Purity of fruit ...

Enjoyed recently is the 2006 Agharta - a wine from northern California that is a southern Rhone-styled blend of 84% Grenache, 14% Syrah and 2% Viognier.

Pax Mahle is the winemaker behind this extraordinary cuvee ... it spends an incredible 52 months aging (70% in oak, 30% in stainless steel) prior to being bottled for release.  The result is an extremely well balanced wine with satin-textured blackberry fruit.  I can think of only one other wine that compares to Agharta in terms of absolute perfect expression of fruit and typicity for Grenache - the Domaine la Barroche Chateauneuf-du-Pape Pure ...