The most backward, structured, tannic, and ageworthy of these offerings is always the Grenache Romas. The estate’s flagship Grenache, it is fashioned from 86-year-old vines planted on ironstone soils at the highest elevation of the Blewitt Springs Vineyard. The 2004 Grenache Romas exhibits gorgeous notes of loamy soil, truffles, kirsch, spice box, blackberries, and licorice. This full-bodied, powerful, tannic 2004 will benefit from another 1-3 years of bottle age, and should age easily for 10-15+ years. Importer: Wine Brokers Unlimited, tel. (866) 416-9463

Cropped at a measly half ton per acre, this is Clarendon Hills’ top Grenache bottling. It’s tighter and denser than the other, more flamboyant offerings, needing time in the bottle to develop. For now, it’s loaded with wonderfully pure blackberry and cassis fruit, but it promises to develop more complexity over the years; try from 2008–2020. Long and softly tannic on the finish.——J.C.(12/15/2006)—— 95