Broc Cellars 2008 Dry Stack Grenache - 3 Pack
$42.99 + $5 shipping
CONDITION: Red
PRODUCT: 3 2008 Broc Cellars Grenache, Bennett Valley
CT link above

Winery website

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IS this Broc wine names after a set of badgers living in these cellars? Very big cellar rats!

thing is, badgers like sugar. Was there a lot of sugar in these grapes at harvest? I wonder if we can find out how much.

A nice deal off retail, especially with shipping. And the CT notes for their other Grenache bottlings are pretty encouraging. I think I may be in... Hmm.

Do we have any pH or other indications of acid levels? Grenache is fruity, but does this have balance, or is it all fruit?

Also, is this a drink now, let lay in or both wine? I'm not schooled enough in grapes and vintages to go 'but of course its...'

What percentage of the grapes were grown biodynamically , or through other methods?

Interesting, urban winery in Berkeley? Is there a tasting room?

Any lab rats? I'm curious about this one

tenuki wrote:Interesting, urban winery in Berkeley? Is there a tasting room?

Yep! I believe they still share a winery with Eno Cellars, and A Donkey & Goat (good backstory behind the name) are just down the street. I highly recommend making a day out of urban wine tasting in Berkeley.

davidhendricks wrote:Yep! I believe they still share a winery with Eno Cellars, and A Donkey & Goat (good backstory behind the name) are just down the street. I highly recommend making a day out of urban wine tasting in Berkeley.

Haha, my friend loves the name of the winery so we've been chasing Donkey & Goat wine for a while. Even went to pizzaiolo one night since they were listed on the website as carrying it but they didn't anymore.

texacaliali wrote:seriously, Broc Cellars is my favorite new discovery this year. I have poured the Dry Stack Grenache to a few dozen friends so far and 100% thought this wine is delicious. I typically decant this before dinner and taste it for a few hours, very nice soft fruit, layers of mineral (clay) and a very smooth finish always. The acidity is right on the mark too. If you are up for something new to try, this is your woot! Thanks for listening.

You don't say which vintage you've n=been pouring, and I can't help wondering why they're still showing the '07 (100% Grenache) on their website, while selling off the '08 here. With 11% Syrah, and a splash of Viognier, it seems like this one would be somewhat different, not to mention a year younger. I'd be interested in how the 2 vintages compare.

Oops. Forgot I was using bahwm's computer. ddeuddeg.

The Grenache sounds interesting, I think I'd like to try this but I keep running into the same problem with all wine descriptions-- telling me that it has notes of chocolate and currant tells me nothing. Like "This wine has depth and focus, yet retains elegance and restraint through its balance."
translates to "you can look really refined drinking this"

Everyone says that Guinness tastes like chocolate, I have yet to taste it for myself.


Wiki says this grape has a very high sugar content and low acids, that's about all I have to go on right now. I second having lab rats come out and tell me layman's terms what's going on with the bottle.

Ie: leaves dry taste in mouth, very acidic, bitter, tastes like...

I thought "Dry Stack" was a sherry, not a Grenache...

Here's the vinopedia link, Parker gave the 2006 a 90. Not bad!
Especially for the price point.

http://www.vinopedia.com/wine/Broc+Cellars+Grenache+Dry+Stack+Vineyard

Ramrod wrote:What percentage of the grapes were grown biodynamically , or through other methods?

Hopefully none. I hate when there's bull sh*t in my wine.

epistemologonhere wrote:Do we have any pH or other indications of acid levels? Grenache is fruity, but does this have balance, or is it all fruit?

This is more of a balanced Grenache. Bennett Valley is about as cool as you can get as far as growing Grenache is concerned.

parasanger wrote:Also, is this a drink now, let lay in or both wine? I'm not schooled enough in grapes and vintages to go 'but of course its...'

It's ready to drink now, but could lay down for a couple of years and be rewarded. I usually age in bottle for 2 years after bottling as the cool climate requires it.

tenuki wrote:Interesting, urban winery in Berkeley? Is there a tasting room?

No tasting room. People are welcome to stop by appointment. You can email me through the website: www.broccellars.com

bahwm wrote:You don't say which vintage you've n=been pouring, and I can't help wondering why they're still showing the '07 (100% Grenache) on their website, while selling off the '08 here. With 11% Syrah, and a splash of Viognier, it seems like this one would be somewhat different, not to mention a year younger. I'd be interested in how the 2 vintages compare.

Oops. Forgot I was using bahwm's computer. ddeuddeg.

Only a couple cases of the 07 remain so couldn't offer it here. This is the first offering of the 08. Will be available on website once harvest is finished. Lots of grapes right now!!!

Newbie question, but...From what I understand, light tannin wines can't be stored as long. I'm not going to drink 3 bottles in the next month, so would you say these would be good for at least another year?

mmmm, this looks pretty good... in for one.

Hoping the ship to list is inaccurate. Can we get this in Maryland? In for two if thats the case.

Does anybody know what the alcohol percent is? X

Labrat checking in! Wish I could have put this up earlier in the day, been out of the house all morning…

I tasted this last evening with my significant other, A. I’ve included both of our notes through various points over the evening (mine are noted as B). Most of the report will be rapid fire quick notes, as opposed to full complete thoughts… And with that, here we are!

7pm – Poured straight into the decanter
Overall Appearance:
Fairly dark with a deep red center… nice looking ruby glint around the edges in the glass.
Aroma:
A – Oak. Campfire. Somewhat sharp on the nose.
B – Lots of oak. Wet mossy. Not much in the way of fruit yet. Hot.
First taste:
A – Serious oak. Smooth, almost creamy in the palette. Well blended flavors. Overall good, though not too complex.
B – Dark berries, licorice. Smooth overall and not too heavy. Strong mid-palette flavors. Good texture, coats your mouth and pulls away for a long lingering finish. Nice and simple.

7:30pm – Light snack of crackers with Point Reyes blue cheese
B – Brings out the bite in the blue cheese. The creamy texture of both goes well together. Not much change flavor-wise… Some pepper showing itself on the finish.

8:15pm – Dinner! Spaghetti and tomato basil meat sauce
A – Garlic bread brings out some sharp flavors in the wine. Similar flavors as above. More pronounced spicy flavors.
B –Peppery in the nose. More fruit aroma, raspberries maybe? Garlic definitely brings out more intense and sharp flavors. Still smooth and relatively nice to drink.

8:45pm – After dinner sipping
A – Overall nicer without food. Definitely preferred to sip this straight.
B – Still somewhat hot on the nose. Licorice is more intense. Interestingly, drinking the wine without food now in contrast to with the food before, the herbs and spices in the pasta sauce had overwhelmed the fruit flavors of this wine. Much more pronounced now, strong berries. Still smooth and little more complex than before. Lots of fruit now.


Final Impressions:
A – Not my favorite, but it is nice to work through over the evening.
B – Good easy drinking wine. Could go better with a milder meal than we had, but we enjoyed it the most late in the evening, just sipping it as we talked. Pleasant and enjoyable. This is a fairly classic example of Grenache, and I think it is a good deal at the offered price. This would be especially true if you haven’t had a chance to try a primarily Grenache blend… Enjoy!

xibbumbero wrote:Does anybody know what the alcohol percent is? X

14.5% is noted on the bottle, and I wholeheartedly believe it. It was a little hot on the nose, but the alcohol did not overwhelm on the palette.

Hey Merlynxlii, I'm glad to read the review. The wine sounds very spicy from what you say-- you think it's not as suitable for drinking alone (as opposed to with a meal)?

Neopluto wrote:Hey Merlynxlii, I'm glad to read the review. The wine sounds very spicy from what you say-- you think it's not as suitable for drinking alone (as opposed to with a meal)?

The spicy flavors within the wine blended in well, and were not difficult to drink. Certainly did not need food to keep it under control.

I actually preferred drinking it on its own compared to the meal we had it with... more of the softer and more subtle flavors rounded the wine out when just sipped alone.

Merlynxlii wrote:The spicy flavors within the wine blended in well, and were not difficult to drink. Certainly did not need food to keep it under control.

I actually preferred drinking it on its own compared to the meal we had it with... more of the softer and more subtle flavors rounded the wine out when just sipped alone.

Hmm, I'm edging closer and closer to clicking on buy... just have to convince bf to not finish the whole case in 3 nights.

Neopluto wrote:Newbie question, but...From what I understand, light tannin wines can't be stored as long. I'm not going to drink 3 bottles in the next month, so would you say these would be good for at least another year?

another 3 yrs easy

neilfindswine wrote:Hi Chris: Thanks for joining us! What can you tell us about the fruit source? Yours is my second encounter with Dry Stack Vineyards Grenache- I had an Eric Kent recently, which I enjoyed as well.

it's definitely on the extreme for Grenache. no flat section to vineyard just rolling hills. the grenache is located at the highest point in vineyard to get as much sun exposure as possible. some topsoil then rocks underneath.

Neopluto wrote:Hmm, I'm edging closer and closer to clicking on buy... just have to convince bf to not finish the whole case in 3 nights.

haha...if your asking for advice on this you might have the wrong guy

Had the '06 last summer when I was in San Francisco (I think it was RN74). Enjoyed it enough that I took a photo of the label so I would remember it. Couldn't find it when I got back to NY. Was very happy to see this.

Anyone know how this compares with the Zenaida Cellars Grenache Rose offered last month? (It's the first grenache I've tried, and finding it a bit harsh on the alcohol side for my tastes in wine, but I'm more a sweet white drinker most of the time. Hey, I'm learning!)

brucedoesbms wrote:I thought "Dry Stack" was a sherry, not a Grenache...

It's sack not stack, that being said my f-in-law got me sooooo Monster A-Go Go (1965) on dry sack I couldn't walk, the day he died I drove all over Lompoc till I found some to toast him that night.

fredrinaldi wrote:It's sack not stack, that being said my f-in-law got me sooooo Monster A-Go Go (1965) on dry sack I couldn't walk, the day he died I drove all over Lompoc till I found some to toast him that night.

I guess I cant say poopfaced

good god woot this is an adult site, over 21, no need to censure grown adults. Just saying.....