Aussies Have a Winner in Laid Back Grenache

by Andrew Chalk

Following up on the antipodean Sauvignon Blancs of last week, Southern Starz also has a range of Aussie Grenache wines. Eliding the oddity that they do not call the grape by its correct name, Garnacha (reflecting its Spanish origin), viticulturalists and vignerons in that innovative wine country are resculpting it in a way that I predict can only lead to its reentry as a major type in the US wine market. 

The words to describe this change were better chosen by the much better paid wine writer, Dave McIntyre, who said “The key point of difference between Aussie Grenache today, versus Aussie Grenache 20 years ago, is that today’s Grenaches are made like Pinot Noirs, whereas back then, they were made like Shiraz. Back in the early 2000’s it was really difficult to sell Aussie Grenache. Today you’ve got serious Burgundy lovers drinking it and Grenache has become the most expensive fruit in Australia!”.

Streuth!

Thanks to the estimable John Gorman of Southern Starz I have three Aussie Grenache wines to taste and, among other things, put them to the McIntyre Test.

• Gorgeous Grenache (broadly sourced fruit from ancient vines in Riverland and McLaren Vale regions) [roughly $16 retail],

• Thorny Devil Grenache (from 6 different vineyards in McLaren Vale) [roughly $27 retail],

• Vagabond Grenache (from 3 vineyards within the ‘grand cru’ sub-region of Blewitt Springs) [roughly $47 retail]

He is right! These are Grenache wines with the settled maturity of the best of the Rhône Grenache examples, the gout de terre and the forest floor, not slammed down by a pre-pubescent fruit, à la Shiraz. They can age. They are pleasant now, but will develop more tertiary notes with time. 

Unoriginally, but accurately, I say “Run, don’t walk”, to your wine merchant to buy some of these. If your merchant cannot source them, head to the web sites in the links. As you sip them ask yourself, are you not adding a whole new dimension to your wine selection? I think you will agree that they are.