Produced from the Ceja Farms Vineyard in Sonoma Valley, we consider this to be our “magical” wine because after just one sip, you’ll discover why it’s easy for this wine to magically disappear before you know it, making it dangerously delicious!
2020 Inspiration Grenache, Ceja Farms, Sonoma Valley, Sonoma County
Tasting Notes
On inspection, the wine has a light red color, reflecting the fact that where these grapes are grown is quite cool which impacts color production in the berries. On the nose, the smell of ripe red fruit jumps out at you with hints of raspberry and strawberry. On the palate, strawberries jump out at you with notes of sweet tobacco. With balanced acidity, this wine is easy to drink and ready without additional aging. 50 cases produced.
Pairing: Roast chicken
Specs
Varietal: 100% Grenache
AVA: Sonoma Valley – Sonoma County
Barrel Program: 100% used FO, barrel aged 15 months
Alcohol: 14.1%
pH: 3.31
TA: 6.3 g/L
RS: 5.0 g/L
2021 Inspiration Grenache, Sonoma Valley
Tasting Notes
With a deeper red color than other vintages, the nose has a pronounced aroma of strawberries that carries through on the palate. Hints of spice are present as a result of a few months in a relatively new American oak barrel. With balanced acidity and light on alcohol, this is the perfect summer wine that’s drinking like a bowl of strawberries on a spring day. 50 cases produced.
Pairing: Pork loin with a grenache wine and cherry reduction
Specs
Varietal: 100% Grenache
AVA: Sonoma Valley – Sonoma County
Barrel Program: 50% used FO + 50% once filled AO, barrel aged for 15 months
Alcohol: 13.1%
pH: 3.24
TA: 6.8 g/L
RS: 4.0 g/L
2022 Inspiration Grenache, Sonoma Valley, Sonoma County
Tasting Notes
With the color of rose petals, the nose reflects ripe strawberries with a hint of violets. On the palate, strawberries, leather, and tobacco. As has been the consistent style of my Grenache, these wines are ready to drink now. Just be careful, you’ll find that once opened, this wine will quickly disappear once poured into your glass. 50 cases produced.
Pairing: Duck breast with a cranberry & grenache wine glaze
Specs
Varietal: 100% Grenache
AVA: Sonoma Valley – Sonoma County
Barrel Program:
Alcohol: 13.9%
pH: 3.28
TA: 6.5 g/L
RS: 4.0 g/L
100 used FO, barrel aged for 15 months
What’s Included
6-bottles:
2x - 2020 Inspiration Grenache, Sonoma Valley
2x - 2021 Inspiration Grenache, Ceja Farms, Sonoma Valley, Sonoma County
2x - 2022 Inspiration Grenache, Sonoma Valley, Sonoma County
Case:
4x - 2020 Inspiration Grenache, Sonoma Valley
4x - 2021 Inspiration Grenache, Ceja Farms, Sonoma Valley, Sonoma County
4x - 2022 Inspiration Grenache, Sonoma Valley, Sonoma County
“A little Inspiration makes every day a celebration.”
Welcome to Inspiration Vineyards and Winery. Founded in 2002, our mission hasn’t wavered: we strive to produce high quality, food-friendly wines at an affordable price, using the finest quality grapes grown throughout Sonoma County.
Sonoma proud! All of our wines are handcrafted and produced from grapes proudly grown in Sonoma County, California.
Available States
AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Let me start by saying Welcome Back, Jon! It’s been way too long.
I was a lucky recipient of a lab rat bottle but I am not going to throw the banner up yet. Just got home from a 15 hour shift and am feeling pretty beat.
I will post a full report later this morning, but will give you the TLDR version. Tasted this alongside Jon’s 2012 Grenache and there was quite a contrast in appearance, nose and palate, but we can get into that later.
For now, I will just say that this is a delicious Grenache. Lots of red berry notes, particularly strawberry. Fairly light bodied, easy drinking, both with and without food.
Will dive deeper in my actual rat report but I highly recommend this wine and will be pulling the trigger myself!
EDIT: I see there are multiple vintages. I got the 2021.
Pop and pour with about 20 minutes of air in the glass.
Color is a translucent medium ruby — classic Grenache look where you can see straight through the glass despite the alcohol being just under 14%. Nose opens immediately with strawberry and red cherry, followed by a little baking spice. After a few swirls I get something like strawberry compote that’s been on the stove a bit too long — not unpleasant, but definitely leaning toward the cooked side of the spectrum rather than fresh fruit.
On the palate the entry is actually quite nice. The front palate shows bright strawberry and cherry, with medium acidity and relatively soft tannins. Unfortunately the wine loses a bit of balance as it moves into the finish. A noticeable bitter note develops on the back palate that lingers longer than the fruit, which gives the wine a slightly hollow impression overall. The alcohol warmth also shows up toward the end.
This isn’t my favorite expression of Grenache — I tend to prefer either brighter, fresher styles or the deeper, more structured Rhône versions. Here the combination of cooked fruit and a bitter finish takes away from what is otherwise a pleasant opening on the palate.
We also tasted this side-by-side with the 2019 Ocelli Grenache from Columbia Valley, which made the contrast pretty clear. The Sonoma bottle showed more cooked fruit aromatics and flavors, while the Ocelli came across fresher and more balanced overall. The Ocelli was also less tannic and smoother through the finish. Between the two, both of us clearly preferred the Ocelli.
That said, I can still see some good use cases for this bottle. The moderate structure and red-fruit profile would make this a very flexible Thanksgiving wine: turkey-friendly tannins, fruit that would play nicely with cranberry sauce, and enough spice to echo stuffing herbs. I also suspect this would show better with a light chill (mid-50s°F), where the fruit might feel fresher and the alcohol a little more integrated.
Overall: pleasant front palate with classic strawberry/cherry Grenache character, but for my palate the bitter finish keeps it from being a bottle I’d reach for on its own.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
Inspiration Vineyards Grenache Vertical - $30 = 16.66%
@aces219@inspiration@chipgreen@rjquillin this is not bone dry…perceptible levels can start at 4 g/l… see @chipgreen chart… 4 g/l or 0.4% is definitely on the cusp of “off dry” … of course other factors acid etc come into play…go ahead tell me I’m wrong, I’ve argued this point before
@aces219@chipgreen@kaolis@rjquillin haha - to me, it’s the fruit that comes out… and when I last looked at my notes, my way of measuring is not as exact as if I had sent it out to the lab… I’m guessing that I’m on the cusp of .4% and .3% - but the fruit that comes forward in the initial sip gives you a perception of sweetness.
@aces219@chipgreen@inspiration@rjquillin Heck I’m the one who started it, and I didn’t really mean to sound like I was bashing the wines, apologies if so, but those numbers stuck out a bit to me. And yes, def on the lower end. Meomi is what 19 g/l? Now if @chipgreen didn’t detect 19 that would be a different story ha! Ok, time to get a few more steps in and head to the beach…
Good morning everyone - yes, I’m back after a very long absence and am happy to talk about my flight of these Grenaches
Interesting report from Aces219 for the 2022 and comparison with a Grenache from Columbia Valley - I’m not sure I completely agree with the cooked fruit observation because the slight bitterness and light color is actually a result from the fruit not getting a longer hang-time and becoming over-ripe. Everyone’s palate is different to be sure…
This vineyard location is often a very late ripener because it’s located in the warmest part of Carneros which is still more mild than other parts of Sonoma County, and Columbia Valley for that matter… It certainly doesn’t see the extreme heat that you find in Santa Barbara or the grapes origin of the Rhone valley.
I will agree that I often slightly chill when I serve - and I find that it goes down too smoothly… while I am cooking, this wine is just too easy to drink. Lot’s of rich strawberries makes it one of my favorite “cooking” wines.
I welcome more comments and questions and it’s fun being back!
@inspiration totally open to other descriptors. What definitely came to mind taste-wise was putting some strawberries in a pan or under a torch or something briefly. It’s definitely not from a sensation of overripeness. Carneros makes a ton of sense here. Given how different my review is from @chipgreen’s initial impression, is there something different about the 2022?
I was expecting this to go down easy based on my experience with Grenache and the initial taste - it’s really just that bitterness on the finish that got me. I’d have thought maybe it was a broken palate after getting over pneumonia, but my husband said the same thing.
Tasted side by side with a 2012 Inspiration Grenache.
The 2021 Grenache being offered is a pretty magenta color, compared to the almost amber-hued 2012. Cork integrity was good for the '12 but you could see the age in the wine’s color.
On the nose, the '21 has strawberries for days! Also, a hint of something floral. The '12 is a bit more subdued, with light cherry/berry notes.
On the palate, the '21 is light and refreshing. Strawberry upfront but not jammy. Juicy mouthfeel with a small hint of spice and that floral note from the nose is also there. Some cherry coming through along with light tannins on the medium finish. Oak is well integrated and barely perceptible.
Paired with a Romanburger from Mr. Hero and it was a great match. The '12 was much better with the food than without, but the '21 was great with food and on its own.
Interestingly, the cherry notes on the '21 seemed to overtake strawberry when matched with the burger.
While the '12 has held up reasonably well, it’s lost some fruit and acidity. Very slightly sherried from time in the bottle, the oak notes and tannins are more perceptible than with the '21. Still enjoyable but clearly past its peak, this leads me to believe that Jon’s Grenaches are built to drink within 5-6 years of the vintage.
I am pretty sensitive to bitterness, but unlike aces219 (Hello, fellow RPM Tourist!) I did not detect any in the 2021 Grenache. Also, the fruit notes seemed light and fresh vs. stewed/jammy.
Ordered a six-pack, will be interested to see if the two vintages are really that different!
Thanks to WD, Terry and Jon for the opportunity - Cheers!
Got it - and btw - I was impressed with the thoroughness of your review… don’t get me wrong… but yes, it does smell like confiture of strawberry, vs fresh picked strawberries - hence cooked… got it!
And yes - each vintage had different challenges and ripeness levels. Given that I am just working with about 1 to 1.5 tons to make between 50 and 75 cases of each wine, the vintage variation is pronounced.
I will add that the 22 IMO was picked about 1 week earlier than I would have liked.
I went back in my calendar… Here’s what I found…
I generally have preferred to pick this vineyard during the first week of October to reduce that bitter back-end and get full ripeness.
2020 - The glass fire in Napa forced us to pick before smoke hit the vineyard - We picked on the late morning of the 27th of September, once our forecast told us that in 48 hours, smoke would impact the vineyards in Carneros.
2021 - Awesome growing season - we picked on the 29th of September - of the three wines, this is probably my favorite.
2022 - This was picked on September 10th - imo at least one week earlier than it should have. I will confess, I was also in France when this was harvest… get back a day after it was picked. I’m still scratching my head, but I think that we had a client who was anxious in getting it in sooner than later…
I got the 2020 and this one was an immediate buy for us. My wife actually made me buy before posting my review! And she doesn’t even allow me to purchase our member allotments right now because our cellar is currently overcapacity!
This was simply an extremely enjoyable and drinkable wine. The color was surprisingly light but the flavor was definitely not lacking. Red fruit on the nose and palate - I didn’t get the strawberry as strongly, but definitely summer fruit. I fixed a maple glazed pork loin for dinner last night, and it went perfectly together. I don’t think this needs cellar time at all - it is immediately drinkable.
I also didn’t have any of the bitterness that was identified in the 2021. I gave it 48 hours after delivery (props to my UPS driver that didn’t require signature because…life’s hectic) and then gave it maybe 20 mins in the glass before drinking. Very well balanced wine and I’m not sure what I’d want to be different!
My wife’s summary was ‘very pleasant wine to drink - would happily drink it alone or would pair it well with a variety of dinner options - and I love the bottle art…I want them all!’ Excited to try the 2021 & 2022 once they arrive.
Thanks to Terry (I don’t know who else is on the other end)…and also, what happened to Alice. Is Alice still there? Thanks to everyone at WCC and Inspiration - this was a really enjoyable one. My wife already checked out the tasting room for our trip in April, but unfortunately Santa Rosa is a little far for a day trip from San Fran when we are already hitting up V Sattui. Perhaps our next trip.
The Wine
2020 Inspiration Grenache, Ceja Farms, Sonoma Valley, Sonoma County
Tasting Notes
Specs
2021 Inspiration Grenache, Sonoma Valley
Tasting Notes
Specs
2022 Inspiration Grenache, Sonoma Valley, Sonoma County
Tasting Notes
Specs
What’s Included
6-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$420/Case for 4x - 2021 Inspiration Grenache, Sonoma Valley, 4x - 2020 Inspiration Grenache, Ceja Farms, Sonoma Valley, Sonoma County, and 4x - 2022 Inspiration Grenache, Sonoma Valley, Sonoma County at Inspiration Vineyards
About The Winery
Available States
AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Mar 30 - Wednesday, Apr 1
Inspiration Vineyards Grenache Vertical
6 bottles for $89.99 $15/bottle + $1.33/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $149.99 $12.50/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2020
2021
2022
Let me start by saying Welcome Back, Jon! It’s been way too long.
I was a lucky recipient of a lab rat bottle but I am not going to throw the banner up yet. Just got home from a 15 hour shift and am feeling pretty beat.
I will post a full report later this morning, but will give you the TLDR version. Tasted this alongside Jon’s 2012 Grenache and there was quite a contrast in appearance, nose and palate, but we can get into that later.
For now, I will just say that this is a delicious Grenache. Lots of red berry notes, particularly strawberry. Fairly light bodied, easy drinking, both with and without food.
Will dive deeper in my actual rat report but I highly recommend this wine and will be pulling the trigger myself!
EDIT: I see there are multiple vintages. I got the 2021.
We got the 2022.
Pop and pour with about 20 minutes of air in the glass.
Color is a translucent medium ruby — classic Grenache look where you can see straight through the glass despite the alcohol being just under 14%. Nose opens immediately with strawberry and red cherry, followed by a little baking spice. After a few swirls I get something like strawberry compote that’s been on the stove a bit too long — not unpleasant, but definitely leaning toward the cooked side of the spectrum rather than fresh fruit.
On the palate the entry is actually quite nice. The front palate shows bright strawberry and cherry, with medium acidity and relatively soft tannins. Unfortunately the wine loses a bit of balance as it moves into the finish. A noticeable bitter note develops on the back palate that lingers longer than the fruit, which gives the wine a slightly hollow impression overall. The alcohol warmth also shows up toward the end.
This isn’t my favorite expression of Grenache — I tend to prefer either brighter, fresher styles or the deeper, more structured Rhône versions. Here the combination of cooked fruit and a bitter finish takes away from what is otherwise a pleasant opening on the palate.
We also tasted this side-by-side with the 2019 Ocelli Grenache from Columbia Valley, which made the contrast pretty clear. The Sonoma bottle showed more cooked fruit aromatics and flavors, while the Ocelli came across fresher and more balanced overall. The Ocelli was also less tannic and smoother through the finish. Between the two, both of us clearly preferred the Ocelli.
That said, I can still see some good use cases for this bottle. The moderate structure and red-fruit profile would make this a very flexible Thanksgiving wine: turkey-friendly tannins, fruit that would play nicely with cranberry sauce, and enough spice to echo stuffing herbs. I also suspect this would show better with a light chill (mid-50s°F), where the fruit might feel fresher and the alcohol a little more integrated.
Overall: pleasant front palate with classic strawberry/cherry Grenache character, but for my palate the bitter finish keeps it from being a bottle I’d reach for on its own.
@aces219
Looks to already be throwing some sediment too, or just a reflection?
@rjquillin yes that is sediment
@aces219 Excellent review, thank you for that.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
Inspiration Vineyards Grenache Vertical - $30 = 16.66%
I recall the pinot if I recall correctly… anyway a healthy dollop of sugar on all it appears
@kaolis
yes, at 4~5% should be well into the perception level for even a casual consumer, yet neither Rat reports it…
@rjquillin @chipgreen… yak palates…like me ha!!
@kaolis @rjquillin
I thought 4 g/l was 0.4% not 4.0%?
@chipgreen @kaolis
yes, me bad; just working on the first cup now
@chipgreen @kaolis @rjquillin .4% - it’s totally dry guys…
@kaolis no, bone dry.
@aces219 @inspiration @chipgreen @rjquillin this is not bone dry…perceptible levels can start at 4 g/l… see @chipgreen chart… 4 g/l or 0.4% is definitely on the cusp of “off dry” … of course other factors acid etc come into play…go ahead tell me I’m wrong, I’ve argued this point before
@aces219 @chipgreen @inspiration @kaolis
I’m sorry I started this now
@aces219 @chipgreen @kaolis @rjquillin haha - to me, it’s the fruit that comes out… and when I last looked at my notes, my way of measuring is not as exact as if I had sent it out to the lab… I’m guessing that I’m on the cusp of .4% and .3% - but the fruit that comes forward in the initial sip gives you a perception of sweetness.
@aces219 @chipgreen @inspiration @rjquillin Heck I’m the one who started it, and I didn’t really mean to sound like I was bashing the wines, apologies if so, but those numbers stuck out a bit to me. And yes, def on the lower end. Meomi is what 19 g/l? Now if @chipgreen didn’t detect 19 that would be a different story ha! Ok, time to get a few more steps in and head to the beach…
@chipgreen @inspiration @kaolis @rjquillin I was describing my perception, not the stats. Like yes it is fruity up front but always dry.
/giphy pastel-bawling-voice
Labrat Report coming up, need to get some coffee in me first!
Good morning everyone - yes, I’m back after a very long absence and am happy to talk about my flight of these Grenaches
Interesting report from Aces219 for the 2022 and comparison with a Grenache from Columbia Valley - I’m not sure I completely agree with the cooked fruit observation because the slight bitterness and light color is actually a result from the fruit not getting a longer hang-time and becoming over-ripe. Everyone’s palate is different to be sure…
This vineyard location is often a very late ripener because it’s located in the warmest part of Carneros which is still more mild than other parts of Sonoma County, and Columbia Valley for that matter… It certainly doesn’t see the extreme heat that you find in Santa Barbara or the grapes origin of the Rhone valley.
I will agree that I often slightly chill when I serve - and I find that it goes down too smoothly… while I am cooking, this wine is just too easy to drink. Lot’s of rich strawberries makes it one of my favorite “cooking” wines.
I welcome more comments and questions and it’s fun being back!
Cheers!
Jon
@inspiration totally open to other descriptors. What definitely came to mind taste-wise was putting some strawberries in a pan or under a torch or something briefly. It’s definitely not from a sensation of overripeness. Carneros makes a ton of sense here. Given how different my review is from @chipgreen’s initial impression, is there something different about the 2022?
I was expecting this to go down easy based on my experience with Grenache and the initial taste - it’s really just that bitterness on the finish that got me. I’d have thought maybe it was a broken palate after getting over pneumonia, but my husband said the same thing.
I’ll try chilling it later today and report back.
@inspiration and thank you for being here and tolerating us amateur wine reviewers!
@aces219 I enjoyed your review - looks like my reply ended up at the bottom… but I addressed your reply… cheers…
2021 Inspiration Vineyards Grenache
Tasted side by side with a 2012 Inspiration Grenache.
The 2021 Grenache being offered is a pretty magenta color, compared to the almost amber-hued 2012. Cork integrity was good for the '12 but you could see the age in the wine’s color.
On the nose, the '21 has strawberries for days! Also, a hint of something floral. The '12 is a bit more subdued, with light cherry/berry notes.
On the palate, the '21 is light and refreshing. Strawberry upfront but not jammy. Juicy mouthfeel with a small hint of spice and that floral note from the nose is also there. Some cherry coming through along with light tannins on the medium finish. Oak is well integrated and barely perceptible.
Paired with a Romanburger from Mr. Hero and it was a great match. The '12 was much better with the food than without, but the '21 was great with food and on its own.
Interestingly, the cherry notes on the '21 seemed to overtake strawberry when matched with the burger.
While the '12 has held up reasonably well, it’s lost some fruit and acidity. Very slightly sherried from time in the bottle, the oak notes and tannins are more perceptible than with the '21. Still enjoyable but clearly past its peak, this leads me to believe that Jon’s Grenaches are built to drink within 5-6 years of the vintage.
I am pretty sensitive to bitterness, but unlike aces219 (Hello, fellow RPM Tourist!) I did not detect any in the 2021 Grenache. Also, the fruit notes seemed light and fresh vs. stewed/jammy.
Ordered a six-pack, will be interested to see if the two vintages are really that different!
Thanks to WD, Terry and Jon for the opportunity - Cheers!
@chipgreen Total awesomeness - thank you very much for this comparison!
@chipgreen that’s a lot darker than the ‘22!
Got it - and btw - I was impressed with the thoroughness of your review… don’t get me wrong… but yes, it does smell like confiture of strawberry, vs fresh picked strawberries - hence cooked… got it!
And yes - each vintage had different challenges and ripeness levels. Given that I am just working with about 1 to 1.5 tons to make between 50 and 75 cases of each wine, the vintage variation is pronounced.
I will add that the 22 IMO was picked about 1 week earlier than I would have liked.
I went back in my calendar… Here’s what I found…
I generally have preferred to pick this vineyard during the first week of October to reduce that bitter back-end and get full ripeness.
2020 - The glass fire in Napa forced us to pick before smoke hit the vineyard - We picked on the late morning of the 27th of September, once our forecast told us that in 48 hours, smoke would impact the vineyards in Carneros.
2021 - Awesome growing season - we picked on the 29th of September - of the three wines, this is probably my favorite.
2022 - This was picked on September 10th - imo at least one week earlier than it should have. I will confess, I was also in France when this was harvest… get back a day after it was picked. I’m still scratching my head, but I think that we had a client who was anxious in getting it in sooner than later…
PANS! GLANDS! CRAYONS! AWESOME!
@inspiration yes, confiture! I could see that another week of hang time might have helped.
2020 Inspiration Grenache
Apologies for the delay. Life is hectic!
I got the 2020 and this one was an immediate buy for us. My wife actually made me buy before posting my review! And she doesn’t even allow me to purchase our member allotments right now because our cellar is currently overcapacity!
This was simply an extremely enjoyable and drinkable wine. The color was surprisingly light but the flavor was definitely not lacking. Red fruit on the nose and palate - I didn’t get the strawberry as strongly, but definitely summer fruit. I fixed a maple glazed pork loin for dinner last night, and it went perfectly together. I don’t think this needs cellar time at all - it is immediately drinkable.
I also didn’t have any of the bitterness that was identified in the 2021. I gave it 48 hours after delivery (props to my UPS driver that didn’t require signature because…life’s hectic) and then gave it maybe 20 mins in the glass before drinking. Very well balanced wine and I’m not sure what I’d want to be different!
My wife’s summary was ‘very pleasant wine to drink - would happily drink it alone or would pair it well with a variety of dinner options - and I love the bottle art…I want them all!’ Excited to try the 2021 & 2022 once they arrive.
Thanks to Terry (I don’t know who else is on the other end)…and also, what happened to Alice. Is Alice still there? Thanks to everyone at WCC and Inspiration - this was a really enjoyable one. My wife already checked out the tasting room for our trip in April, but unfortunately Santa Rosa is a little far for a day trip from San Fran when we are already hitting up V Sattui. Perhaps our next trip.