28 Jun Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Two Shepherds 2021 Grenache Gris/Grenache Noir Co-Ferment, Estate Vineyard, Daenen Block, Russian River Valley, Sonoma

Is it a rosé wine? An orange wine? Nope, it is actually a light red wine. It is the Two Shepherds 2021 Grenache Gris/Grenache Noir Co-Ferment from the Daenen Block on the Two Shepherds Estate Vineyard in the Russian River Valley in Sonoma and the Please The Palate wine of the week. I always say, “don’t judge a wine by its color.” Pale Provence rosé next to an almost red Bandol rosé are both delicious in their own ways. A deep red Petit Sirah, Zinfandel, or Cabernet Sauvignon is not better than a garnet Pinot Noir or Gamay, or translucent Grignolino. The color of wine does not determine quality. The intensity of color depends on the grape variety, as well as the amount of time the juice spends on the skins. To me, the lighter the color of a red wine, the more texture and that it exactly what I found with the Two Shepherds 2021 Grenache Gris/Grenache Noir Co-Ferment.

ABOUT TWO SHEPHERDS

Specializing primarily in Rhone varieties, Two Shepherds produces wines from grapes sourced from organically farmed vineyards from Yolo County and Mendocino to Dry Creek Valley and Russian River Valley to Lodi. In 2015 owners William Allen and Karen Daenen began cleaning up the two-acre property in Sonoma where they live. They rebuilt the house and planted a garden that includes 10 different peppers, radish, fennel, beans, beets, corn, tomatoes, pumpkin and apple, pear, persimmon, nectarine and plum fruit trees. And they added a high-density planting of Grenache Gris and Grenache that is hand-farmed organically by William and Karen. In 2018, they had their first harvest from their own Grenache vineyard and in 2019, they grafted an additional 1,000 Grenache and Grenache Gris vines.

TASTING NOTES

Grenache Noir is one of the most widely planted vines in the world. And over time, Grenache Noir has gone through the process of color mutation, resulting in Grenache Blanc and Grenache Gris, a pinkish-grey mutation of the red Grenache grape. For this Two Shepherds wine, the Grenache Noir and the Grenache Gris were co-fermented. This result is a vibrant light red wine that is almost the color of a watermelon jolly rancher candy. The wine has aromas of lime peel, orange zest, cranberry and pomegranate. The wine has beautiful acid and tannins and are well integrated. And on the palate, the wine has savory notes and a lovely texture.

FOOD PAIRING

The Two Shepherds Grenache Gris & Noir has texture, as well as tannins and acidity, which can stand up to food. I enjoyed this wine with home-cooked friend chicken and sweet potato fries. The wine would also be delicious with grilled salmon or lamb chops.

WHERE TO PURCHASE

The Two Shepherds 2021 Grenache Gris & Noir retails for $30. Only 25 cases were produced so the wine is only available to wine club members. But this could be an excuse to join the Two Shepherds wine club.

MEET THE WINEMAKER

Listen to the interview I did with William Allen and Karen Daenen on the Wine Soundtrack USA podcast.