Sunday Drinking: 17 September
Following on from a look at Randall Grahm’s The Language of Yes Californian wines, I’m recommending three grenache-based wines that I have tried recently.
One of the favourite discussions that we wine bores have is which grape we would choose if we could only drink one for the rest of our lives. Most people pick pinot noir or riesling. For me though, there can be only one, grenache. I can’t think of any other variety that makes so many different wines from everyday red and rosé to Port-style fortified wines in France and Australia. You’d never get bored. Native to Aragon (where it’s known as garnacha), it’s grown anywhere in the world where there’s sufficient heat. It’s the main ingredient in burly reds like Châteauneuf-du-Pape but at altitude produces wines that you might call delicate if it wasn’t for that tell-tale warmth in the mouth. Grenache rarely clocks in at less than 14% ABV, another reason I love it.
It also has a couple of equally versatile siblings: grenache blanc and the rare grenache gris - which Grahm is currently struggling with California’s wine authorities over as it is not yet an official variety. Justin Howard-Sneyd, a former Waitrose buyer who now makes wine in the Roussillon, is also a fan. He told me: “you can make everything from plump wild strawberry flavoured rosé through juicy gluggable reds to serious complex age-worthy fine wines.” And indeed he does at his vineyard, Domaine of the Bee. He went on to say: “If you love the perfume and sexiness of pinot noir, but appreciate a riper, rounder style of wine, then I don’t think you need to look much further than grenache.” I couldn’t agree more.
You’ve probably tried and loved grenache without even knowing about it, it’s a major component in most Mediterranean rosé, Côtes du Rhône, and traditional Rioja, but it has never had the kudos of say syrah. Until now. Sommeliers love it: Merlin Ramos from Gridiron in London said: “Grenache is a grape that despite hard weather, rugged terrain, and bad soil will triumph”; Jean-Baptiste Sory from Helix restaurant at the Gherkin praised grenache-based wines as “distinctive and so drinkable” And this gets to the heart of it, grenache unlike austere cabernet sauvignon or difficult pinot noir, is always fun even when it’s being serious.
The ne plus ultra of grenache is Chateau Rayas in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Miles Morland, an author friend, described it like this:
My candidate for the world's greatest red wine, the Reynaud family's Chateau Rayas. Sorry, Petrus, toodle-oo, Romanee-Conti, Rayas is It. No pinot noir, no cabernet sauvignon, no merlot, just 100% ethereal grenache.
Morland is also a very successful businessman. You’d have to be to afford Rayas which is also pretty much unobtainable even for those with money. If you want to known more, I’d recommend reading this thing by Jancis Robinson which explains how the Rayas style influenced a whole generation of winemakers.
I’ve picked some more affordable wines below. Friday may have been International Grenache Day, but as Randall Grahm told me ‘Every day for me is Grenache Day!
Yalumba Grenache Old Bush Vine 2020 (Mitchell’s Wine £14.99)
If you’re after something not dissimilar to The Language of Yes wines from Friday, I’d recommend this. It’s from one of Australia’s oldest producers in the Barossa Valley. I’ve been drinking this wine since it was about £10 a bottle, it’s now around £15-17 but still tremendous value. There’s fresh raspberries, oranges and something like pomegranates with just a little tannin. Serve it chilled and it reminded me of a boozy pinot noir - what could be better than that?
Brookdale Vineyards Mason Road GSM 2022 (Museum Wines £17.49)
This is made by Kiara Scott, who I interviewed recently for Topia magazine. She’s very inspiring but when I spoke to her, I hadn’t actually tried any of her wines so it was with some trepidation that I attended a tasting at the South African embassy. Fortunately everything from Brookdale Estate was phenomenal but this was a particularly standout. It’s a classic blend of grenache, syrah and mourvedre, and has the most delicious freshness and perfume about it with heady North African-type spices. At around £17, it’s also a bargain. This would be double the price if it came from anywhere else.
Eix El Bassot 2021 (Quel Cellar €17)
The ultimate grenache wines for me are the high altitude wines from Spain, Sierra de Gredos not far from Madrid is probably the most famous area for such wines. But the best grenache I had this year was from Catalonia and made by an American wine writer friend called Miquel Hudin. He brought me a bottle to taste and I was wowed by its vivacious orange peel character and its incredibly moderate alcohol at only 13%. It’s truly one of those wines that seems alive. The only problem is that he only made 250 and you’ll have to visit Hudin to buy a bottle. Well worth a journey I reckon. For those stuck in England, I recommend trying Viña Zorzal’s Sea Of Dreams which does that ethereal garnacha thing so well. I haven’t tried the 2020 but from previous years, I reckon it’s a safe bet.