2020 Cayuse Grenache God Only Knows
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Tasting notes
A perfumed blend of vivid black raspberry, lavender, sage and crushed rocks makes the 2020 God Only Knows impossible to ignore. This is pure elegance, supremely silky and refined, with subtle red and blue fruits that ride a core of tantalizing acidity as violet inner florals evolve toward the close. This finishes lifted and floral, with a subtle coating of sweet tannins that gently tug at the cheeks as confectionery spices slowly fade. While I would prefer a bit more length, that's splitting hairs, as the 2020 God Only Knows is simply spellbinding.
Critic scores
Jeb Dunnuck
Eric Guido, Vinous
More reviews and scores
As always, the 2020 Grenache God Only Knows is almost all Grenache brought up in barrels, mostly used. It reveals a translucent ruby hue as well as a complex bouquet of ripe strawberries, framboise, cold fireplace, wood smoke, and shiitake mushrooms. This carries to a medium-bodied Grenache with a focused, elegant texture, present yet fine-grained tannins, and outstanding length on the finish. I don't think this matches the recent series of the 2016 to the 2019, but it's a complex, layered, nuanced Grenache that will keep for 10-12 years, probably longer.
The 2020 Grenache God Only Knows Armada Vineyard starts with a red-fruited core of spicy cherries and soft notions of dusty plums and baked earth. Medium-bodied, the wine displays a firm tannic edge and a narrowing on the mid-palate as the wine retreats to a brief, clipped finish. The Grenache may have hung too far into the troubled season. 6,564 bottles produced.