Alma Rosa, El Jabali Grenache, Santa Barbara County, Sta Rita Hills, California, USA 2021

A stellar Grenache from the Sta Rita Hills, the El Jabali vineyard, planted by Santa Barbara wine icon Richard Sanford, is tiny at 2ha. It sits at 250m near the cooling Pacific Ocean. The Jabali Grenache pushes ripeness but really balances the wine's rich fruit with incredible savoury aromas. Smoked sea salt and soy take the reins with rich notes of fig, cumin, ember and iron aromatics. The palate is wonderfully layered. Rich chocolate flavours interplay with smoke, soy and strawberry balsamic. It is eye-opening and delicious.