Âmevive Grenache Alisos Canyon 2025
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The Land
Alisos Canyon is one of Santa Barbara County's newest and smallest appellations, approved in 2020 with just 238 acres of vines across 5,774 acres. It is an east-west canyon near Los Alamos, and that orientation matters: the San Antonio Creek Valley funnels marine wind and fog in from the Pacific, 25 miles away, so the canyon lands between the cool coast and the warm interior. Growers call it a Goldilocks zone for Rhône varieties. The soils are mostly Paso Robles Formation and Careaga Sandstone, high in calcium and quick to drain, with streaks of limestone. The fruit for this wine comes from Martian Ranch Vineyard on the southwest side of the canyon, a Demeter-certified biodynamic site. Calcium-rich ground and afternoon wind are what keep Grenache from Alisos Canyon bright rather than jammy.
The Wine
The Âmevive Grenache Alisos Canyon 2025 comes from a block of massal-selection Grenache interplanted with several clones, a mix that Âmevive says takes to whole-cluster fermentation well. It was harvested on October 1, 2025, and fermented 100% whole cluster in two separate fermenters. After 21 days on skins, it was gently pressed and aged 10 months in neutral French oak, then a month in stainless steel, and bottled unfined and unfiltered in August 2026. It is 13.0% alcohol, and 145 cases were made. Santa Barbara County's 2025 season was cooler than normal with a long, calm harvest, which suits a low-alcohol Grenache. Âmevive calls it strongly aromatic with unusual red fruit; in past vintages this cuvée has shown red fruit punch, fresh cherry and crunchy stem spice over a light, fresh frame.
The People
Âmevive, French for "living soul," was founded by Alice Anderson and Topher de Felice with the 2019 vintage. Anderson studied at Cal Poly, worked a vintage at Rippon in Central Otago in 2015, spent two years with Pierre Gaillard in the northern Rhône, then returned to California to work at Tyler, Tribute to Grace and Tatomer. Their base is the Ibarra-Young Vineyard in Los Olivos, an own-rooted site planted in 1971, which they farm regeneratively with sheep, chickens and ducks, compost and hedgerows. For wines like this one they buy from growers who farm the way they do, hence the biodynamic source here. The house style is neutral oak, no fining or filtration, and sulfur as the only addition, aiming for natural wine that still reads as classic.
Food Pairing
A light red with this much perfume wants to go on the table slightly chilled. Grill chicken thighs marinated in smoked paprika, garlic and lemon; the wine's acidity cuts the fat, and the spice from the stems meets the paprika. Pizza with fennel sausage and roasted red peppers works just as well. Try it with a Moroccan-spiced carrot and chickpea salad with mint and yogurt, where the red fruit plays off the cumin. Or keep it simple with a charcuterie board of saucisson, olives and Manchego. This is the red to open on a warm Denver evening when the grill is already going.
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Grenache is a widely planted grape variety that thrives in its Mediterranean home. In Spain, it's known as Garnacha, where it reaches its peak in the Sierra de Gredos as a pure varietal wine, while also being a key blending component in Rioja. France's Southern Rhône, notably Châteauneuf-du-Pape, is another well-known region, where Grenache is often the base of a blended wine. Grenache also finds a home in Sardinia as Cannonau, and it has spread beyond its Mediterranean origins, most famously to Australia's Barossa Valley. The resulting wines are typically light in color, yet they possess a full body and flavor, displaying mature red fruit notes, herbal spices, and often a hint of orange peel, along with soft tannins and moderate acidity. It is an incredibly versatile grape, showing different expressions based on its terroir and the winemaking style employed.
