Nicole Walsh is an assistant winemaker at Bonny Doon in Santa Cruz, but has been making her own wine there since 2012. The Graciano grape is a traditional blending partner, along with Tempranillo and Garnacha, in Rioja. Late ripening and low-yielding, it is used for its deep red color and tannins, but especially for its highly aromatic profile of mulberry, dark chocolate and violets. The John Smith Vineyard is in the Diablo Mountain Range on the Eastern side of the Salinas Valley with ocean breezes and cool night temperatures. Pre- and post-fermentation maceration on the skins, native yeast, and 18 months of aging in neutral puncheons give this wine good structure and keeps the focus on the fruit. It is well suited to a slight chill and accompanying grilled foods.