Last Saturday, our annual wine challenge focused on grenache blends - those modelled on the wines from the southern Rhône valley. As usual, we decanted all the wines into 24 numbered bottles. The evening was planned for the backyard, so I had prayed that we wouldn't have another day of 40°+ heat here in Adelaide. I got my wish, along with winds gusting up to about 50 kph, so we had to move everything indoors in any case.
I had gone to some trouble to acquire a bottle of Beaucastel Chateauneuf - which turned out to be corked, oxidised, brett-ridden and just about anything else you can think of. Wonderful. The Grant Burge wine was also corked which effectively put it at the bottom of the table.
The rest turned out to be a varied lot. In past years (Shiraz Challenges) one or two wines tended to stand out from the rest, but this was not the case last Saturday. There was actually quite a wide variation from one scorecard to the next. The table below simply represents the overall average, and it's worth noting that none of the scores differed by much of a margin. I, for instance, really liked The Steading from Torbreck, but apparently, not many of the others did.
I have to say that the winemakers who came along were all very good at picking their own wines - or at least giving them high scores. It indicates that they are making just what they want to make, which is a good sign, I think.
In the end, I had to leave out a number of wines that I would love to have included. I wish I'd had 35 bottles to work with. But everyone seemed to find 24 daunting enough. So here's the list - make of it what you will:
Tristram Shandy
Grenache blends Challenge
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Tristram Shandy
- Posts: 64
- Joined: Tue Mar 07, 2006 6:08 pm
- Location: Adelaide
Grenache blends Challenge
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US escapee now living in wine paradise
Re: Grenache blends Challenge
Thanks Tristam. Sounds like a great way to explore the style.
cheers
Carl
cheers
Carl
Bartenders are supposed to have people skills. Or was it people are supposed to have bartending skills?
TN: Grenache Blend Challenge at Tristram Shandy's
It’s been a while since this happened, and it’s a little hard to believe it’s taken so long for me to get around to posting about it. Here’s my take on the wines, and also a quick thank you to TS for the invite:
2006 Torbreck The Steading, Barossa Valley (cork): Medium crimson colour. Lifted bouquet of earthy/sweet raspberries/confectionery, just a lick of chocolate and earthy Barossa diesel, becoming more flinty/mineraly with breathing. Soft entry leads to a minty/warm, medium-weight mid-palate, finishing chocolaty & grippy. A good start, although it’s showing some age already. (Group Ranking 19th)
2008 Tim Smith MGS, Barossa Valley (screwcap): Medium to very dark purple/red. Raisiny/ripe and porty at times, fruitcake, blueberries and creamy oak; the palate’s a slow build-up of black cherries and liquorice, finishing with minty alcohol and some grip. Doesn’t have the balance of the Torbreck. (Group 2nd)
2006 Massena Moonlight Run, Barossa Valley (cork): Medium to very inly red/purple. Minty/earthy and chocolaty, elegant blueberries and black cherries with just a hint of oyster/toast (French oak?); the palate’s tangy, spicy, grippy and mineraly very well balanced with some black liquorice on the finish. I picked this as Barossa, but I thought it could have been the following wine…
(Group 21st)
2005 Winter Creek The Old Barossa Blend (screwcap): Light to medium blood red. Elegant, mineraly and stony, becoming earthy/meaty with breathing, backed by subtle, spicy French oak; likewise the palate’s very elegant and mineraly, very similar to the previous wine but a little simpler and minty at this stage - not much between them really. (Group 14th)
2008 La Curio The Nubile, McLaren Vale (screwcap): Medium to dark red/purple. The nose is dominated by sweet/toasty tropical oak, coconut and pineapple immediately come to mind! It’s not as obvious on the palate, which is very slippery with black cherries and jubes, very good balance and excellent length, blackberries appearing with breathing. (Group 3rd)
2006 Five Geese Grenache Shiraz, McLaren Vale (cork): Medium to very dark crimson red. The peppery grenache is obvious on the nose from the outset, sweet raspberry/cherry jam, jubes and smoke; the palate’s well balanced but a little simple, jubey, earthy and peppery. I picked this as a McLacker’s wine, and noted it had very good cellar potential. (Group 16th)
2008 Teusner Joshua, Barossa Valley (screwcap): Medium red/purple. Very porty nose with some sulphur and funk, red liquorice and mineral with breathing, blueberries, cherries and mint too; the palate’s just as peppery, porty and hot, especially on the minty finish – disappointing, perhaps showing the effects of the heatwave. (Group 15th)
2004 Mt. Billy Harmony, Barossa Valley (screwcap): Medium crimson red. Decadent, powerful nose of earthy chocolate, cherry cola, tar and liquorice, Vietnamese mint and horseradish; the palate’s just as impressive, a soft entry followed by a smoky/peppery and grippy mid-palate, finishing tannic/mineraly with superb legs. My equal second favourite of the tasting. (Group 20th)
2006 Petanga Dio GSM, McLaren Vale (cork): Medium to very dark crimson. Biscuity oak and tarry notes, melted liquorice, muddy and earthy with some alcohol lift; the palate’s just as dark and very grippy, earthy berries, minty chocolate and mud cake characters on the finish. Very good, and my equal fourth favourite. (Group 4th)
2009 Smallfry GSMCC, Barossa Valley (screwcap): Light to almost medium red/purple (very pale in this tasting). Blueberries, nutmeg and cloves, some pie crust and just a little struck match, becoming a little porty with breathing; a spicy and peppery entry leads to a hot palate of sweet blueberries and minty warmth, then a hot, raisiny finish. We were told before the tasting there was one 2009 vintage wine in the line up and I picked this as it – I hope its rough edges will settle down with time, but I doubt it. (Group 7th)
2005 Kabminye Grenache Carignan, Barossa Valley (screwcap): Tarry, earthy, mineraly and dark nose with a lick of coal and Barossa petroleum, just a lick of tomato leaf and liquorice with breathing; the palate’s medium-weight and lovely, mineraly, peppery and soft red berries, finishing with very fine tannins, a hint of steel and tobacco on the finish (I incorrectly guessed it could have been Mataro influences). My other equal second favourite of the tasting. (Group 22nd)
2004 Grant Burge The Holy Trinity, Barossa Valley (cork): Light to medium crimson red. The first whiff is worryingly damp, although some liquorice and earth poke through with air; the palate’s ripe fruit and liquorice is obviously stunted, the cork taint stripping it of any finish. A pretty good indication of why one of their former sales reps I know hated the quality of corks they were getting. (Group 23rd)
2005 De Lisio Catalyst, McLaren Vale (cork): Dark to inky crimson/red. Tarry, lifted nose with noticeable alcohol and volatility, a little candied orange with breathing; the palate’s equally ripe, but medium-weight and very well balanced. Another wine that ranked equal fourth on my scoresheet. (Group 1st)
2006 Spinifex Esprit, Barossa Valley (cork): Dark to inky red/purple. By this stage I’m talking too much and the notes are getting briefer – this is a little smoky, with creamy cherries on the nose; the palate’s spicy and slender, black cherries and black pepper, finishing strong. (Group 10th)
2004 Penfolds Bin 138 GSM, Barossa Valley (screwcap): Dark to inky crimson. Sweet elegant nose, fully of yummy blackberries and cherries, hints of tar and dark chocolate with breathing; a soft entry leads to wine with fleshy soft black cherries, pepper and chocolate wrapped around a solid spine of acid, finishing soft but very long. This is packed with goodies but low in alcohol, and will age very well - my WOTN. (Group 13th)
2006 Kilikanoon The Medley, Clare Valley (screwcap): Dark to inky red/purple. Earthy nose with some camphor and very sweet blackberries/cherries to the previous wine; a soft entry leads to spicy black cherries and blueberries, finishing sweet with some minty alcohol warmth on the end. The other wine I ranked equal fourth. (Group 11th)
2006 Teusner Avatar, Barossa Valley (cork): Medium to very dark red. This is lighter in weight than the previous couple of wines but still has an attractive mix of raspberries, blueberries and cherries, finishing soft. Drinking well now. (Group 9th)
2007 Henschke Johann’s Garden, Eden Valley (screwcap): Light to medium red. There’s some nice plums and blueberries but the palate’s just simply way too hot for my liking (15.5% alcohol, tastes a fraction more than that). (Group 8th)
1998 d’Arenberg Ironstone Pressings, McLaren Vale (cork): Medium to very dark red/crimson. Unattractive nose that’s earthy, medicinal, metallic and bilgy; likewise the palate’s soft, sweet cherries are matched by bilgy, old oak, finishing with alcohol heat. I pretty much picked this was the wine I brought along, and needless to say was disappointed with my choice. (Group 17th)
2005 Hutton Vale Grenache Mataro, Eden Valley (cork): Very porty nose, reeking of acetone/deep heat; the palate’s not much better, spicy and alcoholic with a burning hot finish. (Group 18th)
2005 Rudderless GSM, McLaren Vale (screwcap): Dark to inky crimson. The notes are starting to get really brief now – this was ripe chocolate and porty; not bad though, I ranked it somewhere near the middle of the pack. (Group 6th)
2006 Maverick Twins, Barossa Valley (cork): Medium to dark crimson. A rather simple wine with some decent, sweet fruit and a palate that’s just too hot for me to remotely like. (Group 12th)
1994 Chateau Beaucastel, Chateauneuf-du-Pape (cork): Badly corked. (Group 24th)
2006 Soul Growers GSM, Barossa Valley (cork): Medium to dark red. A nice, fleshy wine to finish with dark berries, earth and liquorice; I got to this one just as time was called, and suspect I may have short changed it a little. (Group 5th)
Cheers
Ian
2006 Torbreck The Steading, Barossa Valley (cork): Medium crimson colour. Lifted bouquet of earthy/sweet raspberries/confectionery, just a lick of chocolate and earthy Barossa diesel, becoming more flinty/mineraly with breathing. Soft entry leads to a minty/warm, medium-weight mid-palate, finishing chocolaty & grippy. A good start, although it’s showing some age already. (Group Ranking 19th)
2008 Tim Smith MGS, Barossa Valley (screwcap): Medium to very dark purple/red. Raisiny/ripe and porty at times, fruitcake, blueberries and creamy oak; the palate’s a slow build-up of black cherries and liquorice, finishing with minty alcohol and some grip. Doesn’t have the balance of the Torbreck. (Group 2nd)
2006 Massena Moonlight Run, Barossa Valley (cork): Medium to very inly red/purple. Minty/earthy and chocolaty, elegant blueberries and black cherries with just a hint of oyster/toast (French oak?); the palate’s tangy, spicy, grippy and mineraly very well balanced with some black liquorice on the finish. I picked this as Barossa, but I thought it could have been the following wine…
(Group 21st)2005 Winter Creek The Old Barossa Blend (screwcap): Light to medium blood red. Elegant, mineraly and stony, becoming earthy/meaty with breathing, backed by subtle, spicy French oak; likewise the palate’s very elegant and mineraly, very similar to the previous wine but a little simpler and minty at this stage - not much between them really. (Group 14th)
2008 La Curio The Nubile, McLaren Vale (screwcap): Medium to dark red/purple. The nose is dominated by sweet/toasty tropical oak, coconut and pineapple immediately come to mind! It’s not as obvious on the palate, which is very slippery with black cherries and jubes, very good balance and excellent length, blackberries appearing with breathing. (Group 3rd)
2006 Five Geese Grenache Shiraz, McLaren Vale (cork): Medium to very dark crimson red. The peppery grenache is obvious on the nose from the outset, sweet raspberry/cherry jam, jubes and smoke; the palate’s well balanced but a little simple, jubey, earthy and peppery. I picked this as a McLacker’s wine, and noted it had very good cellar potential. (Group 16th)
2008 Teusner Joshua, Barossa Valley (screwcap): Medium red/purple. Very porty nose with some sulphur and funk, red liquorice and mineral with breathing, blueberries, cherries and mint too; the palate’s just as peppery, porty and hot, especially on the minty finish – disappointing, perhaps showing the effects of the heatwave. (Group 15th)
2004 Mt. Billy Harmony, Barossa Valley (screwcap): Medium crimson red. Decadent, powerful nose of earthy chocolate, cherry cola, tar and liquorice, Vietnamese mint and horseradish; the palate’s just as impressive, a soft entry followed by a smoky/peppery and grippy mid-palate, finishing tannic/mineraly with superb legs. My equal second favourite of the tasting. (Group 20th)
2006 Petanga Dio GSM, McLaren Vale (cork): Medium to very dark crimson. Biscuity oak and tarry notes, melted liquorice, muddy and earthy with some alcohol lift; the palate’s just as dark and very grippy, earthy berries, minty chocolate and mud cake characters on the finish. Very good, and my equal fourth favourite. (Group 4th)
2009 Smallfry GSMCC, Barossa Valley (screwcap): Light to almost medium red/purple (very pale in this tasting). Blueberries, nutmeg and cloves, some pie crust and just a little struck match, becoming a little porty with breathing; a spicy and peppery entry leads to a hot palate of sweet blueberries and minty warmth, then a hot, raisiny finish. We were told before the tasting there was one 2009 vintage wine in the line up and I picked this as it – I hope its rough edges will settle down with time, but I doubt it. (Group 7th)
2005 Kabminye Grenache Carignan, Barossa Valley (screwcap): Tarry, earthy, mineraly and dark nose with a lick of coal and Barossa petroleum, just a lick of tomato leaf and liquorice with breathing; the palate’s medium-weight and lovely, mineraly, peppery and soft red berries, finishing with very fine tannins, a hint of steel and tobacco on the finish (I incorrectly guessed it could have been Mataro influences). My other equal second favourite of the tasting. (Group 22nd)
2004 Grant Burge The Holy Trinity, Barossa Valley (cork): Light to medium crimson red. The first whiff is worryingly damp, although some liquorice and earth poke through with air; the palate’s ripe fruit and liquorice is obviously stunted, the cork taint stripping it of any finish. A pretty good indication of why one of their former sales reps I know hated the quality of corks they were getting. (Group 23rd)
2005 De Lisio Catalyst, McLaren Vale (cork): Dark to inky crimson/red. Tarry, lifted nose with noticeable alcohol and volatility, a little candied orange with breathing; the palate’s equally ripe, but medium-weight and very well balanced. Another wine that ranked equal fourth on my scoresheet. (Group 1st)
2006 Spinifex Esprit, Barossa Valley (cork): Dark to inky red/purple. By this stage I’m talking too much and the notes are getting briefer – this is a little smoky, with creamy cherries on the nose; the palate’s spicy and slender, black cherries and black pepper, finishing strong. (Group 10th)
2004 Penfolds Bin 138 GSM, Barossa Valley (screwcap): Dark to inky crimson. Sweet elegant nose, fully of yummy blackberries and cherries, hints of tar and dark chocolate with breathing; a soft entry leads to wine with fleshy soft black cherries, pepper and chocolate wrapped around a solid spine of acid, finishing soft but very long. This is packed with goodies but low in alcohol, and will age very well - my WOTN. (Group 13th)
2006 Kilikanoon The Medley, Clare Valley (screwcap): Dark to inky red/purple. Earthy nose with some camphor and very sweet blackberries/cherries to the previous wine; a soft entry leads to spicy black cherries and blueberries, finishing sweet with some minty alcohol warmth on the end. The other wine I ranked equal fourth. (Group 11th)
2006 Teusner Avatar, Barossa Valley (cork): Medium to very dark red. This is lighter in weight than the previous couple of wines but still has an attractive mix of raspberries, blueberries and cherries, finishing soft. Drinking well now. (Group 9th)
2007 Henschke Johann’s Garden, Eden Valley (screwcap): Light to medium red. There’s some nice plums and blueberries but the palate’s just simply way too hot for my liking (15.5% alcohol, tastes a fraction more than that). (Group 8th)
1998 d’Arenberg Ironstone Pressings, McLaren Vale (cork): Medium to very dark red/crimson. Unattractive nose that’s earthy, medicinal, metallic and bilgy; likewise the palate’s soft, sweet cherries are matched by bilgy, old oak, finishing with alcohol heat. I pretty much picked this was the wine I brought along, and needless to say was disappointed with my choice. (Group 17th)
2005 Hutton Vale Grenache Mataro, Eden Valley (cork): Very porty nose, reeking of acetone/deep heat; the palate’s not much better, spicy and alcoholic with a burning hot finish. (Group 18th)
2005 Rudderless GSM, McLaren Vale (screwcap): Dark to inky crimson. The notes are starting to get really brief now – this was ripe chocolate and porty; not bad though, I ranked it somewhere near the middle of the pack. (Group 6th)
2006 Maverick Twins, Barossa Valley (cork): Medium to dark crimson. A rather simple wine with some decent, sweet fruit and a palate that’s just too hot for me to remotely like. (Group 12th)
1994 Chateau Beaucastel, Chateauneuf-du-Pape (cork): Badly corked. (Group 24th)
2006 Soul Growers GSM, Barossa Valley (cork): Medium to dark red. A nice, fleshy wine to finish with dark berries, earth and liquorice; I got to this one just as time was called, and suspect I may have short changed it a little. (Group 5th)
Cheers
Ian
Last edited by n4sir on Sat Jun 05, 2010 5:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Forget about goodness and mercy, they're gone.
Re: Grenache blends Challenge
would wonder what rank the CdP would be in if it was in good condition...
Re: Grenache blends Challenge
Seven wrote:would wonder what rank the CdP would be in if it was in good condition...
My last bottle of 94 was very backward, very earthy and basic, any fruit that was left was overwhelmed by the grippy tannins which hadn't let up and the high level of acidity was still easily picked out. Certainly one of the lesser enjoyable releases of Beaucastel from the 90s (admittedly I've only ever had Beaucastels from 94 onwards) and wouldn't have matched up with the robust fruit of the wines here. If I had to choose one 90s release of Beaucastel to stick into this lineup, it would probably have to be the 1998.
Re: Grenache blends Challenge
No Hewitson, Turkey Flat or D'Arenburg?
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bacchaebabe
- Posts: 1222
- Joined: Fri Aug 15, 2003 5:04 pm
- Location: Sydney
Re: Grenache blends Challenge
Ian, is this your usual tasting group as your impressions seem to be almost diametrically opposed to that of the group, which is usually not the case. Tristram indicates there were a few winemakers there so this skew the results with everyone voting for their own wine or something?
Cheers,
Kris
There's a fine wine between pleasure and pain
(Stolen from the graffiti in the ladies loos at Pegasus Bay winery)
Kris
There's a fine wine between pleasure and pain
(Stolen from the graffiti in the ladies loos at Pegasus Bay winery)
-
Tristram Shandy
- Posts: 64
- Joined: Tue Mar 07, 2006 6:08 pm
- Location: Adelaide
Re: Grenache blends Challenge
Ian, is this your usual tasting group as your impressions seem to be almost diametrically opposed to that of the group, which is usually not the case. Tristram indicates there were a few winemakers there so this skew the results with everyone voting for their own wine or something?
I'm sure the crowd was a far cry from Ian's tasting groups. They were just a bunch of friends of mine, a couple of whom happened to be winemakers, the rest had no particular interest in wine other than enjoying it as a part of the evening. Not everyone tasted every wine, and some responses were more casual than others. For what it's worth, my preferences didn't match up that well with the rest of the group either.
No Hewitson, Turkey Flat or D'Arenburg?
No one volunteered any Hewitson (I'm only aware of Miss Harry) - the Turkey Flat Butcher's Block is shiraz dominant, with only about 25% grenache, and we wanted to aim for grenache dominant blends - it would have been possible to have thrown in the Cadenzia, but figured that The Ironstone Pressings was a much better bet. Just bad luck that the particular bottle wasn't that great - I have a personal soft spot for the wine. In retrospect, I wish I'd included a bottle of Nine Popes and a Noon Eclipse.
In my opinion, the previous year's challenge with straight grenache was actually more impressive.
Tristram Shandy
US escapee now living in wine paradise