California Wines & Wineries

Gracianna Winery – The Perfect Holiday Gift

Posted on December 17, 2017

Their label and name signifies the perfect gift for the season. The name Gracianna is for Trini Amador III’s great grandmother (Gracianna) and they wanted to incorporate all they had to be grateful for and show their gratitude. In addition having the “present with a bow” on the label, makes this wine story timely.

The winery is set on the Russian River in the well know “Miracle Mile” is home of some of the best Pinots just outside of Healdsburg. The “Miracle Mile” is the “confluence of a tectonic age, alluvial soils left by a wandering river, water flowing off of the Sonoma Mountain range which carried with it eroded volcanic material–all of these factors created soils with large amounts of clay in the central portion of the Russian River Valley appellation”.

Gracianna produces approximately 2,000 cases per year of which 70% is for various Pinot’s. The balance of production is for Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc and Sparkling Brut Rosé – Blush Cuveé. All their Pinot’s are produced in the Burgundian style with French barrels. They use clones 667 and 777 for their Pinot’s in the vineyard and then blend the two. The wine making is a “family affair” with all giving “gratitude” for the fruit of the vineyard.

The 2015 Gracianna Reserve Pinot Noir was one of the outstanding wines at the recent WBC in Santa Rosa. It wasn’t until later I learned that only 144 cases were made using the best 4 barrels. Immediately, even upon just inhaling the aromas, I knew it was going to be a provocative Pinot Noir. With the first sip, was a fruit forward taste of both cherry & strawberry, yet subtlety intense with just the appropriate amount of pepper, minerality and leather lingering in the background. The wine peeled backed invigorating layers upon each sip. Very similar aromas and tastes were present in their 2013 Pinot Noir and their 2014 Estate Pinot Noir.

Ironically and not known to Trini in our discussion, that in Gaelic, the name Gracianna means “beautiful and graceful, free sweet and innocent”. No wonder why I was immediately seduced to thoroughly enjoying this Pinot.
So no matter if you are being grateful this time of year or wanting to be “seduced”, this wine makes a perfect gift!
Slainte and Merry Christmas,
https://gracianna.vinespring.com/

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