Happy International Grenache Day!
Celebrating with a bottle of 2010 Greenoch Creek Cornerstone. 16% ETOH which shows on the finish, but nice enough with the fairy floss and candy element on the palate. I think it will not get any better from here on in and should be drunk over the next 2 years or so.
What are you drinking to celebrate?
International Grenache Day
International Grenache Day
never underestimate the predictability of stupidity
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ticklenow1
- Posts: 1105
- Joined: Tue Aug 31, 2010 3:50 pm
- Location: Gold Coast
Re: International Grenache Day
Nothing on International Grenache Day as I'm working nights, but I did have a 2009 Head Old Vine Grenache during the week and it was excellent. Still showing some red fruits, silken tannins and nice length. Some aged characteristics but still with some life left. Still in good nick and while I don't think it will get any better, it should hold for a few more years.
Cheers
Ian
Cheers
Ian
If you had to choose between drinking great wine or winning Lotto, which would you choose - Red or White?
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Tucker Wine Studios
- Posts: 125
- Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 1:05 pm
- Location: Back in Adelaide
Re: International Grenache Day
I went on the weekend to the Grenache Day in Adelaide where mainly 2017 Grenache wines from South Australia were for tasting. To be honest, I left slightly underwhelmed, and it is a vintage issue for me, not so much the producers. I would describe many of the 2017 Grenache wines from SA quite pale in colour, fairly sweet-fruited and light-bodied. The aroma profiles may delight many people but I feel that the wines, for my taste preference, lack a bit structure, depth and complexity. In contrast, I really liked the wines from the 2016 vintage, which seemed to have a bit more grunt. Of course, this is just my impression and I would love to hear what others think about the 2017 vintage in terms of Grenache wines. It really depends of your style preference.
Actually, there are two interesting comments from Andre of Bondar Wines and Rob Mack of Aphelion wines about the 2017 vs 2016 vintage (in the TWF Bondar Rayner Vineyard Grenache 2017 comments). He describes the 2017 Grenache wines from McLaren Vale as pretty, tight and aromatic wines, as a result of wet winter-spring and overall cool year. In contrast, 2016 Grenaches were more grunty, dark and tannic due to much drier winter. Rob Mack also mentioned the cooler season for the 2017 vintage resulting in delicacy and great aromatics in contrast to the more grunty 2016 wines. Maybe I have to wait for the 2018 wines as Rob describes this vintage a bit more of a brute for Grenache with more intensity and framework probably resulting in darker and deeper wines. If you are worried, Rob also pointed out that 2018 is a very balanced wine for alcohol in Grenache with their batches ranging between 13 and 14%. The joy and excitement of vintage variation.
At the Grenache Day there were also a few Spanish and French wines available. One wine that I really liked was the 2014 Pena Caballera from Bodega Maranones (Madrid region). It is quite deceptive with its rather light colour because in terms of aroma and texture the wine is very powerful. Bit of whole bunch vinification resulting in a great balance of beautiful fruit aromatics and savory-herbaceous-minerally structural elements as well as fine acidity. Quite complex, interesting to sniff and taste, and highly enjoyable to drink. At AU$55-ish I’m tempted to buy.
There was also a 2015 Chateau de Beaucastel CdP available, which somehow failed to excite me. In contrast, the 2016 Clos de Pape CdP was fantastic but at AU$250-ish per bottle it’s sadly not really in my budget zone.
Two other Rhone wines (Grenache-dominated) I recently had are a bit more price-attractive. The Mont Redon Lirac 2014 at about AU$35 is fantastic value and such a joy to drink. Jerome Gradassi’s CdP 2015 is more like AU$80 but for me this wine has some magic wow factor, somehow a bit funkier than the other CdP wines, maybe a slight whiff of VA in the mix? But hey, no worries, nothing challenging or off-putting here, just complexity, drinkability and joy in spades.
Cheers, Mario
Actually, there are two interesting comments from Andre of Bondar Wines and Rob Mack of Aphelion wines about the 2017 vs 2016 vintage (in the TWF Bondar Rayner Vineyard Grenache 2017 comments). He describes the 2017 Grenache wines from McLaren Vale as pretty, tight and aromatic wines, as a result of wet winter-spring and overall cool year. In contrast, 2016 Grenaches were more grunty, dark and tannic due to much drier winter. Rob Mack also mentioned the cooler season for the 2017 vintage resulting in delicacy and great aromatics in contrast to the more grunty 2016 wines. Maybe I have to wait for the 2018 wines as Rob describes this vintage a bit more of a brute for Grenache with more intensity and framework probably resulting in darker and deeper wines. If you are worried, Rob also pointed out that 2018 is a very balanced wine for alcohol in Grenache with their batches ranging between 13 and 14%. The joy and excitement of vintage variation.
At the Grenache Day there were also a few Spanish and French wines available. One wine that I really liked was the 2014 Pena Caballera from Bodega Maranones (Madrid region). It is quite deceptive with its rather light colour because in terms of aroma and texture the wine is very powerful. Bit of whole bunch vinification resulting in a great balance of beautiful fruit aromatics and savory-herbaceous-minerally structural elements as well as fine acidity. Quite complex, interesting to sniff and taste, and highly enjoyable to drink. At AU$55-ish I’m tempted to buy.
There was also a 2015 Chateau de Beaucastel CdP available, which somehow failed to excite me. In contrast, the 2016 Clos de Pape CdP was fantastic but at AU$250-ish per bottle it’s sadly not really in my budget zone.
Two other Rhone wines (Grenache-dominated) I recently had are a bit more price-attractive. The Mont Redon Lirac 2014 at about AU$35 is fantastic value and such a joy to drink. Jerome Gradassi’s CdP 2015 is more like AU$80 but for me this wine has some magic wow factor, somehow a bit funkier than the other CdP wines, maybe a slight whiff of VA in the mix? But hey, no worries, nothing challenging or off-putting here, just complexity, drinkability and joy in spades.
Cheers, Mario