A great Grenache tasting on August 25 – well-attended, and the wine showed both excellent varietal character and also how different the wines can be around the world. Grenache is the thrid-most planted red varietal in the world (behind Cab. Sauv. & Merlot); it’s known for bright red berry fruit, good acidity, and a full body without a lot of tannins. It accumulates sugar easily but needs a long warm growing season to ripen fully, so the wines are always on the higher side for alcohol content.
Bodegas Borsao 2008 Monte Oton, Campo de Borja: This is my favorite under-$10 red that we sell; it’s a phenomenal value, and delivers a lot of wine for the money. Unoaked, so retains the pure essence of Grenache’s juicy berry fruit, with some underlying minerality to add complexity. A crowd-pleaser, and an unbeatable everyday or party wine.
Unti 2006 Grenache, Dry Creek Valley: This wine disappointed me a bit at the tasting; I’ve loved Unti’s Grenache in the past but found this to be initially a bit woody and closed in. I recently had the 2004 from our personal cellar and that was phenomenal, so thinking the wine might be a bit young I saved a bit for the next day. Voila, it opened up beautifully with a day of air. Complex, layered, balanced. A great one for the cellar for a couple of years. (Or else with few hours of decanting.)
Betts & Scholl 2006 The O.G. Grenache, Barossa Valley: Lush and jammy, with big fruit and some smooth vanilla and oak to match. More interesting than most Aussie Shiraz’s because Grenache’s naturally high acidity balances out the richness. Unabashedly New World, very well made for the style. This was a big hit at the tasting.
Montirius 2007 Cotes du Rhone: At about $18, vies with the Borsao for the best value at the tasting. 2007 was a phenomenal year for the Southern Rhone, and this wine showed why. The Montirius is a blend of 73% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and 7% Mourvedre – a fairly common blend in the Southern Rhone (some producers also use Cinsault) – and the additional varietals give darker fruit, some spiciness, and a bit of tannic structure. This wine had the scrubby garrigue that the Southern Rhone wines are known for, but exquisite fruit and great balance. Long and layered; an approachable style for those unfamiliar with French wines but still true to type.
Domaine de Marcoux 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape: Easily the best wine of the tasting (of course, it’s the most expensive!). 2005 was another classic Rhone vintage, and this wine has the stuffing to easily age well for another decade. 80% Grenache, with 15% Syrah and 5% Cinsault/Mourvedre, with an average vine age of 50 years. Incredibly rich and full, wtih red and black fruits, licorice, a bit of smokiness, minerality, and herbs. Great acid / tannin structure, opened up nicely as the tasting went on. A great way to end.