90 points and under

Blend: 100% Grenache Vintage production: 220 cases There are two sides to Grenache: the rich, deep and peppery wines, and those driven by elegance, purity and vibrancy. One of the best exponents of... the latter, more feminine style is winemaker Sonja Magdevski and her Clementine Carter label. Perfectly described as "Pinot Noir lover's Grenache" by Jeb Dunnuck, Sonja's wines are utterly joyous and unlike anything else in our cellar. Best of all, despite vineyard production topping out at just over 300 cases, they are astonishingly well-priced. Sonja produces tiny volumes of incredible Grenache, based around some brilliant vineyards in Santa Barbara County. The Kimsey and Larner Vineyards are in Ballard Canyon, and in addition to Sonja, their fruit is sourced by some of THE greatest winemakers in California, including Jim Binns for his Andremily wines. Sonja also sources some awesome fruit in Sta. Rita Hills for her third cuvée.