2018 Faethm Fingers Crossed Grenache
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Tasting notes
The 2018 Grenache Off the Record is blended with 11% Mourvèdre, 11% Syrah and 3% Roussanne and was made with 45% whole clusters. It comes from three vineyards—The Third Twin, Sebastiano and Cumulus—and matured for 20 months in 41% new French oak. Deep ruby-purple in color, it's scented of red and black cherries, loamy earth, dried herbs and loads of latent, spicy accents. The youthfully shy nose belies the palate, which explodes with concentrated, spicy fruits. Medium-bodied, it offers that rare balance of sapidity and weightless, its bright, juicy acidity highlighting layers of perfume on the long, ethereal finish. This was bottled in July 2020 and tasted May 24, 2022. Only 193 cases were made; it will be sold as a five-bottle box set that will include one bottle of white wine, two bottles of Grenache and two bottles of Syrah ($559).
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Jeb Dunnuck
Jeb Dunnuck
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Based on 75% Grenache, 11% Mourvèdre, 11% Syrah, and the rest 3% Roussanne, the 2018 Grenache Off The Record saw 45% whole cluster and aging all in barrel. It has a rich, savory, almost Rayas-like bouquet of gamey red and black fruits, ground pepper, toasted spice, spring flowers, and hints of bloody meat. Beautifully textured, full-bodied, and elegant on the palate, with plenty of stem influence, this complex, layered, brilliantly done 2018 is going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for 10-15 years. It’s a stunning example of Grenache from California! While the name has been changed from Faethm to Fingers Crossed due to trademark issues, the quality of the wines here is still through the roof, and this estate is unquestionably one of the up and coming superstars of California. Run by Nicolas and Julia Krankl (Nicolas is the son of Sine Qua Non’s Manfred Krankl), Fingers Crossed produces rich, powerful wines that display a beautiful sense of freshness and elegance, incredible complexity, and, as I hope the reviews here show, world-class quality. But these are not Sine Qua Non copycats – they have their own style, slightly more Old World-styled and with notable stem influence, yet they still deliver serious amounts of classic California fruit. As with all great wines, they have singular characters. I was able to follow these bottles for multiple days, and they only improved, so give them plenty of air, or better yet, a handful of years in a cold cellar.
The 2018 Grenache Off The Record opens with a burst of inky red/purplish fruit intermingled with whole cluster floral and savory notes. Bold and luscious, yet with terrific freshness, the 2018 is a striking wine in every way. Sweet red cherry, rose petal and licorice add complexity, but it is the wine's completeness that truly stands out. The 2018 is 75% Grenache, 11% Mourvèdre, 11% Syrah and 3% Roussanne from The Third Twin, John Sebastiano and Cumulus, done with 45% whole clusters and aged for 20 months in barrel, with 41% new wood.
Not yet bottled, the 2018 Grenache is a full-bodied, powerful yet complex effort that shows the vintage beautifully. Perfumed notes of violets, garrigue, ground pepper, and both cassis and black raspberry fruits emerge from the glass, and it has good acidity, nicely integrated stems, ripe tannins, and a massive finish. It’s pure class. There’s nothing liking starting out with a bang, and that’s exactly what Nicolas and Julia Krankl have done with their inaugural release under the Faethm label. The son of Manfred Krankl at Sine Qua Non, Nicolas, along with his wife Julia, created Faethm in 2017, and their first release, which immediately sold out, went live in 2019. I can’t recall a new estate that has impressed me as much right out of the gate and these 2017 and 2018s are truly brilliant wines. And while Nicolas trained with his father at Sine Qua Non and has certainly followed in those footsteps, these are not carbon copy wines, and they have their own distinctive characters. The focus is on Rhône varieties and fruit sources include a who’s who list of great sites and include Cumulus Vineyard, White Hawk, The Third Twin, and Bien Nacido. Unfortunately, production is a tiny 250 cases, and I would assume it will grow slowly, so if you want some these wines, get on the mailing list ASAP.