International Grenache Day
To celebrate International Grenache Day we invited a few friends over for dinner and to share in some Grenache.
To kick things off we all had a glass of Duval-Leroy Champagne premier cru brut from magnum, which was a great start to the evening. We then looked over all the assembled Grenaches and Grenache blends and decided to taste them in a number of ways.
First a comparison between straight Grenache and blends.
Kay Brothers Amery Vineyards Basket Pressed Grenache 2009 versus Grant Burge the Holy Trinity Barossa Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre 2009.
Yelland and Papps Devote Old Vine Grenache Barossa Valley 2009 versus Reilly’s Old Bush Vine Grenache Shiraz 2008.
The general consensus was that the Grenache blends were more flavoursome and easier to drink.
Secondly, a vertical of Greenock Creek Cornerstone Grenache - 2011 the first under screw cap, 2009 , 2008, 2006 special late harvest 18.5% alcohol
General consensus that the 2006 and 2008 were over the hill, and that therefore, Grenache is better to be drunk younger than older.
Thirdly a couple of the big guns from McLaren Vale.
Clarendon Hills Hickinbotham 2003 and Noon Winery Eclipse 2003.
In both cases they were a little too old and the fruit was fading which reinforced our above conclusion about drinking Grenache younger.
Fourthly, the wines that didn’t fit into the above categories
Barossa Valley Wines Australian Old Vine Collection McLaren Vale Grenache 2005
Agly Brothers Cote du Roussillon 2007
Charles Melton Nine Popes 2006 Barossa Valley
Again it seemed the younger the better.
And to finish off the evening 2 bottles of one of our favourite Grenache blends, Torbreck Cuvee Juveniles 2010 Grenache Mataro Shiraz, a lovely young wine.
After all that Grenache it was time for desert, served with 3 bottles of Wendouree Muscat of Alexandria 2006, which is always good!
Everyone went home with a much greater appreciation of Grenache wines, how good they could be, which styles suited which palates and how long to cellar them for. A great night.
Footnote, last year 2011 we had the pleasure of celebrating International Grenache Day in Paris with Dave Powell from Torbreck at the Juveniles Bar.
