Grace+Vine – Embracing Organic and Regenerative Farming!
Emerging on the scene with their first-ever 2021 vintage, Grace+Vine is a negoce brand that focuses on Climate-Friendly Wines™ and is squarely focused on Regenerative Farming. They are based out of McMinnville, Oregon and are producing an intriguing array of wines with grapes grown from as far north as the Wahluke Slope, Washington and all the way south to Santa Barbara County, California.
Their launch formula involves working intimately with vineyard owning friends who care deeply about what they grow and are purchasing either bulk wine or grapes from them, all from either certified or practicing organic vineyards, while embracing the regenerative farming philosophy to the nth degree! For consumers looking to embrace this kind of important, dedicated philosophy that preserves our delicate resources, Grace+Vine is a reliable producer, one they can rely on, now and in the future.
Their production philosophy is both dynamic and intriguing. In cases where they buy bulk juice, they typically blend, filter, and bottle the wines in Oregon. For other more distantly sourced grapes, they work with their esteemed winemaking team to vinify the grapes locally. They work with quite a team of masterful wine makers such as Bree Stock, Master of Wine, who crafts their Eola-Amity Hills Chardonnay and Pinot Noir at their joint facility in Gaston, Oregon. Their biodynamic Merlot is crafted by the well-known Sarah Hedges Goedhart from Hedges Estate Vineyards, and their stunningly delicious Symbiosis, a blend of Tempranillo and Syrah, is crafted by John Grochau of Grochau Cellars. By forging partnerships with established winemakers they have ensured their wines will be quickly recognized for their high quality and drinkability.
I find the entire portfolio of launch wines is crafted in an early drinking, approachable style, with a few that should merit early mid-term cellaring. Yet the house style is clearly built on wines that are not to be laid down and cellared, rather these are wines to be consumed early, with a high, sumptuous enjoyment factor. I was duly impressed with their 2021s, and suggest consumers who are searching for sexy, sultry, approachable wines seek them out. Their wines are small production, ranging from 90-275+ cases, so they are indeed limited in availability.
Speaking with Grace+Vine owner Elaina Bertrand, she sees their next vintage – 2022 – emerging with a bump is quality over the 2021s, as their team finds its rhythm and vibe syncing in the house style! Willamette Valley had an exceptional 2022 harvest – long and dry by Oregon standards, which resulted in slowly ripened, high yielding fruit.
Looking ahead, Grace+Vine aspires to become a major producer of organic wines for consumers. “We hope to highlight and support producers and farmers that are doing right by the planet through our work. By continuing to encourage the consumer to think about growing processes, we believe we can have significant impact on how wine is farmed and preserve our planet in the process”, Bertrand says.
In the meantime, they remain focused on expanding their unique, varied bottlings from all three source states – California, Oregon, and Washington – while maintaining consistency in their quality and keeping an eye on their affordable price point. The future is bright for Grace+Vine!
As this is the launch vintage, distribution isn’t currently in the broader national distribution chain yet, but every business starts with baby steps. Please visit their website to learn more and order wines at https://graceandvine.com/
2021 Grace+Vine, Sauvignon Blanc, Arroyo Seco AVA (RT90+) Sourced from the Zabala vineyard, this wine is crafted from certified, hand-picked, organic grapes grown by a 10th generation family. Pale platinum, this characteristic crisp, dry Sauvignon Blanc aromatics shine through with shy notes of gooseberry, lime, white peach, and mineral-laced grassiness. It reveals well balanced fruit that maintains the light side, generous acidity, and a medium palate weight. This is an early drinking white that makes for a perfect porch-pounder/weekday drinker, and pairs well with appetizers and light pasta dishes. Drink now-2026 Tasted February 2024
2021 Grace+Vine, White Blend, Wahluke Slope AVA, Flora (RT92) This blend of 50% Sauvignon Blanc and 50% Chenin Blanc could easily be from Loire Valley, but surprising, it is 100% domestic from northern Washington, making it quite unusual. Dare I call it a bit on the Old World side of the equation, the fruit reverberates from the glass in a gentle, caressing manner with an irresistible delish-factor that makes it highly attractive. An excellent food wine that is sourced from certified organic, hand-picked grapes. Soft notes of honey suckle, dried white flowers, ripe white melon, and hint of quince lead to a round, perfect food-pairing mouth feel with a whisp of acidity. Drink now-2027 Tasted February 2024
2021 Grace+Vine, Chardonnay, San Benito AVA (RT91) The 2021 San Benito Chardonnay is crafted in the brighter, fresher style when compared to the Eola-Amity Hills bottling, in large part due to its elevage in 100% stainless steel. This will also be easier to get your hands on, with 250+ cases produced. It tows the line on classic, early drinking Chardonnay with its pale straw hue, which leads to energized notes of fresh Anjou pear, honey dew, lime zest, citrus blossom and a hint of Meyer lemon. The palate echoes the aromatic profile, as it segues into crisp, fresh fruit and zippy acidity that will make this an excellent food wine. Drink now-2028 Tasted February 2024
2021 Grace+Vine, Chardonnay, Eola-Amity Hills AVA (RT92) A tiny production wine, this is a practicing organic wine of which a mere 93 cases were bottled. The grapes for this bottling are sourced from volcanic soils in the Witness Tree vineyard of Willamette Valley and is aged for 10 months in 100% French oak, of which 1/3 is new. The color is pale platinum, as it throws up notes of white peach, yellow apple, hints of Crème Fraiche, and whisps of tuft layered soils. The palate is built with midweight fruit, and the acidity is bright and fresh. This is a lovely, affordable expression of Chardonnay that should develop nicely in the near term. Drink now-2029 Tasted February 2024
2021 Grace+Vine, Grenache, Santa Barbara County (RT92+) I really enjoyed this 100% Grenache, which is grown from single vineyard sourced fruit from the family-owned Kimsey vineyard in Santa Barbera County. The cool, long growing season is evident, combined with winemaking skills that focus on the finer details. This is one of the smaller production wines for Grace+Vine with just over 150 cases produced, making it a wine to acquire now before it all gets snatched up. Delicious and pure as the driven snow, notes of sweet red raspberry, dried red cherry, blood orange and hibiscus create a wine that will bring a smile to your face. Lip smacking delicious and beautifully balanced, this is a real gem in your glass as the fruit, acids and sweet ripe tannins harmonize. I suggest enjoying this in its younger days to catch the terrific fruit. This is aged for 10 months in French oak, with just 12% being new. Drink now-2029 Tasted February 2024
2021 Grace+Vine, Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills AVA (RT92) This classic Pinot Noir, crafted from organically grown, Eola-Amity Hills fruit and aged for 10 months in French oak, of which 25% is new. It conveys the aspects of Willamette Valley that I find so attractive, as if balancing on a tight rope between juicy fruit and laser focus. Its medium ruby garnet hue leads to a rich and fragrant bouquet with notes of sweet strawberry, pomegranate liqueur, allspice, hints of tobacco leaf and a puff of smoke. With time in the glass notes of truffle and mushroom emerge. The palate is lovely and well balanced with a hint of Pinot Noir sweetness, the acidity soft and the tannins succulent. This is a highly drinkable, delicious Pinot from an up-and-coming producer that will drink well to the end of this decade. Exceptionally well made. Drink now-2030 Tasted February 2024
2021 Grace+Vine, Red Wine, Wahluke Slope AVA, Fauna (RT91+) 100% Certified Organic, this south Rhone blend of 50% Syrah, 50% Mourvèdre is crafted from fruit grown on the Wahluke Slope of Washington. Aged for 10 months in French Oak, of which 10% is new, giving it an old world twist while maintaining its delicious, mouth coating fruit on the front end. Robust and deeply nuanced, notes of black cherry, black raspberry, whisps of Chambord, brambly brush and spicey notes emerge from the glass. The palate is sumptuous and delicious, beautifully balanced and attracts the fruit lovers in all of us! Drink now-2029 Tasted February 2024
2021 Grace+Vine, Red Wine, Santa Barbara County, Heliotrope (RT93+) From the Roca Boa Vista vineyard comes this gob smacking, delicious blend of 50% Grenache & 50% Petite Sirah. Crafted from practicing organic fruit, and aged for 10 months in French oak, of which a mere 10% is new, this wine is interestingly fermented with native yeasts, giving it a deep, dark, attractive profile that you may just have a hard time keeping your hand off. Sumptuous and mouthcoating, with nary a hard edge, this is a virtual sex machine revealing brooding, dark-as-night aromas of black stone fruit, blackberry liqueur, spiced plums and a hint of dark chocolate creating a virtual cocktail of decadence! Irresistibly delicious and packed with an extraordinary amount of fruit, it will be hard to put the glass down. Soft in the mouth and acidity, yet they’ll be plenty of time to enjoy its savory decadence. Drink now-2028 to catch the impressive fruit while it’s fresh Tasted February 2024
2021 Grace+Vine, Biodynamic® Merlot, Red Mountain AVA (RT92+) Of the entire line up, this is perhaps the most age-worthy of the release portfolio, both from a varietal perspective and an oak elevage angle, this bottling spends 10 months in French Oak, of which 40% is new. The fruit is sourced from the Hedges Vineyard and is biodynamic certified, 100% hand-picked and spontaneously fermented. Red Mountain Merlot can age for many years, and the acidity and structure suggests this will stand up well to mid-term cellaring. Full value ruby red, notes of red cherry, earth-driven minerality and excellent acidity lead to a long, slightly acid-driven finish. With time in the glass the structure softens and rounds out, making it even more attractive. This should age nicely! Drink now-2031 Tasted February 2024
2021 Grace+Vine, Red Wine, Rogue Valley AVA, Symbiosis (RT93) A hearty red blend of 67% Tempranillo and 33% Syrah, crafted from certified biodynamic fruit grown in the Upper Five vineyard of Central Oregon’s Rogue Valley. Aged for 10 months in French oak of which only 20% is new. The result is a sublimely elegant red that shows the deft skills of its winemaking team: John Grochau, Elaina Bertrand and Andrew Smith. Fermentation is spontaneous and no fining is done on this wine, but it is filtered. The hue is deep burnished ruby revealing notes of dark red cherry, red plum, hints of aromatic cedar, a spot of clove and a hint of terroir. As it opens in the glass it becomes deeper and richer, showing ripe fruit and lovely notes of minerality with a whisp of smoke. The palate displays excellent balance with generous fruit and acidity to keep it fresh, while the tannins are suave and succulent. This too has some mid-term cellaring potential. Drink now-2030 Tasted February 2024
