12 May Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Prie Vineyards 2018 Grenache Clair, Estate Grenache Blanc de Noir, Lodi
Grenache is one of the most beautiful red wines. Grenache Blanc is a mutation of Grenache Noir and is a gorgeous full-bodied white wine. But this week, I tasted a Grenache Blanc de Noir in which the Grenache Noir (red grape) was vinified white, meaning it spent no time on the skins. The result was the captivating and delicious Prie Vineyards 2018 Grenache Clair, Estate Grenache Blanc de Noir, Lodi, the Please The Palate wine of the week.
Prie Winery, located in Lodi, California, is owned by John and Lisa Gash. John and Lisa met in Colorado and then moved to Washington where they first started to learn about wine. They then moved to Livermore, California, where they were exposed to more wines and Lisa started making wine at home. They moved to Lodi and started Prie in 2010, opening their doors in 2015.
Prie Winery likes to say that they let their “geek shine”. Focusing on small lot, single vineyard designates, they make a variety of incredible wines including Grenache, Counoise, Picpoul Blanc, Carignane, Cabernet Franc, Barbera, Dornfelder, Mencia, and more.
Visiting the winery this past week, I tasted a selection of the wines and can honestly say I loved each and every one. John and Lisa’s style is to make beautiful wines that are low in alcohol and expressive without being over-the-top. It would be easy to say that any of these wines was the Please The Palate wine of the week but the Prie Vineyards 2018 Grenache Clair, Estate Grenache Blanc de Noir stood out for its beauty and its uniqueness.
Prie Winery has 1.67 acres of Grenache planted on their 9 acres of grapes. Letting their “geek shine” and pushing the limits, John and Lisa make three different expressions of Grenache – a red wine, a rosé, and a white wine, demonstrating the versatility of the grape. For the white wine, the Grenache Noir is vinified white which means that the grapes are pressed and separated from the skins (which is where the color comes from). It is not uncommon to do this if making a Grenache sparkling wine but the Prie Vineyards 2018 Grenache Clair, Estate Grenache Blanc de Noir is a still wine.
The wine is a clear, straw yellow color with aromas of apple, lemon curd, and even strawberries, as well as minerality. As the first sip is taken, fresh and bright acidity hits the palate. The wine fills the mouth with beautiful texture. The finish is mouthwatering. The Prie Vineyards 2018 Grenache Clair, Estate Grenache Blanc de Noir retails for $23 and for a lot of fun, try it side-by-side with the Prie Vineyards 2017 Grenache, a clear, light burnt orange red color with strawberry and savory notes for $27.
