Wine Focus for October: Grenache, etc.

[Robin Garr]

Grenache! Just about everybody likes it, but sometimes I think it doesn't get the respect it deserves. Sure, it makes a lot of light, zippy, raspberry-scented rustic wine, but let's not forget that it turns up as a key player in Chateauneuf-du-Pape; it's also the primary player in Spain's worthy Priorat, and it even makes an excellent red dessert wine in the French regions Banyuls and Maury in the Pyrenees. And that's just talking about red Grenache, which is assumed if there's no suffix. But there's plenty of Grenache Blanc around, too, and it can make a fine white wine.

Grenache is widespread in the Southern Rhone, Provence, the Languedoc and much of Spain, where it's called Garnacha. It's also big in California, Australia, and just about any other wine-growing region that approximates Mediterranean climate. And while it may be made as a 100 percent varietal - Chateau Rayas in Chateauneuf does the magisterial version of this, but many Priorats are full-varietal as well - it works and plays well with others, particularly Syrah and Mourvedre (Mataro in Spain).

So, feel free to bring any GSM blend of your liking, or full or predominant Mourvedres; let's hold varietal Syrah (other than in blends) for another month, though, since it's a major grape in its own right and quite different from Grenache.


October: Grenache/Garnacha & Mourvedre/Mataro (including Southern Rhone, Spain, etc.)

[Robin Garr]

Please feel free to fact-check me on this, folks. I batted it out fast after having my attention drawn to our Octoberness.

Great Tim will be happy on this choice I think.
Will be v happy with my Grenache Blanc.......... . In fact, have just had another bottle 2 weeks ago but here is my impression of bottle #1 earlier this year.

TN: 2013 Raig Ralm White Cellar Pinot DO Terra Alta.

80% Grenache 20% Macabeo. Good natural cork, 13.5% alc, $23 Cdn. Clay limestone soil.

The color is a medium straw yellow, no green tints. On the aromatic nose I found some white fruit, apricot and some herbal influence. Quite appealing even on day 2.
Initial entry thought is dry, good length, mineral tones, crisp acidity.."more lemon than lime" from across the table. More apricot on day 2..I just love this style of white!

Please feel free to fact-check me on this, folks. I batted it out fast after having my attention drawn to our Octoberness.

I think you made your first mistake right there in the first line!

Grenache! Just about everybody likes it...

[Robin Garr]

I think you made your first mistake right there in the first line!

Grenache! Just about everybody likes it...

Point noted. I'll leave it, though, subject to the results of a more rigorous poll ...

[David M. Bueker]

Poor, maligned Grenache. I do like it, but as a supporting player or member of a blended team rather than as a central figure. I have drifted away from Chateauneuf du Pape as the wines have become bigger/more alcoholic, so have not kept up with what's happening there since about 2005.

Most of my Grenache consumption is through Steve Edmunds' Rocks & Gravel, where it plays a variable role. I tend to prefer the bottlings with lower Grenache percentages, but that's probably because the ones with more Syrah and Mourvèdre show greater palate density. I have purchased a few Grenache bottlings from Wind Gap/Pax, but none have moved me to date. Same for Larry Schaffer's Tercero bottlings, where I routinely prefer his Mourvèdre offerings.

There are some nice Grenache's coming from Arizona winemakers. It's a grape that seems to do well here, especially in Southern Arizona. Page Springs Cellars, Callaghan and Keeling Schafer are all making nice Grenache from their vineyards. The PSC Colibri has a nice distinctive spice that is also found in Keeling Schafer's effort. Kent Callaghan's is less spicy but still quite good. I'll open some in the next couple of weeks and post notes and commentary.

[Robin Garr]

I'll open some in the next couple of weeks and post notes and commentary.

That's great, Doug! Do you suppose any of them are big enough to get distribution in a 50-state market?

I reached for this wine to go with delicious pork and lentils and realise that it perhaps qualifies for this WF though Grenache is not a a majority player. Varietal composition is 60% Syrah, 30% Grenache Vieilles Vignes,10% Mourvèdre although from the taste I would not recognise Syrah's dominant role.

2013 Château de Ciffre Faugères Terroirs d'Altitude - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Faugères (10/4/2016)
I like this wine but I don't think that it has much further to go for reasons which I hope will emerge below. Colour cardinal purple/red. Nose was the best feature with very attractive notes of anise infused Mediterranean herbs dominating dark fruit. On the medium/full palate the dark fruit was more prominent (it reminded me of the sweet blackberries I have been picking on my doggy walks) but the attractive herbal notes gave it relief although the minerals vaunted by the back label were IMO not so much in evidence. Texture was smooth, acidity also and backbone was soft. It was these last two elements which make me think that the wine should be drunk up soon before it loses the shine of youth. Good+ right now.

Posted from CellarTracker

Wine bar downtown was serving Le Grenache de Magellan (Herault) by the glass. Nice fresh red and dark ripe berries, herbal tones . Good acidity, nice length and some ripe fruit. Medium-bodied. Think around $22 Cdn.

Tim, Faugeres? Slim pickings around here right now .

Well, it has Grenache in it and it's a sorta kinda Rhone blend and it's David Coffaro Terre Melange '09.
A rarity for Dave, he got part of it from somewhere else than his 20 acres. I think it was Mourvedre that he bought, but I don't exactly remember. 37% Peloursin, 31% Mourvedre, 19% Syrah, 13% Grenache.
The Peloursin and Mourvedre dominate to no surprise.
I took the bottle down to Spinster Sisters and ordered grilled tombo, which was served with quinoa and some cherry tomatoes and some fairly tart Thai or Korean or Mexican red sauce.
The wine is a bit grainy and quite tannic, and has lots of Rhonish character without making it easy to distinguish what comes from where. Good wine, good match with the tuna.
Cost me $20.00 in 5/11; 14.4% alcohol, 350 cases.

I swear I'm objective, even though this local wine is made by a very good friend.

Feldstein, Grenache, 2014

The first impression is medicinal and alcoholic, which resolves into herbs and dust over clean and pure red fruit. The palate is very balanced with a long spicy finish. Look, Grenache is maybe the worst world class grape in the world. It can be candied and alcoholic at its worst, and, even at its best - and this is a good example of the grape at its best - it forces the palate to sprint just to keep up. So I like it, it intrigues me and I want to return to it. But I don't love it. Do you love your gym trainer?

[Robin Garr]

Mas de Gourgonnier 2014 Les Baux de Provence ($18.99)

This Provence red is made with organically grown grapes, with Grenache dominant in a blend with Syrah, Carignan and an unexpected splash of Cabernet Sauvignon. It's a medium-dense reddish-purple color, clear at the edge. A good, ripe scent of fresh raspberries signals its Grenache component, but there's a lot more going on here, too. A faint but intriguing hint of fresh basil hides shyly behind the red fruit, and shows up again in a flavor that's bright and clean, shaped by fresh but not excessive acidity that lasts into a long finish with raspberries and soft tannins. A reasonable 13% alcohol doesn't war with food. U.S. importer: Vintner Select, Mason, Ohio. (Oct. 6, 2016)

FOOD MATCH: It was a good match with a rich mushroom risotto, but it finds its natural home with steaks and burgers or grilled chicken.

WHEN TO DRINK: It should keep for a few years on its side at cool temperature, but I like to drink up Provence wines in this happy, easy style within three or four years of the vintage, then look for newer models.

VALUE:
I paid a fair bit above Wine-Searcher.com's $15 U.S. average retail, so if you can find a better price online or locally, go for it. Still, it's a good value under $20 and a fine value under $15.

WEB LINK
There's a good summary of Mas de Gourgonnier and its wines at this importer's link.

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Find vendors and check prices for Mas de Gourgonnier Les Baux de Provence on Wine-Searcher.com.


Famille Perrin 2015 Côtes du Rhône Blanc "Reserve" ($11.99)

A blend of Grenache Blanc with Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier, it's a clear straw color with just a hint of a greenish brassy hue. The Viognier in the mix shows itself first in an aromatic floral note, luscious flowers with back notes of pear. On the palate it's full and bright, with a medium-full body shaped by good acidic structure; the floral character gives way to something like fresh orange blossoms that accentuate a citric snap and hint of "rainwater" minerality in a very long finish; 13% alcohol. U.S. importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, Ala. (Oct. 5, 2016)

FOOD MATCH: Good with simple fried white fish fillets (and their plant-based equivalent), but its floral hint of Viognier really calls for something a little more robust. Sweet crab or lobster, perhaps, or pastured pork or dark-meat poultry should be fine.

WHEN TO DRINK: It's not a wine meant for keeping, and its fresh floral aromas and bright flavors call for drinking it up with reasonable dispatch. It's probably at its best within three to four years after the vintage.

VALUE:
My local price is just a buck over the $11.99 average U.S. retail shown on Wine-Searcher.com, but quite a few vendors offer it for $10 or less, so it may be worth shopping around, especially if you'd like to buy it by the case.

WEB LINK
Famille Perrin has an information page about the Reserve Blanc at this link. You'll find a similar fact sheet in PDF form on the importer's page here.

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Compare prices and find vendors for Famille Perrin Côtes du Rhône Blanc "Reserve"Wine-Searcher.com.

TN: 2009 Chateau Maris Grenache Minervois-La Liviniere .

One of the big mega wine stores has a very nice selection from S France..and a terrific tasting bar!

Ch Maris is not a new name to me and I have read it has great potential. Some prunes on the nose along with raisins. Ripe fruit on entry, some tannins, blueberries and a hint of earth. Pretty easy drinking, long finish but tad too ripe for me. Seems to be quite a large portfolio out there including Old Vine, Brama, Nouvelles Fraiches.

http://chateaumaris.com/new-page2/

My previous experience of Spanish Garnacha, namely Bodegas Borsao's Tres Picos, bids strongly for the place of the most disgusting wine, some but not all flawed bottles excepted, which has ever passed my lips. Fortunately this one was, for me, as good as the Tres Picos was bad. The problem with that one was not bad fruit but clumsy manipulation, which nevertheless pleases a certain sage from Monkton.

2013 Norrel Robertson Calatayud Papa Luna - Spain, Aragón, Calatayud (10/10/2016)
A very attractive medium++ bodied Garnacha dominated wine. Full of dark berried fruit, mainly blackberry with a raspberry edge, spice, a touch of leather, minerals and fresh acidity with nice grip on the finish. Unlike many Grenache dominated wines it avoided excessive sweetness and opulence of fruit and consequent cloying and caried its high alcohol (14.5%) gracefully. It was hard to avoid finishing the bottle in one sitting. Good++ wine and good QPR at €9 in an expensive store which make me think that it can be found for less elsewhere.

Posted from CellarTracker

2014 Lar de Ricobao, Seleccion do Val, Ribeira Sacra (Galicia, Spain):
This thread has made me reflect on just how few Grenache based wines I drink. I'm not sure this one qualifies as it has some unknown percentage of that grape: the composition is listed as Mencia, Garnacha, Brencellao, Merenzao, Mouraton, and Tempranillo. Maybe it comes from old style mixed vineyards - something not uncommon in nearby Portugal? The color is pretty dark and inky with a slight brick cast. There is a bit of funk on the nose, especially right after opening. A wine that wasn't showing much at first but blossomed after an hour or so in the glass, with raspberry, graphite and bitter orange notes. Medium bodied, not really tannic or alcoholic, I would say that the Mencia is dominating (not really knowing what to expect from Merenzao or Mouraton!). Pretty interesting wine that continues to evolve over the evening and good QPR at $11. Imported into the US by David Bowler.

2 nice Spanish reds posted today~ I have a Faugeres ready to go from Mas d`Alezon!

Tim, did you know that Norrel is a MW, comes from Scotland. He also seems to work with Naked Wines.

Whites from Roussillon, when Grenache gris dominates, can be excellent. Because I liked so much the 2014 version of this estate’s Collioure (a delightful coastal village close to the Spanish frontier), I bought two bottles of the 2015 at this year’s Foire aux Vins. As my TNs show, I was slightly disappointed. Pairings may, however, have had some influence. The honeyed tuna with the 2014 may have brought out its acidity more than the lightly curried lobster waterzooï (a Belgian creamy stew with vegetables) with the 2015.

2015 Marc Parcé Collioure - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Collioure (10/12/2016)
I liked this less than the 2014 version. The reason was less freshness, minerality and acidity and more fruit and roundness with herbs at a similar level. The result was still pleasant but the wine flirted with blandness.


2014 Marc Parcé Collioure - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Collioure (1/15/2016)
For my palate, some of the best whites on the Mediterranean rim are being made in Roussillon from Grenache gris. Unlike most from Marsanne, Roussanne and Vermentino, they add freshness, minerality and slightly saline backbone to attractive white and citrus fruit, some Med herbs and underlying generosity. This Collioure was no exception but was at this stage lighter and less complex than, say, the excellent whites from Marjorie Gallet (Roc des Anges). It carried its 14% alcohol gracefully and was a good pairing for red tuna steak in a honey sweetened sauce. Good wine and fair price at €11 for Collioure. I regret that this was the last bottle available in the Foire aux Vins at our local Carrefour branch when I called.
Posted from CellarTracker

2010 Chateau Gigognan Chateauneuf du Pape Clos de Roi. Labeled 14% abv. 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah. Earthy and herbal notes. Mellows a bit with plenty of aeration but didn't really have much appeal to me. I would refer you to a recent tasting note by GTFREEK on CellarTracker (I am a fan of his.) He concludes that it is a good value for the region and a good example. In a few days I will try again with a CdP from Pierre Usseglio.

IMO, Châteauneuf-du-Pape does not have the breed and class to deserve its place on the pedestal of the world's greatest wines where it has been placed by the sage of Monkton. That goes even more for the white than for the red, though AFAIK Grenache blanc and gris are quite rare in its composition: indeed a little more G gris might make it less heavy.

The only exception for me, alas too dear, is Château Rayas, 100% Grenache incidentally, which has a quasi-Burgundian (but sweeter) elegance and harmony which is rare in S.Rhône. That doesn't mean that I won't try to drink the 20 bottles, mainly Beaucastel, Clos des Papes and Janasse, which remain in my cellar. They are good robust and warming wines with a rich stew on a cold day.

Collioure...not here in my area Tim .

I don't have much to add for commercially available grenache, but as a home winemaker I find grenache is a delight to work with. As it's fermenting, it gives off a heady aroma of strawberry and other red fruit. As it ages, the fruit remains and nuances of cake spice come up. And it ages well--I've been digging into vintages as far back as 2004 and they're still delicious (I blend 75% grenache with syrah and mourvedre for the classic GSM mix). In California, my experience is that region isn't that important. I've made wine from Mendocino (Eagle Point!), Sonoma and Lodi, all good.

TN: 2013 Mas d`Alezon Faugeres Le Presbytere, Languedoc.

13.5% alc, $22 Cdn, flies off shelf downtown.

Good depth of color, ruby purple. Cherry and plum on the nose which is quite aromatic.
Hint of sediment so I decanted. Initial entry thought..soft tannins, drinks well now. Blueberry plus, not at all peppery. Nice brambly feel on day 2..."meaty and hint of cocoa" from across the table. Went well with pork tenderloin and smoked onions.

Brigette Chevalier comes from Bordeaux but settled eventually in Faugeres where she has gathered quite a reputation. Writers from that area are quite keen to write about her wines and we Albertans are fortunate to have some of her wines on the shelf here.

TN: 2011 Domaine de Cebene Vins de Pays d`Oc Ex Arena.

Good natural cork, 14% alc, $31 Cdn. Cellared 3 years, decanted, some sediment noted. 90% Grenache, 10 % Mourvedre. Cement vats, then on to steel .

Light ruby color, less than medium depth. Watery rim w. no sign of bricking.
Better nose after 2 hrs. Strawberry and raspberry, "cherry" from across the table. Savoury herbal tones here too.
Initial entry thought has a tip of the tongue feeling, lively acidity. More red berry fruits, light to medium bodied. Seems to show more on the palate than the nose but with time wine opens up. After a while the initial fermentation notes disappear. Some garrigue here, spice and hint of pepper. "Very juicy" a fine comment with the mild sweetness.
Food was duck liver terrine and veal scallopini with sweet potatoes.