2012 No Girls Grenache La Paciencia Vineyard

(done entirely in neutral barrels and concrete): Moderately saturated pale red. Old World nose offers scents of raspberry, cranberry, smoke, flint, peony, rose petal and pink peppercorn. A juicy, pure wine with lovely precision and finesse, with the red berry flavors complicated by saline minerality; the mouthfeel here is distinctly Burgundian. Finishes with slightly edgy tannins and acidity but still offers considerable early appeal for its sheer verve. A fascinating Washington Grenache. Elizabeth Bourcier, who is "assistant vigneronne " at Cayuse, has recently taken over responsibility for the No Girls wines. She noted that the crop level here was just 1.2 tons per acre; the Paciencia vineyard is situated just north of Armada, in the Rocks district.