2002 Yalumba "Bush Vines" Grenache (Barossa Valley, Australia)

Despite the word "Bush" in the name of this wine, I really like this one a lot. It will be hard to find the 2002 vintage of this wine in stores, however, as most of the places I shop have been stocking only the 2003 for a several months now. But if you see some 2002 lying around -- SNAP IT UP!

The last bottle of this I had was about a year ago, and it's held up really nicely since then. Almost fully saturated black ruby color (more like a Shiraz than a Grenache). Beautiful nose of smoky balsa wood, raspberry liqueur, and minerals. Rich, soft, concentrated mouthfeel, with flavors of salty raspberry extract and a hint of iodine. Long, intense finish. This would blow away most Chateauneuf-du-Papes (the most famous Grenache-based wine) costing 3 times as much. 90. Was about $12 at Spec's on Westheimer (near Fogo de Chao) when I got this about a year ago.