2021 Madrona Bay Grenache, Yakima Valley, USA

The Moment

Some Grenaches are built around weight.
Others are built around perfume.

The 2021 Madrona Bay Grenache is the kind of bottle that leans beautifully into the second lane — pale ruby in the glass, intensely aromatic, and shaped more by elegance and lift than by sheer size. James and Pearce Stickney describe ripe raspberry and red cherry on the nose, followed by sweet cranberry, pomegranate, and strawberry jam on the palate, with a long finish of black tea spice.

This is Yakima Valley Grenache with a graceful feel to it: expressive fruit, soft texture, and just enough savory detail underneath to make it feel complete. The winemaking choices help explain that shape — 30% whole cluster fermentation, 19 days on skins, 100% neutral oak barriques, and a striking 30 months aged on lees. That is not a rushed wine. It is a bottle built with patience, and it shows.

What It Feels Like

Think dusk on the porch, something slow-cooked on the table, and a bottle that feels both delicate and quietly grounded.

What makes this wine work is the contrast between all that bright, pretty red fruit and the more serious details underneath. The raspberry, cherry, cranberry, and pomegranate keep it lifted and inviting, while the black tea spice and long lees aging give it a little hush and length. It feels polished, but not polished away. There is real charm here, and real composure too.

In the Glass

Aromatics
Ripe raspberry and red cherry with lifted, perfumed red-fruit intensity.

Palate
Sweet cranberry, pomegranate, and strawberry jam with a fresh, elegant core.

Texture
Silky and refined, with a soft, graceful feel that keeps the wine light on its feet.

Finish
Long and gently savory, with black tea spice carrying through the close.

Why We Love This Bottle

A Grenache Built Around Elegance
This is not broad, jammy, or heavy-handed. It is aromatic, silky, and composed in a way that makes Grenache feel especially beautiful.

Whole Cluster And Lees Time Add Character
The combination of 30% whole cluster fermentation and 30 months on lees gives the wine more than just fruit appeal. It adds spice, subtle savoriness, and a quieter kind of depth.

A Tiny-Production Washington Red
At just 30 cases produced, this is exactly the kind of bottle that feels personal, thoughtful, and worth talking about at the table.

Pair It With

• Roast chicken
• Pork tenderloin
• Mushroom dishes
• Charcuterie
• Lentils with herbs

These are my pairing recommendations based on the wine’s red-fruited Grenache profile, silky texture, and black tea spice finish.

Technical Notes

Producer: Madrona Bay
Region: Yakima Valley, Washington, USA
Vineyard: Knox Road Vineyard (formerly Les Vignes Le Tendre)
Grape: 100% Grenache
Alcohol: 14.3% ABV
Residual Sugar: None
Production: 30 cases
Yield: 3.3 tons per acre

Vineyard Notes
Knox Road Vineyard sits at the far east end of Yakima Valley AVA, five miles west of Red Mountain on Knox Road in Benton City. The site ranges from 850 feet to 775 feet in elevation and includes registered vineyard block status for certified clean plant material.

Winemaking
30% whole cluster fermentation, 19 days on skins, Syrah yeast, aged in 100% neutral oak barriques for 30 months on lees.

Body: Medium
Structure: Silky texture · bright red fruit · black tea spice · long finish

Flavor Profile
Raspberry · Red Cherry · Cranberry · Pomegranate · Strawberry Jam · Black Tea Spice

Drink Window
Now–2030