Grenache La Paciencia Vineyard
Produced 2008 - present
Professional reviews and tasting notes from prior vintages added as published. Scores within parentheses indicate barrel samples:
2021 No Girls Wines Grenache La Paciencia Vineyard
98 Points, Editors’ Choice
This fantastic Grenache could reunite America if served everywhere with beef stew and crusty bread. Garrigue-like aromas of rosemary and thyme unite with the salinity of a Mediterranean Sea breeze and a dollop of black cherries. Boysenberry, barbecued pork and white-button mushroom flavors join with a clean mouthfeel and crisp acidity. —Michael Alberty, Wine Enthusiast
98 Points
The 2021 No Girls ‘La Paciencia Vineyard’ Grenache comes from this tightly spaced location outside the town of Milton-Freewater. The wine shows beautifully on the nose with red florals, potpourri, and fresh sage alongside shades of anise and very pure red fruits. The palate is sensational and fresh with a seamless texture and glorious sense of length. A total stunner, with its stony and gorgeous core of red cherry candy, guava puree, and pomegranate seed flavors, with salty and savory accents, enjoy this beautiful wine over the next decade. —Owen Bargreen, owenbargreen.com
97 Points, Editor’s Choice
100% Grenache comprises the 2021 La Paciencia Vineyard No Girls which is aged for 21 months in all neutral French oak. I always love the Grenache coming from Cayuse and the 2021 No Girls La Paciencia is another wonderful example of why people love this wine. It’s aged for 21 months in neutral French oak and sports a stunning medium ruby-blue core with a light pink rim in the glass. Boasting tons of earthy and spicy notes at first glance, merging with gorgeous red-cherry, crushed strawberry, and blue plum aromas and flavors on the finish, it has the acidity and tannin structure to go the distance. 345 cases produced. Highly recommended. —Jeremy Young, International Wine Report
96 Points
Perfumed aromas of smoked meat, potpourri, strawberry, cigar humidor, and stem lead to achingly soft, plush-feeling fruit and savory flavors. It brings oodles of nuance, sophistication, and complexity. The flower-filled finish just won’t quit, lasting for at least a full minute. There’s an outrageous mix of intensity and nuance. —Sean Sullivan, Northwest Wine Report
95 Points
Drenched in blackberry jam, cocoa and grilled plums, this full-bodied wine combines light earthy, meaty notes with all that fruit. Fermented with the stems. Balanced by moderate tannins and a dash of natural acidity, it’s easy to enjoy. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold. —James Suckling, jamessuckling.com
94 Points
Awesome aromatics of kirsch, wild strawberries, game, dried mushrooms, and rose petals all emerge from the 2021 Grenache La Paciencia Vineyard, a medium-bodied Grenache with a lively, elegant mouthfeel, beautiful balance, and outstanding length. It's never the biggest or richest expression of the variety but shines for its incredible complexity and finesse. Drink this any time over the coming decade. —Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com
2020 No Girls Wines Grenache La Paciencia Vineyard
96 Points, Editor’s Choice
A beautifully balanced, medium-bodied wine, with nervy acidity, fine-grained tannins and a midpalate that builds slowly and gracefully. Boysenberry, roasted meat and dried rose petal aromas are a nice start. The wine's dark plum, blackcap raspberry, orange cake and pork fat flavors are intense. —Michael Alberty, Wine Enthusiast
95 points, Critic’s Choice
This wine could only come from one place on earth. The aromas erupt from the glass, with notes of soot, charcuterie plate, olive brine, brown stem, and potpourri. An intensely flavored, rich, potpourri and savory-filled palate follows. The finish grabs you and shakes you and will not let go. It’s a ‘Wow!’ wine if ever there were one – a classic representation of this region.
—Sean Sullivan, Northwest Wine Report
95 Points
This is really attractive, with blueberries, brambleberries, cloves, pink peppercorns, red licorice and nutmeg. Medium- to full-bodied, complex and lengthy, with finely polished tannins coming through seamlessly and smoothly. An array of exotic spice and delicate fruit character with crushed-stone minerality to close. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold. —James Suckling, jamessuckling.com
95 Points
Coming from this tightly space vineyard outside of Milton-Freewater. Coming off strong and heady on the nose, this shows blood orange zest, white pepper dusted bacon, red cherry candy and guava notes. Finishing long with wet stone and very pure red fruits, this is a fantastic, nicely textured rendition of this wine that is best consumed now and over the next several years. —Owen Bargreen, owenbargreen.com
93 Points
The 2020 Grenache La Paciencia Vineyard is remarkably pretty, lifting from the glass with a perfumed blend of wild strawberries, dusty stone and rose. Lifted and energetic, this teases the senses with tart wild berry fruits elevated by vibrant acidity as a chalky minerality coats the palate. It finishes with medium length, pure and with lovely tension, ending with blueberry skins. —Eric Guido, Vinous
2019 No Girls Wines Grenache La Paciencia Vineyard
97 Points
The stunning 2019 No Girls La Paciencia Vineyard Grenache is a spectacular effort by resident vigneronne Elizabeth Bourcier. Stored in neutral large-format oak barrels and Grenache was given more than 50% stem inclusion. Right away the head-turning umami tones entice aromatically, with white pepper, salt dusted red raspberry and shades of Kalamata olive that all meld in the glass. The palate is lithe and polished with a seamless texture and a finish that doesn’t quit. More focused and finesse-driven than the 2018 bottling, but equally good, this one-of-a-kind Grenache really needs an hour of air if consuming right now. Drink 2022-2030. —Owen Bargreen, owenbargreen.com
96+ Points
The 2019 Grenache la Paciencia Vineyard opens to a classic, dusty and red-fruited core with savory tones, worn leather and smoked cherry compote. Medium-bodied, the palate offers a fine mineral tension with an essence of umami before swaying to show the more savory and floral side of Grenache. The wine continues to gain complexity before concluding with a gorgeous floral lift, persistent spicy edge and firm tannic finish. Bravo, this is delicious juice! —Anthony Mueller, The Wine Advocate
96 Points
Some dark berry fruits help to keep the stemmier elements at bay, but there's still plenty of oregano in the background. Full-bodied, with a good sense of freshness along with the power. It’s full of brambly fruits and blackcurrant leaf. All tightly wound for now, but well balanced and extremely promising. —Matt Walls, Decanter
95 Points
The 2019 No Girls La Paciencia Grenache opens with a stunning aromatic profile that includes cherries and raspberries woven together with florals, sweet spices and earthy nuances all coming together. This continues to impress with its elegance and beautiful seamless texture along with its striking overall purity and finesse... This is fantastic Grenache that is already offering plenty of early appeal, and it should also continue to evolve and take on even more complexity over time. —Jeremy Young, International Wine Report
95 Points
Sporting a translucent ruby hue, the 2019 offers up a savory, exotic nose of mulled cherries, darker strawberries, truffle, rose petals, orange tea, and scorched earth. This is always an ethereal, seamless, exotic expression of Grenache, and the 2019 is medium-bodied, has a seamless, incredibly pure, almost Burgundian mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a great finish. Drink bottles any time over the coming 10-15 years. —Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com
95 Points
Alluring aromas of ground spice, baked strawberry and red cherry. Medium-bodied with silky
tannins. Bright, spicy complexity on the palate. Juicy, fresh fruit is complimented by notes of nutmeg, turmeric and clove. So interesting and delicious. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold. —James Suckling, jamessuckling.com
2018 No Girls Wines Grenache La Paciencia Vineyard
97 Points
The 2018 Grenache La Paciencia Vineyard is a standout bottling that was aged entirely in neutral large-format oak and saw more than 50% stem inclusion. The stony tones on the nose really entice as orange zest, teaberry, saline-drenched red cherry and charcuterie tones all come together marvelously. The palate is seamless and elegant, with impeccable texture and beautiful length. Obviously, a bit richer than other vintages, this shows crazy good finesse and offers one-of-a-kind terroir. —Owen Bargreen, Vinous
96 Points
Notes of blackberry, plum, licorice and spice on the nose. Medium-to full-bodied with chewy tannins. Smoky and layered on the palate with juicy character and a ink-like feel. Herbal, racy finish with beautiful length. Drink or hold. —James Suckling, jamessuckling.com
94 Points
Luscious and boldly expressive yet refined, with raspberry, bacon fat, garrigue and river stone accents that sail on the long finish toward polished tannins. Drink now through 2032. —Tim Fish, Wine Spectator
94 Points
One sniff and there is no question where this wine comes from. The aromas dazzle, with notes of potpourri, smoked meat, mountain strawberry, wet stone, black olive juice, tapenade and orange peel. The palate is broad and full, showing more overt richness than recent vintages. A savory, flower-filled finish caps it off. It wins on grace. —Sean Sullivan, Wine Enthusiast
94 Points
From the same site, the 2018 Grenache La Paciencia Vineyard reveals a translucent ruby hue as well as a sappy, fresh bouquet of wild strawberries, blackberries, sappy flowers, pepper, orange blossom, and rose petals. Made in a medium-bodied, ethereal, elegant style, it has terrific purity of fruit, ripe yet crunchy tannins, and a beautiful finish. Some smoky, meaty notes emerge with time in the glass, and it has enough tannins to warrant 2-4 years of bottle age and will impress for over a decade. —Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com
94 Points
Luscious and boldly expressive yet refined, with raspberry, bacon fat, garrigue and river stone accents that sail on the long finish toward polished tannins. Drink now through 2032. —Tim Fish, Wine Spectator
93+ Points
Possessing a perfumed nose, the 2018 Grenache la Paciencia Vineyard offers up notions of stems, rose hip, baked earth, red pepper skin, juicy cherries and red spiced tea in the glass. Medium to full-bodied, the palate displays an elegant nature with succulent tannins that grip the gumline and will remain food-friendly for more than a decade. The wine concludes with a subtly spiced, red-fruited essence with a lingering mineral-laced focus... —Anthony Mueller, The Wine Advocate
2017 No Girls Wines Grenache La Paciencia Vineyard
97 Points
A masterclass of finesse and elegance, the 2017 Grenache la Paciencia Vineyard explodes with seductive floral tones that immediately capture your attention. Brilliantly defined dark cherry notions with aromas of rose hip and black spice tones sashay out of the glass. Nuances of dusty leather and wild strawberry float on top of the glass with red floral bouquet aromas… this pure, medium-bodied wine is chock-full of flavor, bursting at the seams with a subtle smoky tone that perfectly frames the ripe red fruit. The palate is balanced with a velvety mouthfeel and energizing acidity to age for more than a decade. It displays expertly managed tannins and spiced red fruit that continues to unpack and evolve with mind-blowing complexity. The long-lived finish has a mineral tension and offers up notions of wild strawberry, dark cherry skin, newly opened peonies, and luxurious and elegant black spice tones… —Anthony Mueller, The Wine Advocate
96 Points
Lots of strawberry, smoke and roasted-walnut character to this with a medium to full body, round and soft tannins and a juicy finish. I like the succulent, juicy flavors at the end. —James Suckling, jamessuckling.com
95 Points
The 2017 Grenache from this terrific label knocks it out of the park with its beautiful wild strawberry fruit intermixed with notions of damp earth, sweet mulch, lavender, flowers, and hints of tapenade. Incredible complex, it’s ethereal and elegant on the palate, with medium-bodied richness and depth, silky tannins, and a great finish... —Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com
2016 No Girls Wines Grenache La Paciencia Vineyard
97 Points
Aromas of potpourri, white pepper, charcuterie, crushed flowers, soot and raspberry captivate on the nose. Exuberant and outrageously flavorful on the palate, intense accents of smoked meat and earth arise alongside the fruit. An extremely long finish of earth and flowers completes it. —Sean Sullivan, Wine Enthusiast
96 Points
…the 2016 Grenache la Paciencia Vineyard has a nose that opens with a bang, boasting majestic and explosive notes of dusty red fruit—raspberries, cherries and spiced red plum—with a rocky core of minerality. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, the wine expresses the semi-carbonic notes of sweet red fruit and dusty red flower petals with iron and lava rocks. It has expressive and silky tannins that linger on the long, ethereal finish. I am impressed! This is delicious juice and is a must-have for serious collectors. —Anthony Mueller, The Wine Advocate
95 Points
The 2016 Grenache La Paciencia Vineyard sports a translucent ruby color as well as a terrific bouquet of black cherries, strawberries, cold fireplace, white flowers, and spice. Seamless, elegant, and vibrant, with great tension, it’s a thrilling, Rayas look-alike to drink over the coming 10-15 years. —Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com
94 Points
This has a very plush, sweet, rich array of strawberry pastry and wild raspberries with hints of red apples. The palate has sleek, silky and gently sinewy tannin with plenty of light and shade. This is so pure. Drink or hold. —James Suckling, jamessuckling.com
94 Points
Lithe and expressive, with elegantly complex smoked pepper, high-toned raspberry, orange peel and river stone accents that glide toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2028. —Tim Fish, Wine Spectator
2015 No Girls Wines Grenache La Paciencia Vineyard
97 Points
...vineyard is one of a kind and is truly one of the top bottlings in the state. This incredible wine was aged in a combination of neutral oak and stainless steel prior to bottling. The nose is completely intoxicating with blood orange, wild strawberry, horse manure, guava puree, forest floor and black tea. The palate shows an insane range of flavors. Blood orange rind, forest floor, white truffle, red currant jelly and Umami. The dazzling minerality really impresses... The saline and savory aspect of this wine makes your mouth water and captivates the senses, as this is nearly impossible to put down right now. Drink 2018-2028. —Dr. Owen Bargreen, Washington Wine Blog
96 Points
...There’s a wonderful presence and freshness on the palate, really deep and textural, like roots through the wine. The herbal, stem-derived elements are still strong, and always will be, but they're met with an opulent texture and ample wild strawberry fruit. A touch of blackberry, and a leafiness on the finish combined with a light bitter vein. A very interesting, imperfect and beguiling wine. —Matt Walls, Decanter
96 Points
...was showing very well indeed, wafting from the glass with a complex aromatic mélange of garrigue, wild strawberries, peony and balsam bough. On the palate, the wine is pure, voluptuous and expansive, with wonderfully silky structure and a layered core of succulent fruit, concluding with a long, tangy finish. Beautifully balanced and amazingly texturally finessed, this is a fabulous Grenache from Elizabeth Bourcier. —William Kelley, The Wine Advocate
96 Points
...this brilliant wine tastes like a Chambolle-Musigny mixed with a Châteauneuf du Pape from Rayas! Strawberries, raspberry liqueur, green olive, and floral notes all flow to a medium-bodied, ethereally textured, beautiful Grenache that has plenty of intensity, yet just dances on the palate with no weight or heaviness. Enjoy this elixir over the coming 7-8 years. —Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com
95 Points
Love the aromas of plums, dried rose petals and hints of spices. Full-bodied, layered and intense. Decadence with focus. Really long. Drink now or hold. —James Suckling, jamessuckling.com
94 Points
The aromas pop in notes of sea breeze, dried nori, flower, wet stone, peat, white pepper and strawberry, showing a lot of complexity. The palate is elegant but intensely flavorful. A smoked meat finish carries as long as you care to count, kicking it up a notch. —Sean Sullivan, Wine Enthusiast
94 Points
Svelte and impeccably structured, yet spirited, with expressive raspberry, garrigue and smoky peppered beef accents that build tension toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2026. —Tim Fish, Wine Spectator
2014 No Girls Wines Grenache La Paciencia Vineyard
96 Points
...vinified in concrete and aged in neutral barrels. Its deep ruby/mostly opaque color is followed by a deep, slightly closed bouquet of smoked black fruits, cured meats, black olive and violet/floral aromas and flavors....seamless and elegant on the palate, yet has plenty of authority, depth and length. —Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate
2013 No Girls Wines Grenache La Paciencia Vineyard
(93-95) Points
The Grenache La Paciencia Vineyard, which is scheduled to be bottled in August, offers the classic, perfumed, elegant style that’s common from this estate. Giving up lots of dried flowers, olive tapenade and sweet cherry and strawberry fruit, it’s medium to full-bodied, silky and polished. It should drink nicely on release and have a decade of longevity. Drink 2016-2023 —Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate
2012 No Girls Wines Grenache La Paciencia Vineyard
95 Points
There are 298 cases of the 2012 Grenache La Paciencia Vineyard and it’s unquestionably the best vintage of this wine to date. Offering fabulous intensity in its strawberry, raspberry, spice, pepper and floral bouquet, this beauty hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a supple, elegant texture and a seamless, lengthy finish. This wows with its purity and finesse-driven style more than for weight or richness, and it should evolve nicely given its overall balance. Drink 2016-2024. —Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate
96 Points
Complex and evocative plum, tar, black olive and jasmin flavors ride proudly over a refined structure that feels almost weightless. A rich wine that offers finesse and an endless finish. Taut, but ends up with an open feel. Drink now through 2022. 298 cases made. —Harvey Steiman, Wine Spectator
94 Points
Quite lightly colored, this wine displays perfumed aromas of green and black olive, stargazer lilies, mineral, peat and moist earth. The flavors are both ethereally light and rich, tingling the palate with seemingly endless savoriness. —Sean Sullivan, Wine Enthusiast
92 Points
...Old World nose offers scents of raspberry, cranberry, smoke, flint, peony, rose petal and pink peppercorn. A juicy, pure wine with lovely precision and finesse, with the red berry flavors complicated by saline minerality; the mouthfeel here is distinctly Burgundian. Finishes with slightly edgy tannins and acidity but still offers considerable early appeal for its sheer verve. A fascinating Washington Grenache. —Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
2011 No Girls Wines Grenache La Paciencia Vineyard
95 Points
This vineyard was planted specifically for the No Girls project. The wine is fresh, fragrant and intensely floral, with a mix of rosewater and orange zest. Elegant, with a delicate, lacy texture, the flavors are savory and salty, braced with stiff, lightly peppery tannins. Notes of funk and mushroom come into play as it finishes gracefully and with unexpected length. —Paul Gregutt, Wine Enthusiast
94 Points
100% Grenache that was harvested on October 23 and aged 22 months in neutral puncheons. Elegant and finesse driven, with a sweet bouquet of wild strawberries, mint, game, rose petal and dried flowers, it is medium to full-bodied, seamless and silky on the palate, with no hard edges. Already delicious, it will drink beautifully over the coming decade or more. —Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate
92+? Points
...a project involving Cayuse’s Christophe Baron and several of his employees; Baron’s assistant winemaker Elizabeth Bourcier has essentially assumed winemaking responsibilities for the No Girls wines): Good medium red. Musky strawberry, raspberry, black truffle and black pepper on the nose; a bit higher-pitched than the God Only Knows Grenache Christophe Baron also makes under his Cayuse label. Concentrated and saline, offering piquant peppery lift to the extremely primary red berry flavors. Sharply delineated, very elegant Grenache made without any new oak. Less rich than the God Only Knows (these vines, mostly from Alban clones, were planted between 2003 and 2005) but with more early punch. Finishes firm and smoky, with savory tannins and excellent verve. —Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
2010 No Girls Wines Grenache La Paciencia Vineyard
94 Points
Showing the house style, which is generally more finesse driven than the wines of Cayuse, the 2010 Grenache La Paciencia Vineyard is a gorgeously complex, elegant effort that has both richness and freshness. A 100% Grenache that sees no new oak whatsoever, it possesses exotic aromas and flavors of lavender, olive, river rock and spiced meats that are all grounded by a sweet core of black cherry-like fruit. Medium to full-bodied, transparent and supple, with a deft, seamless texture, juicy acidity and outstanding length, this beautifully done 2010 will drink well for 7-8 years. Drink now-2020. —Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate
92 Points
Broad and spicy, with tangy acidity to balance the ripe strawberry, cherry and mulberry flavors, picking up licorice and black olive notes as the finish lingers. A bit hot in the end, but charming. Drink now through 2019. 236 cases made. 163 cases made. —Harvey Steiman, Wine Spectator
2009 No Girls Wines Grenache La Paciencia Vineyard
92 Points
Intriguing hints of cinnamon, mint and birch beer add accents to ripe, lightly-cooked strawberry in the nose, as well as on a polished, glycerol-rich yet buoyant palate. The impression is soothing and expansive up to a point, its fine tannins almost unnoticeable; then it’s as though one has crunched down to the strawberry seeds and taken a sharper hit of mint and cinnamon as well as white pepper and toasted nuts, causing the wine to deliver a delightful, energetic ping as part of a long, infectiously juicy finish. —David Schildknecht, The Wine Advocate
2008 No Girls Wines Grenache La Paciencia Vineyard
93 Points
The 2008 No Girls Grenache is a silky, perfumed offering with delightful spicy cherry flavors. —Jay Miller, The Wine Advocate