Cayuse Vineyards : Armada Vineyards God Only Knows 2014

A Biodynamic Grenache Blend with Luscious Black Fruit and Smoky Minerality

Founded in 1997 by a Frenchman by the name of Cristophe Baron, Cayuse Vineyards is named after the French word for "stones," in reference to the area's distinctive stony terroir. Today, the estate includes 5 vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley AVA, covering around 60 acres in total, all of which has been biodynamically farmed since 2002. The 7-acre Armada Vineyard was planted in 2001 at a very high density of 1815 vines per acre, making it the most densely planted vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley until 2008. The soil is rich in iron, magnesium and calcium, adding a signature minerality to the wines produced here. The vines stretch their roots into stony soils, which offer excellent drainage and very few nutrients. This forces the vines to dig deeper and struggle to produce a naturally small yield of beautiful, very concentrated and aromatically complex fruit. The Armada God Only Knows 2014 by Cayuse Vineyards is a very small production wine, with only 533 cases produced in total. This is an unknown blend, dominated by Grenache, fermented with almost 100% whole clusters in concrete and aged in neutral puncheons and foudre, along with one concrete egg.

The Armada God Only Knows 2014 by Cayuse Vineyards shows off a saturated, bright red color in the glass. On the nose, this big, rich biodynamic Grenache blend offers sensational black cherry, reduced strawberry, violet petal and herbes de Provence on the nose. On the palate, this Walla Walla Valley wine is full-bodied with a supple and fine tannic structure and gorgeous flavors of cherry, raspberry, jasmine, orange peel and spices, along with a savory, smoky minerality. The finish is quite saline, with the fine tannins stretching forth into a subtle, elegant length. A wine to be kept for a minimum of 3 years, but which can cellar for up to 10-15.