Grenache Fiddleneck Vineyard
First Production: 2018
Professional reviews and tasting notes from prior vintages added as published. Scores within parentheses indicate barrel samples:
2022 Horsepower Vineyards Grenache Fiddleneck Vineyard
100 Points
A wonderful foil to the Sur Echalas Vineyard Grenache, the Fiddleneck Vineyard Grenache shows very different flavor and aromatic profiles — yet is clearly equal in overall quality ... Exuding class, this delivers a Chateau Rayas quality to this wine in terms of its purity of red fruits. The nose takes on hauntingly good range, offering pomegranate seed, kelp and blood orange zest tones alongside wet rock and hints of beef drippings. The aromatic range is mind-bending. The palate is liquid silk in its red fruit purity, showing dizzying underlying finesse and a generous mouthfeel. A total stunner, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next eight years to come. —Owen Bargreen, owenbargreen.com
99 Points
The 2022 Horsepower Fiddleneck Vineyard Grenache forges a path with an utterly captivating aromatic and flavor profile, showcasing incredible finesse and depth. The nose unfolds with layers of crushed pomegranate, wild strawberries, and charred rosemary, interwoven with hints of iron-rich earth, saline breeze, and subtle smoked meat tones. An unmistakable mineral core runs through, grounding its lifted red fruit character with wet stone and dried herbal nuances. On the palate, this Grenache is effortlessly graceful yet deeply concentrated, delivering waves of macerated raspberries, blood orange zest, and a touch of white pepper. Smooth in texture but brimming with vibrancy, its fine-grained tannins and perfectly integrated acidity create an otherworldly balance. The finish is seemingly endless, carrying echoes of dried florals, umami, and crushed rock. A mesmerizing and profoundly expressive Grenache that is already gorgeous yet has the structure to evolve beautifully for years to come. Highly recommended. —Jeremy Young, International Wine Report
98 Points
The vineyards used in the 2022 Grenache Fiddleneck Vineyard have tight spacing (enough for the Belgian and Percheron draft horses to get through) and a fair amount of shade. The wines get less stem inclusion than in past years, averaging 60 to 70%. There’s a lot of freshness here beneath deliciously layered waves of white pepper and wild raspberry, with secondary elements of dark licorice, rose petal, crushed rock, and Asian spice providing a vivid experience of umami. Though powerful, the wine is balanced and ultimately elegant, with 20-25 years of aging potential ahead. —Virgine Boone, jebdunnuck.com
98 Points
This is a wildly spicy and fragrant red, showing savory aromas of cardamom, sour cherries, seaweed, peaches, orange rind, juniper berries and white pepper on the nose. It’s medium- to full-bodied and incredibly peppery and spicy. Wakes you up. Like a slap in the face, in a good way. Around 70% whole-cluster fermentation. From biodynamically grown grapes. Better from 2028. —James Suckling, jamessuckling.com
2021 Horsepower Vineyards Grenache Fiddleneck Vineyard
100 Points
...The Rayas-level of pure red fruits expressed here is second to none. It takes on Syrah-like level of concentration, with garrigue, smoked brisket and Mandarin orange zest flavors that mingle well with suggestions of guava puree and loganberry flavors. With more air the stony and salty nuances take shape, as this highly novel Grenache is a stunning foil to the ‘Sur Echalas’ and completely deserves its spot at the high table of top Grenache wines made in North America. Viscous, novel and tension-filled, I see no reason to cellar this total heavy hitter of a wine as it is drinking magically right now. —Owen Bargreen, owenbargreen.com
98 Points
... A gorgeous neon ruby core with a light pink rim. Gorgeous notes of crushed red cherries, macerated strawberries, mountain sagebrush, farmed earth and tangelo pith combine with smooth tannins and a satiny finish. The length goes on for minutes on this amazing bottle of Grenache from Cayuse/Horsepower. Highly recommended. —Jeremy Young, International Wine Report
97 Points
This grenache has a savory, inviting nose of olives, seaweed, green peaches and wet earth. Salty minerality throughout. Medium-bodied and so vibrant, with silky, very fine tannins. Long. Just keeps going with that mineral earthiness. Around 70% whole cluster. From biodynamically grown grapes. Try after 2027. —James Suckling, jamessuckling.com
96 Points Editor's Choice
While black-cherry and peach aromas grab the immediate attention, there's this smoky-meaty note that reminds me of the bowls of burnt ends I'd get as a kid at Arthur Bryant's Barbecue in Kansas City. This beautifully balanced wine makes me happy and homesick. Flavors of smoked cherries, black tea and juniper berries are a mere bonus. —Michael Alberty, Wine Enthusiast
94+ Points
Expressive red fruits and dusty florals waft from the glass of the 2021 Grenache, delivering a spicy and complex character that evolves into an earth-driven profile featuring potpourri, spiced cherry and black plum skin aromas. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers layers of complex red fruit flavors with hints of turned earth, roasted black cherries and dried underbrush, all underscored by an abundance of umami essence. Fine-grained tannins lead to a long, velvety finish that beckons me back for another sip. Patience will be rewarded, though it will be hard to resist opening this tempting beauty too early ... —Anthony Mueller, The Wine Advocate
94 Points
The 2021 Fiddleneck Vineyard Grenache lifts from the glass with an incredibly fresh blend of sweet herbs, incense, split pine and dried strawberries. It opens with a pretty inner sweetness, displaying crisp wild berry fruits elevated by a tinge of blood orange as violet inner florals resonate. It finishes with medium length yet staining, with a pleasantly chewy sensation and bump of residual acidity that calls the taster back to the glass.—Eric Guido, Vinous
94 Points
Medium ruby-hued effort offers a great nose of darker raspberries, rose petals, iron, and cold fireplace. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has a classic, focused, elegant mouthfeel, incredibly polished tannins, and a great finish. It's a floral, spicy, gamey, complex Grenache to drink over the coming 10-12 years. —Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com
94 Points
... The aromas lure you into the glass, with initially brooding notes of strawberry, brown stem, cigar box, tangerine peel, smoked meat, white pepper, and potpourri. The flavors show a pleasing interplay between elegance, delicacy, and sneaky intensity. The finish sails for 45-plus seconds. —Sean Sullivan, Northwest Wine Report
2020 Horsepower Vineyards Grenache Fiddleneck Vineyard
98 Points
A beautiful nose with cherries and strawberries, spicy herbs, dried currant leaves and pink peppercorns. Crushed stones and spices, too. Full-bodied, so wide and plush with lovely spiced red fruit that jumps out of the glass. So expressive and vibrant. Salty and minerally at the end, too. A lot going on here. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold. —James Suckling, jamessuckling.com
97 Points, Editor's Choice
This is one of those delightful wines where elevated acidity matches the brawniness of the tannins. Black-and-blueberry fruit on the nose is joined by hints of fresh straw, fresh-cracked white pepper and peanut brittle. Sweet black cherry, quince paste, black tea and lardo flavors just keep building on the midpalate. Joy and happiness. —Michael Alberty, Wine Enthusiast
97 Points
A 100% Grenache from Horsepower, this one coming from the young Fiddleneck Vineyard. Aged in all neutral oak for about 16 months, it’s a meaty and spicy effort that absolutely stuns with its complex aromas and flavors of black plum, roasted game, crushed olives, dried mountain sagebrush, crushed stones, and just a smooch of freshly struck flint. Acidity is spot on and elevated while the lean tannins provide a lovely backbone. It finishes with a black cherry and sea breeze component on the mid-palate. About 266 cases were made. Highly recommended. —Jeremy Young, International Wine Report
96 Points
… the nose is intense and wonderfully stony with its smoldering stone profile alongside Provençale herbs, white pepper dusted brisket, black cherry compote and suggestions of Kalamata olive tapenade... tart red fruits parade with volcanic ash, menthol, bergamot, and salty minerals. Considering the challenges of the vintage, this is nothing short of a resounding success. I’m not sure I have had any New World Grenache quite like this, and if I was blinded, I am certain I would have guessed Syrah from this region. This is already beautifully evolved, so enjoy now and over the next five to seven years. —Owen Bargreen, owenbargreen.com
2019 Horsepower Vineyards Grenache Fiddleneck Vineyard
100 Points
...this beautiful, very sexy Grenache is just second to none... The Grenache from the Fiddleneck Vineyard comes off as very stony and elegant but also very floral. Right away the beautiful red florals amaze on the nose, with shades of smoldering stones, green olive tapenade, and suggestions of hoisin sauce, with a pure core of red fruits. The palate is soft and pillowy, giving off an opulent approach to the wine, as this effortlessly glides throughout the drinking experience. Enjoy this beauty now and over the next decade... —Owen Bargreen, owenbargreen.com
99 Points
Strawberries, cranberries, dried herbs and ground white pepper. Full-bodied with bright acidity and fine, silky tannins. An abundance of peppery spice on the palate. Cool, bright red fruit. Supremely juicy and energetic. Well balanced with excellent intensity and length. Delicacy with freshness. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold. —James Suckling, jamessuckling.com
98 Points
Planted initially on the pristine soil from a fallow apple orchard that was pulled out in 1993, the stunningly beautiful 2019 Grenache Fiddleneck Vineyard displays a dark ruby core and offers a nose that is both floral and seductive. Aromas of dusty flowers, wild raspberries and savory herbs meld with notions of turned earth and redcurrants. Medium-bodied, the wine is focused, layered and fresh with a brilliantly complex mouthfeel before showcasing precision and finesse with flavors of cherry blossom, strawberry skin and fruit leather with an umami essence. The wine offers a floral focus and sways with the freshness of the New World before compacting slightly, revealing a spicy finish that unwinds and unfurls for moments after the wine has left the palate. It’s a fantastic wine that saw no new oak. —Anthony Mueller, The Wine Advocate
95 Points
[This] Grenache opens to pretty aromas of beautifully ripe red berries that come together with rose petals, spices, peppered beef, wet stones, licorice and herbal nuances all taking shape. This is all about purity and finesse, as it is beautifully textured with gorgeous round silky tannins that glide effortlessly across the palate. The overall focus and precision are simply incredible as beautiful ripe red fruits expand seamlessly through the long finish. While this is absolutely sensational now, it will only become more compelling as it evolves over time. —Jeremy Young, International Wine Report
95 Points
There’s a lot going on in this red, which is explosively expressive with notes of wild game, smoked pepper, blackberry and garrigue that lead to multilayered and richly textured flavors, building polish and intensity toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2032. —Tim Fish, Wine Spectator
94 Points
Starting off with the 2019 Fiddleneck Grenache, a wine first produced in 2018, it reveals a medium ruby/translucent hue to go with a classic Horsepower nose of earthy red and black fruits, peppery herbs, rose petals, and chalky minerality. More medium-bodied on the palate, it's ethereally textured and reveals a savory, meaty, spicy character with time in the glass as well as ripe tannins and a great finish. Drink it any time over the coming 10-15 years. —Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com
2018 Horsepower Vineyards Grenache Fiddleneck Vineyard
100 Points
… This is the first edition of this wine and any lover of world-class Grenache will be very glad that this wine has been made... this wine shows quite differently than Grenache from Sur Echalas Vineyard — but is every bit as good. A rich core of red and dark fruits mingle with tobacco leaf, Umami, beef fat and green peppercorns on this evocative nose... Bright Yakima cherry tones mingle with Satsuma orange rind, seaweed, red raspberry cordial, red rose water, and smoldering rocks on the palate… While showing a good degree of richness, this is highly elegant Grenache that is best enjoyed over the next eight years. But why wait? —Owen Bargreen, owenbargreen.com
94 Points
A new vineyard release, the 2018 Fiddleneck Grenache is cut from the same cloth yet offers a touch more fruit, with lots of wild strawberries and blueberries interwoven with violets, chalky minerality, and peppery herbs. Medium to full-bodied, with good concentration, firm yet ripe tannins, and a great finish, it's another Grenache that demands bottle age. Do your best to hide bottles for 3-4 years and enjoy over the following 10-12. —Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com
94 Points
Expressive and appealingly gamy, with multilayered raspberry, smoked meat and crushed stone accents that build tension toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2030. —Tim Fish, Wine Spectator
93+ Points
New this year, the 2018 Grenache Fiddleneck Vineyard has a ruby core and slight garnet rim, expressing aromas of dusty rose petals, cherry blossom and elements of plum compote, dried orange zest, iodine and a soft stemmy essence. Medium to full-bodied, the wine displays a fresh, bright expression, firm mineral essence and spiced, red-fruited nature that sways with dusty red flowers and an undercurrent of red peppercorn. The wine ends a delightfully lingering finish with a subtly spiced petrichor note that brings me back for another sip. —Anthony Mueller, The Wine Advocate
93 Points
This is the inaugural release from this vineyard, which like many sites in this area was formerly an apple orchard, with this one abandoned in the early 1990s with fiddle-neck flowers sprouting up. Coming from fourth leaf fruit, it brings the good, old-fashioned funk that made this region of the valley famous. Behind that are aromas of blood orange, flower, soot, wet stone, fresh tobacco and pomegranate. The palate is fuller in style, chock-full of orange and savory flavors. Savory notes persist on an intense finish that will not quit. —Sean Sullivan, Wine Enthusiast