2009 The Third Man Grenache
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Tasting notes
Consistent with last year’s review, the 2009 Gramercy Cellars The Third Man is a gorgeous southern Rhône like blend (50% Grenache, 28% Syrah, and 22% Mourvedre) that see no new oak. Incredibly expressive, with perfumed aromas of sweet raspberries, lavender, garrigue, and exotic spices, it hits the palate with a silky, seamless texture, loads of sweet fruit, building tannin, and a clean, beautifully focused finish. Needing an hour of air to shine - and holding up perfectly over the multiple days I had the bottle opened - this medium to full-bodied blend is spectacular now, yet will no doubt shine for 10-12 years.
Critic scores
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
(a blend of grenache, syrah and mourvedre): Good bright medium red. Liqueur-like red fruits on the nose. Smooth and fleshy but with lively acidity framing the cherry and licorice flavors. More expansive in the middle palate than the tempranillo or cabernet, showing enticing sweetness of fruit and good energy. Finishes with fine-grained tannins and sneaky persistence.
A new wine in the portfolio is the 2009 The Third Man, a wine that Orson Welles would definitely appreciate. It is a blend of 50% Grenache, 28% Syrah, and 22% Mourvedre aged in neutral oak, puncheons and barriques for 15 months. Garrigue, lavender, truffle, black cherry, and blueberry elements compose the bouquet of this elegant, slightly racy, spicy wine. In the glass it opens to reveal succulent flavors, excellent depth, impeccable balance, and a lengthy, pure finish. Give it 1-2 years to fully blossom and drink it from 2012 to 2021. Gramercy Cellars was started by Master Sommelier Greg Harrington in 2005. As these wines attest, he is not resting on his laurels. Tel. (509) 876-2427; www.gramercycellars.com
Showing more fruit than the ’08, the 2009 Gramercy Cellars The Third Man is a blend of 50% Grenache, 28% Syrah, and 22% Mourvedre - sourced from Alder Ridge, Minick, and Gramercy Estate vineyards – that was aged all in 2nd fill French oak. Beautifully energetic, with sweet raspberry and blackberry fruit, exotic spice, smoked meat, and serious minerality, the wine is medium bodied, clean, and focused on the palate. The texture and verve are something, and I actually like this even a bit more than the ’08. It should evolve for 3-5 years and have a solid 12-15 year drink window.