Bottle Notes, Grenache

2012 Outpost Grenache Howell Mountain – Bottle Notes

Outpost Wines was established in 1998 and sits on a pristine piece of land atop Howell Mountain 2200 feet above Napa Valley. Thomas Rivers-Brown has been the winemaker from the start and has gained further acclaim making highly sought after wines for Schrader, Rivers-Marie and many others. Besides Grenache, Outpost also produces Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel.

Light red in color. 15.9% ABV. Pretty nose of red fruits, sage and white pepper. Light body with medium to strong acidity. This wine is a different beast than a TRB Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel. Light, delicate and ethereal. Fresh strawberries, raspberries and cherries on the palate. The finish is long and sappy. Probably best in the near term. Drink over the next 2-3 years.

My rating: 91 points.

Cellartracker reviews for this wine are all over the place. Perhaps there were good barrels and bad barrels or perhaps one of the perils of crowd sourcing wine reviews. If you have bottles you want to sell to me for a song I am happy to take them.

Crowdsourcing Wine Reviews – Trust Your Palate is one from the archives but relevant here.

Outpost wines are only available via the mailing list and sell out quickly. This Grenache is a buy for me year in and year out. Don’t miss the Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from True Vineyard. Highly recommended.

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