2010 Vinedos de Ithaca Odysseus Garnacha Blanca				**
	Region	Price	Purchased	Drank
	Priorat, Spain	$13	Private Event	5/16/11
	A water white, straw-colored wine with a vibrant nose of green fruit, flowers, minerals and citrus. The palate is medium-bodied with refreshing yet well-balanced acidity and bright flavors of apple, pear, lime and a hint of pineapple and stone on the medium-length, creamy finish. Made from grapes cultivated on vines over 80-years-old, fermented using native yeasts and aged sue Lie for 6 months, giving the wine an elegance lacking in many inexpensive whites. The wine-maker Joseph Puig is a legend in Spain, and this wine shows his talent, delivering great QPR as well as varietal character. Not the most complex Grenache Blanc in the marketplace, but it stands up to its California brethen at a much more affordable price. (14% abv)

2008 Anglim Winery Grenache Blanc, Red Cedar Vineyard				***
	Region	Price	Purchased	Drank
	Paso Robles, CA	$28	@ the Winery	6/2/10
	A medium, lemon-colored wine with a subtle nose of citrus, green fruit and flowers with a hint of honey. The palate is medium-bodied with bright acidity and yet a nice creamy, lengthy finish. The flavors are mostly ripe green apple, lemon and grapefruit with hints of pear and vanilla. The wine was aged on its lees in neutral French oak for six months, which gives it more weight, and the aforementioned creaminess, which is slightly different than most of the other versions I've tried recently. An elegant and lovely wine that I think will be a happy surprise to most people, especially those who like their white wines on the drier side. (168 cases/14.4% abv)

2008 Epiphany Cellars Grenache Blanc				***
	Region	Price	Purchased	Drank
	Santa Barbara, CA	$24	@ the Winery	5/17/10
	A pale, straw-colored wine with a bright, aromatic nose filled with notes of flowers, apple, citrus, stone fruit and a touch of honey. It made me want to just jump into the glass. The palate is light-bodied and full of ripe flavors yet has quite a bit of acidity to keep it from being cloying. Refreshingly vibrant and elegant with mostly ripe apple, lime, peach and pineapple flavors along with a touch of minerality on the lengthy finish. The alcohol at 14.1% is fairly low for a Central Coast white. Showed even better as it warmed. Mostly stainless steel aged with 20% aged in neutral oak. Grapes were sourced from the Camp Four Vineyard, which is one to watch out for when purchasing Rhone-style wines, especially this variety. Wish I had a few more bottles. Can only hope the 09 vintage is as good. Great QPR. (601 cases)

2008 Las Colinas del Ebro Garnacha Blanca				**
	Region	Price	Purchased	Drank
	Terra Alta, Spain	$10	The Wine House	6/29/10
	A water white, straw-yellow colored wine with a moderate nose of green apple, lemon and minerals with hints of herbs and the ocean. The palate is light-bodied with a brisk acidity that makes it quite refreshing while taking away none of the ripe fruit flavors of melon, apple and pear with notes of lemon and coconut on the medium-length finish. Not a "wow" wine, but a very well-crafted example for the price that showed better with food which focused the fruit and tamed the acidity, delivering a fresh, clean if not overly complex experience. Was better when not too cold and held up well over several days of being open. Have never encountered a Spanish GB before. Given the quality of wines Spain produces at such affordable price points, I hope more winemakers over there jump on this bandwagon. (13% abv)

2008 Topanga Vineyards Celadon Grenache Blanc, Beeswax Vineyard				**
	Region	Price	Purchased	Drank
	Monterey, CA	$16	Topline Wine	2/10/11
	A water-white, lemon-colored wine with a subtle nose of citrus, green fruit and minerals with hints of petrol and vanilla. The palate is light-medium bodied and elegant, creamy, yet with well-balanced acidity and riper than the nose suggests. The flavors are round and ripe with lime, apple and pear dominating along with notes of minerals, grapefruit and a hint of nutmeg on the medium-length finish. A fairly interesting wine for the money with good finesse and intensity, just not enough depth to jump it to the next level. Shows the great possibility of this varietal and is a nice entry level version for those curious to see what this grape is about. Will be looking for the 09.

2008 Zaca Mesa Winery Estate Grenache Blanc				**
	Region	Price	Purchased	Drank
	Santa Barbara, CA	$20	@ the Winery	11/8/11
	This wine comes from vines that were planted on the estate in 2005. It was whole-cluster pressed, fermented in French Oak and aged surlie for 10 months. It's bright, clear, lemon colored with a moderate nose of citrus, apple and apricot with hints of petrol and toast. The palate was light-bodied with crisp acidity and fruitier than the nose suggested, though not at all overripe with flavors of lime, melon, apricot, minerals and notes of sweet spice and lemon creme on the finish. Well-crafted and perfectly pleasant though it just didn't have enough complexity for me compared to other versions from this region. Only available in the tasting room. Good QPR. (14.5% abv)

2007 Beckmen Vineyards Grenache Blanc				***
	Region	Price	Purchased	Date
	Santa Barbara, CA	$24	@ the Winery	8/10/10
	A pale, lemon-gold colored wine with an aromatic nose of lemon creme, ripe apple, minerals, pear and hints of stone fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with flavors that mirror the nose along with notes of apricot, honeysuckle and almonds on the refreshing and lingering finish. The wine was left on its' lees while being aged for 6 months in neutral French oak barrels, giving it great weight and texture while still being elegant. It's bright and intensely flavored without ever going over the top and tastes extremely lush for an abv of 13.9%. While it still has time, it's ready to go now and I fear aging it too much longer will diminish the fruit and aromatics, which are what make it so delicious. Shows the real potential of this grape in SB. (175 cases)

2007 Curran Grenache Blanc				**
	Region	Price	Purchased	Drank
	Santa Barbara, CA	$17	Top Line Wine	5/9/10
	A pale, straw-colored wine with a moderate nose of citrus, pear, apple, herbs and quite a hit of petrol, which blew off as the wine warmed. The palate is light-medium-bodied with citrus, apple and pear flavors dominating with crisp acidity and a hint of almonds and herbs on the medium finish. Much drier than it's 14.1% abv suggests. I have a feeling I would have liked it more when it was just released and the fruit was more dominant. As it stands this is a well-crafted wine that I would drink sooner rather than later. The winemaker, Kris Curran, is one of the first to bottle this varietal on its' own in the US. Sourced from the Camp Four Vineyard, it's completely different from the 08 Epiphany, though perhaps that wine will taste similarly when it's 3-years-old. A good wine for the price.

2007 Tablas Creek Vineyards Grenache Blanc				**
	Region	Price	Purchased	Date
	Paso Robles, CA	$26	@ the Winery	8/12/10
	A pale, lemon-straw colored wine with a moderate nose of citrus, green fruit and minerals with hints of herbs and honey. The palate is medium-bodied, round and lush, more intensely flavored than the nose suggests. The flavors are of green apple, lemon creme and minerals with notes of pear and fennel on the lengthy and refreshing finish. While I enjoyed this wine with food – shrimp, garlic and fennel over saffron risotto – it was just not complex enough to wow me without. Tablas Creek was the first one to plant this varietal and almost all the other plantings come from their stock, so it's very interesting to taste the source and see the regional/vineyard/winemaking differences between this wine and all the other CA versions. Just expected more depth for the price. (14.3% abv)

2006 Beckmen Vineyards Grenache Blanc				**
	Region	Price	Purchased	Date
	Santa Barbara, CA	$24	@ the Winery	5/8/08
	A wine usually used in Rhone wine blends and for a good reason. Beckmen manages to caress some good flavors and aromas from this workhorse grape - mostly citrus and green fruit on both the nose and the palate – it's just not that interesting. This version is well-made with good balance, acidity and a nicely viscous mouthfeel for such a light-bodied wine, but though enjoyable it doesn't make you want to rush back into the glass. A good version though nothing inspiring.

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