Danby

This wine doesn't seek to impress. Nor should it. It's meant to be gulped down like a summer adventure and forgotten until a cold winter's night when, by candlelight, you'll remember this berry compote, layered with hints of bubble gum and dusted with medicinal herbs and volatile acidity. Playful and relatively mineral, with well-balanced acidity - it speaks of simple summer joys. Like a fleeting summer memory, it's not meant to be profound but rather to deliver uncomplicated pleasure.

This natty Grenache is pretty nice and easy-going, presenting a fruit-forward nose with abundant raspberries, sour cherries, and dogwood, complemented by dried herbs and a hint of bubble gum. It starts off a bit fizzy and bright but is decently balanced with pleasant fruit notes. I find it particularly enjoyable after a short decantation of about 15 minutes, allowing the initial fizziness to subside, transforming the wine into a delightful bubble-gummy morsel. We opened four bottles, and all were of consistent quality.