As you know, I make small volumes of boutique wines and I have recently turned my attention to crafting a medium-bodied red from Grenache. Unlike full-bodied big rich reds, Grenache doesn’t need lashings of oak, skin tannins and hot ferments. It’s not as well-known as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Pinot Noir but we know you won’t regret trying it.
Grenache is a late-ripening variety that thrives in hot and dry climates. Depending on the production methods and the region where the grapes are grown, it can produce a wide range of wine styles. My Grenache is medium-bodied and fruity but it can be full-bodied and full of flavour. It is more subtle than other varieties and is affordable too so it won’t blow your bank balance. In fact, it plays a leading role in affordable red wines from France such as those labelled Côtes du Rhône and Côtes du Rhône Villages as well as more premium selections from the southern Rhône, including Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas.
This latest release is made from Grenache grapes grown in the unashamedly warm climate of the Riverland. Warm climates have recently become very unfashionable for some but we believe that our Grenache grapes want, indeed need to be grown in a climate where they get properly ripe pretty well every season.
Winemaking, like most other good things in life, is all about timing. Warm climates are good for Grenache, especially if you pick the fruit when natural acids are still fairly high. Certainly not when sugar is too high either.
One of the best things about this wine is how it shines brightly when it’s served slightly cooled or just off our high summer room temperatures. Not too cold but…just 10 minutes at the front of the fridge. Let’s face it, us Aussies can at times drink our whites too cold and our reds too hot.
Winter time is a different story. This variety has enough body to satisfy lovers of concentrated reds and has enough fruit to cope with hearty winter fare. Think Osso Bucco and an open fire.
We dare you to try it, and here is your chance as Naked have rounded up a curated collection from the cellar The Greatest Grenache Dozen is a case loaded with a wide range of juicy, elegant drops.
https://www.nakedwines.com.au/cases/the-greatest-grenache-dozen
Cheers - JP