2019 The Third Twin Graciano
Market price
Buying options
Tasting notes
There are a tiny 74 cases of the 2019 Graciano, but this cuvée will grow in quantity going forward. Based on 90% Graciano, 6% Petite Sirah, and 4% Syrah that saw 32% stems, it's a beastie of a wine sporting a dense purple hue, incredible notes of blue fruits, wild strawberries, candied violets, cigar, pepper, and leather, full-bodied richness, ultra-fine tannins, and good acidity, which is the hallmark of this variety. This ripe, powerful, balanced, singular wine will evolve for two decades.
Critic scores
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2019 Graciano is stunning. Deep, plush and explosive, the 2019 possesses remarkable intensity in every dimension. Black fruit, licorice, spice, chocolate and incense infuse the 2019 with striking textural resonance. The 2019 Graciano is one of the very finest wines I have ever tasted from Elaine and Manfred Krankl. Sadly, there are just 74 cases to go around.
The Spanish variety Graciano is relatively rare in California, and this 2019 Graciano comes from just 1.33 acres planted in 2011 in pure sand in The Third Twin estate vineyard. It was still in barrel when I tasted it on May 24, 2022, due to be bottled shortly thereafter, in June 2022. If there is such a thing as an archetypal Californian Graciano, this 2019 has got to be it—it's a kaleidoscope of hedonistic fruit and spice. Blended with small amounts of Petite Sirah and Syrah, it was made with 32% whole clusters and matured for about 32 months in 57% new French oak. Opaque purple-black in color, it explodes with scents of boysenberry and blueberry, violets, coffee beans, tar, sage and thyme, shifting continually as it airs in the glass. The palate offers that rare combination of concentration and weightlessness thanks to its notably juicy acidity and silky texture, and it boasts a tremendously persistent, layered finish. "I feel like Graciano is more akin to Grenache," Krankl notes. "It ripens late, and it has to be very ripe or it's not interesting at all. But it has good acidity, even if you harvest it late." Just 74 cases will be released in the spring of 2023.