Mathis Grenache, an excellent example of fuller-styled California Grenache. Ample, oh yes! Blackberry, framboise, wild plum, a grind of pepper and a dash of garrigue leap from the glass, energized by organic farming, native yeasts, neutral barrels.

That's not all. For a full-bodied Grenache, Mathis is unexpectedly chiseled, polished, layered and mouthwatering, thanks to the volcanic soils, French clones and high elevation that Peter chose when planting his estate in search of the best expression of California Grenache. Every time you come back to it, the wine reveals more of itself.

Pedigreed as his wine is, Peter Mathis wants you not to think about all the details but just enjoy. His label communicates the authenticity simply—"I grow it. I make it." —and he even includes his phone number on the back label. It's a brilliant way to communicate transparency and artisanship.

And this is where the wine captures the zeitgeist of California consumers. Considering that Eater's #1 "hottest restaurants" last month were a food truck (Oakland) and Tacqueria (LA), it's a sign that humble purveyors are attaining quality at the highest level, and consumers are rewarding them with more business. Mathis's understated quality is on point.

So when you're zeroing in on California Grenache, Peter Mathis is a hands down winner - quality, ethos and style that for so many reasons your customers will love.