La Ferme de la Forét, Grenache

Grenache is one of the great grapes of the world, sharing many of the qualities we love in great Pinot Noir: haunting aromatics, silken tannins, elegance, transparency to place, delicate texture, and the ability to deliver tremendous complexity without weight or excess alcohol. At its highest level, Grenache can produce some of the most profound wines on earth. The Southern Rhône has proven this for generations, most famously through pure Grenache bottlings like the legendary Château Rayas, a wine that remains one of the most singular and sought-after expressions of place in the world.

What makes today's bottle so compelling is how much is packed into it for such a modest price. Whole-cluster fermentation. Neutral French oak. A dramatic Columbia Gorge vineyard. Just 150 cases were produced. A winemaker whose knowledge of Burgundy and the Rhône runs as deep as anyone in America. These are the kinds of details we usually associate with bottles costing two or three times as much. For what is in this bottle, I genuinely struggle to think of a better value anywhere in the wine world today.

Inspired by Château Rayas and the most ethereal wines of the Rhône Valley, today's bottle takes a distinctly different path than many Grenaches. Whole-cluster fermentation, neutral barrels, modest alcohol, and a relentless focus on freshness create a wine that feels almost weightless yet remains deeply expressive. It is the kind of bottle that reminds you that great wine doesn't need to be powerful to be profound. It simply needs to tell a compelling story.

The Columbia Gorge is one of the most exciting wine regions in America today, though many wine lovers have yet to discover it. Oregon's modern wine reputation was built on Pinot Noir in the Willamette Valley, but over the past two decades a new generation of growers and winemakers has been quietly redefining what is possible in the dramatic landscape east of Portland. Here, the Columbia River cuts through the Cascade Mountains, creating one of the most geologically and climatically diverse growing regions in North America. Dense forests gradually give way to high desert. Rainfall can change dramatically over a few miles. Elevation, wind exposure, volcanic soils, marine sediments, and ancient flood deposits all contribute to a remarkable patchwork of terroirs.

What has emerged is one of the most dynamic wine cultures in America. A new generation of talented growers and winemakers is exploring everything from Grenache and Syrah to Chenin Blanc, Gamay, Nebbiolo, and countless other varieties. The best producers are less interested in fitting neatly into traditional categories and more interested in discovering what this extraordinary landscape can uniquely express. The result is a region filled with curiosity, experimentation, and increasingly, world-class wines.

This wine comes from Three Mile Vineyard near The Dalles, Oregon, overlooking a dramatic bend in the Columbia River. The site sits at the intersection of forest and desert influences, creating significant day-to-night temperature swings that preserve freshness while allowing complete ripening. Picked at moderate ripeness, fermented with whole clusters, and aged in neutral French oak, the wine emphasizes purity, perfume, and site expression over extraction and power. Only 150 cases were produced, making this a tiny snapshot of one of the most compelling vineyards in the Gorge.

Behind La Ferme de la Forêt is Eric Railsback, a name many of you already know. Before launching this project, Eric spent years alongside Rajat Parr leading the wine program and buying at RN74 in San Francisco, one of the most influential French-focused restaurants America has ever seen. Few people possess a deeper understanding of Burgundy and the Rhône Valley. Decades spent tasting, studying, importing, and championing the great wines of France have shaped a philosophy centered on transparency, balance, and site expression. La Ferme de la Forêt represents a natural extension of that experience, bringing those ideals to one of America's most exciting emerging wine regions.

The 2021 opens with an incredibly delicate and ethereal nose of wild strawberry, raspberry, rose petal, blood orange, dried herbs, and subtle whole-cluster spice. There is an almost Burgundian sense of perfume here that immediately pulls you back to the glass. The palate is light on its feet, carrying bright red fruits, floral notes, and savory complexity across a framework of fine tannins and vibrant acidity. At just 13.1% alcohol, it possesses the effortless drinkability that makes the world's great Grenaches so compelling. The finish lingers with notes of crushed flowers, red berries, wild spice, and stony mineral character that seem to float long after the wine has left the palate.

Serve it just above cellar temperature in a large Burgundy stem and don't hesitate to give it 20 to 30 minutes of air. Like so many of the wines that inspired it, this bottle truly comes alive with food. Roast chicken with herbs, grilled salmon, duck breast, mushroom dishes, pork tenderloin, or a simple spread of charcuterie and aged cheeses all make exceptional companions. For me, however, the dream pairing might be a classic cassoulet. There is something magical about the way Grenache's perfume, freshness, and gentle texture weave themselves into one of Southern France's most iconic dishes.