There is a quote that has been floating around Somerled for a while. It goes something like this…
“I’ve got nothing against Grenache, I’ve just never had one I liked”
The thing is, no one can quite remember if it’s fact or fiction.
So, I thought I would have a chat with Rob (the man credited with saying it) in an attempt to get to the bottom of it once and for all!
Although he can’t remember saying it, Rob thinks it has something to do with the fact that back in the early Penfolds days, making light-bodied reds (no matter how fragrant they were) was not the done thing.
At the time, there was an internal school of thought that said all red wines should be in a similar style to Grange. That is – big and incredibly rich.
There just wasn’t the market for lighter-bodied, fresh wines like Pinot and Grenache. So, unfortunately, they were always consigned to lesser blends. And in fact, they were particularly good for tawny port. They also made up a good percentage of the old 2L flagons and later on, soft packs.
Rob recalls, not that long ago, that people would judge a red wine by its colour. This meant that Pinot and grenache would be considered lower quality wines simply due to their colour.
But it is safe to say, that Rob has certainly changed his mind when it comes to the lighter style red wines. And all I can say is thank goodness for that or else we wouldn’t have Rob’s Light Dry Red or Pinot Noir on the Somerled list!
While I realise we don’t sell a Grenache, this blog is dedicated to wine education after all. So, let’s not limit our learning to Somerled varieties only. Who knows, Rob may be tempted to make a Grenache one day?!
Let’s find out more…
GRENACHE
Somewhat overlooked in the past, old vine, low-yielding Grenache is now much loved by consumers and critics alike. While production numbers are relatively small in Australia, we can expect to see more of this perfumed, lighter red wine in all its forms.
Grenache was one of the original varieties planted in Australia and thrived in the warm, dry South Australian climate. But it
was largely overlooked in the early years, used as a workhorse grape and forming the backbone of fortified wines and traditional blends.
Today, growers recognise the beauty of the ripe, spicy, cherry and raspberry scented characteristics that Grenache can yield. Australia boasts some of the oldest Grenache vines in the world, dating back to 1850. It’s a rare resource that produces incredible wines with a classic balance of fruit, alcohol, moderate acidity and tannin that have a savouriness much like Pinot Noir.
As well as single-variety Grenache, Australian wineries have had success with Grenache, Shiraz, Mataro (Mourvèdre) blends, better known as GSM.
HISTORY
Late 1830s
Records suggest that the first Grenache vineyard was planted in the late 1830s in McLaren Vale. The variety took off, and in 1862 one of the leading wine critics of the time reported that Grenache was “thriving better than any other kind”. It had found its home in South Australia, where the warm, dry conditions mimicked those of its Mediterranean home.
Mid-1920s to late 1960s
Grenache was seen as a reliable workhorse, producing high yields when given plenty of irrigation and maintaining good acidity even in warm climates. For this reason, it was a popular choice in Australia from the mid-1920s to the late 1960s, when the bulk of wine production was fortified. However, only rarely did the word Grenache appear on a wine label.
1970s
The shift to table wines from the 1970s onwards didn’t help Grenache. In 1979, 72,000 tonnes of Grenache were harvested, which dipped to 15,000 tonnes in 2012. As the area under vine in Australia increased (plantings doubled in the 1990s), Grenache’s percentage of total vineyard plantings decreased as no one was planting it. It now stands at just over 1% – around 1,500 hectares.
Mid-1980s
The situation wasn’t helped by the classic, warm regions of South Australia fading from view as people’s attention turned to Australia’s cool-climate wine regions. Even within South Australia, focus was on the bigger, more obviously fruity wines that could be obtained from Shiraz, and even Cabernet Sauvignon. A sign of the times came in the mid-1980s, when Wirra Wirra, one of McLaren Vale’s leading wineries, removed Grenache from the blend of its ‘Church Block’ red (first made in 1972, with
70% Grenache), replacing it with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
1988
As plantings nose-dived, Grenache was rarely seen as a solo act. But visionary winemakers including Charlie Melton recognised that Grenache combines well with other varieties, particularly in the classic Rhône combination of Grenache, Shiraz and Mataro (Mourvèdre), known as ‘GSM’. They also realised old, dry-grown Grenache vines deserved renewed respect. Fortunately, this means some early vines are still thriving today
Today
Despite being a widely planted grape, for decades Grenache received little respect in Australia. But as understanding of what old-vine, low-yielding Grenache could offer, its stocks shot up. Today, Grenache is breaking out with some superb single variety wines from South Australia. Its future seems assured.
DID YOU KNOW?
- Grenache is the French spelling of the Spanish word Garnacha.
- Grenache is grown in 25 of 65 Australian regions.
- The South Australian Government introduced a Vine Pull Scheme in the 1980s in response to an oversupply in grapes, paying growers to remove unproductive vines and exit the industry. While this led to the removal of many 100-year old Grenache vines, thankfully some survived and are still producing today.
Vintage 2022/23
And just before we go, let’s have a quick look at how the growing season is progressing…
Most Advanced
E-L 26 Cap fall complete.
Macclesfield Chardonnay
Least Advanced
E-L 18 14 leaves separated, flower caps still in place but cap colour fading from green.
Sauvignon Blanc Balhannah, Lenswood, Woodside.