An Approach to Relaxation Sucette Grenache 2017

The cool, late-ripening 2017 season played right into the hands of Carla Rzeszewski and Richard Betts, the sommelier power-couple behind An Approach to Relaxation. That was the year they purchased a 12-acre parcel of dry-farmed grenache vines, mostly planted between 1860 and 1880, growing in the deep sands of Vine Vale. The vines had contributed fruit to Sucette’s 2016 vintage, and provided more than half of the 2017 (by 2019, Sucette was entirely from that estate parcel). They make the wine half a mile away, fermenting it with some whole clusters in open-top vats, then aging it in old French oak barrels. Open the bottle and pour a glass: You’ll get a blast of peppery grenache, the bright sunlight stored in the fruit immediately released. It might be worth the price of admission if the wine went south then and there, but that sunny energy and the sand-driven tannins only gain dynamism with air; the delicate strawberry, the darker black raspberry depths, the lavender fragrance and unreal length of flavor make the wine compellingly drinkable for days. A Barossa classic reimagined (think Robert O’Callaghan’s great Dry-Grown Grenache vintages at Rockford Basket Press), this is a wine that has held fast in my memory for weeks after tasting it. The only downside in buying a case is the separation anxiety you are likely to feel on opening the last bottle, and the cravings that may come after finishing it.

The medium-ruby 2017 Sucette is another fine example of sand-grown Barossa Valley Grenache. Boasting seductive, rose-like aromas, hints of five-spice powder and a deep base of cherry fruit, it's supremely silky in texture, gently filling the mouth with gossamer goodness, then slowly fading into lingering notes of cracked pepper, star anise and even a bit of ginger. While not overly tannic, it's concentrated and balanced, with the potential to drink well for at least 5-7 years.