2022 Grenache
Our 2022 Grenache is a sensational wine and very enjoyable right from bottling. Plentiful aromas of black cherry, strawberry, beetroot, and violet flowers are easy to pick out as you swirl the glass. The palate breaks out with rose water and plum, a combination that gives it a fresh and vibrant experience. At 22% new oak, it’s nice to pick out the subtle taste of cedar, sandalwood, and coconut. The mouthfeel has depth with a slight tannic structure that gives it grip and weight on the finish. Medium-bodied, this wine can be appreciated by itself or with a myriad of light game meats. I personally love it with a garden fresh Caprese Salad with mixed nuts on the side. This wine will improve with age, but that may prove to be a difficult task as most will want to enjoy it right now… it tastes wonderful right now!
Grenache is always treated with extreme delicacy and care at our winery. We do not crush the berries, we simply destem and implement whole-berry fermentation. Four different yeast strains were used, adding to the uniqueness and complexity of this blend. The ferments were kept below 80 degrees and averaged 60 degrees during the 3-week-long process. The tanks and barrels were drained, and the skins were lightly pressed. We combined both the free-run juice and the press fraction together. We used four brand new 500L Saury American Oak barrels as open-top fermentation vessels. Barrel fermentation is a HUGE benefit to this wine, adding rich textures and trapping the wine’s brilliant color. Both Grenache lots were kept separate for the entirety of winemaking and barrel aging. The 28-barrel blend came together on May 8, 2023, with an addition of 4 – 300L barrels of Petite Sirah as the final ingredient. Petite Sirah balances the structure and increases the wine’s ability to age.
| Download Wine Notes |
| Vintage | 2022 |
| Varietal | Grenache |
| Varietal Composition | 88% Grenache & 12% Petite Sirah |
| Appellation | Paso Robles |
| Vineyard | Frankel Family Estate & San Miguel Vineyards |
| Acid | 0.65 g/100ml |
| PH | 3.50 |
| Residual Sugar | 0.09 g/100ml |
| Alcohol | 15.00% |
| Volume | 750 ml |
| Bottling Date | 05/17/2023 |
| Cases Produced | 1008 |
Grenache has an amazing track record for Sculpterra, with 5 vintages in a row scoring ninety points or higher from Wine Enthusiast Magazine and two of those vintages receiving editor’s choice! What makes this wine special is the unique blending of two Grenache vineyards. Frankel Vineyards Grenache, 49% of this blend, is an incredible vineyard site with some amazing characteristics. Known as the “El Libro” block, this land contains both west and east-facing slopes, split down the middle by a small summit road. The grapes ripen early with extensive summer and fall heat. The soils are calcareous with limestone mixed in. Rafael Jimenez is the partner in this amazing Grenache blend. His Grenache vineyard, located on the west side of San Miguel, is notable for its high winds and moderate temperatures during the growing season. These factors contribute to a slow ripening and a later harvest.
Paul Frankel's Background
Winemaking and grape growing is Paul’s passion! From an early age, Paul showed interest and excelled in science, botany, and chemistry. Most of all Paul loved the outdoors and working with his hands. His love for farming shows through in the quality of his wines. He has conducted numerous vineyard and winemaking experiments that have resulted in award-winning wines. Paul has studied the Frankel Ranch property during his lifetime and he is very well versed in soil types and meso climates on the estate. Paul grew up on the property and was mentored by winemakers Shannon O’Neil and Jason Bushong. Paul’s father and Dr. Warren Frankel planted the 125-acre vineyard and built the winery, opening the tasting room in October 2007. Paul graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a Bachelor’s Degree in Viticulture and Enology. While in college he interned at the Cal Poly Pilot Winery and worked 2 seasons at Maloy O’Neill Winery. In fact, Paul took two fall quarters off to make Sculpterra’s wines. His first vintage as a head winemaker was 2008 making 19 total tons. During harvest Paul puts in 14-hour days, conducting the pick, crush, and press.
