Tasted from multiple barrels, the 2013 Garnacha looks fantastic. Showing lots of stem influence in its peppery herbs, smoke and spice, it has beautiful dark fruit, full-bodied richness and a structured feel on the palate. I think the tannin will round into form once bottled, and this should have a solid 7-8 years of longevity. Winemaker Cris Cherry continues to push the whole cluster and savory style in his wines, while not losing the core of fruit that the region is known for. These new releases all have rich, tannic profiles that benefit from air, and will be even better in another year or two. In addition, I was able to do a retrospective of Cris’s Garnacha and High Road James Berry Vineyard, but wasn’t able to get those reviews into this report. Those reviews will be published in separate article at a later date. Tel. (805) 238-7145; www.villacreekwine.com