2014 The Third Twin Graciano

A blend of 90% Graciano and 10% Mourvèdre, completely destemmed and then aged all in used oak barrels for around 27 months, the 2014 The Third Twin Graciano sports a very deep garnet-purple color and beguiling nose of espresso, tapenade, preserved plums and Indian spices with earth and licorice nuances. The densely packed, full-bodied palate has a firm backbone of grainy tannins and lovely freshness, with loads of earthy layers and fantastic length, which features buckets of exotic spices. This is the first edition of this single vineyard wine, coming entirely from The Third Twin Vineyard in Los Alamos, showcasing not only the potential of this amazing site but of this grape variety in the region. Manfred Krankl commented, “Of course I realize this is a Spanish variety, but I think God...or someone...made a slight mistake along the way, as the grape very much reminds me of the Rhône.” Positively the finest example of this grape I have ever tasted, move over Spain, Graciano has found a new spiritual home in California’s Central Coast! 65 cases were made.

Coming from Manfred and Elaine Krankl’s The Third Twin vineyard located just outside of Los Alamos, in Santa Barbara County, the 2015 Graciano The Third Twin Vineyard is the inaugural release and includes 10% Mourvèdre, all of which spent 27 months in older oak barrels. There’s only 1.3 acres of Graciano planted in the vineyard, and Manfred commented that he thought this variety shared lots of similarities with Rhône varieties, and I have to agree with him (not that I have much experience with Graciano).This inky colored beauty is reminiscent of a Hermitage from Bessards blended with a modern styled Chateauneuf du Pape. Black fruits, charcoal, spice, pepper and hints of violets all flow to a seriously concentrated, textured, opulent and layered beauty that has ripe, yet present tannin and a sensational finish. It’s a big wine, no doubt, but like all of Manfred’s wines, stays light, graceful and balanced on the palate. I loved the 2013s from Manfred Krankl, and these are reminiscent of the 2010s (as are the 2015s). The 2014s are more plush and sexy, with a forward style that’s already impossible to resist. The 2015 reds were all tasted as barrel samples, and these show the firm, structured style of the vintage and I suspect are going to require bottle age to show at their best. I’ve also included the “The Third Twin” releases here, and it, like the Next Of Kyn releases, are released under a separate label and focus on the estate The Third Twin vineyard located outside of Los Alamos.