Grenache benefits from move to medium-bodied reds

Grenache has been an “unfashionable battler” that’s now benefitting from a growing demand for “medium-bodied reds”, according to Yangarra’s Peter Fraser.

Peter Fraser

Fraser, who was named 2016 Australian Winemaker of the Year by wine critic James Halliday, is a Grenache specialist who has been working with some of the McLaren Vale’s oldest bush vines since he joined Yangarra in 2000, following the property’s purchase by the late Jess Jackson, founder of Jackson Family Wines.

To help promote the fine wine potential of Grenache, Fraser hosted, along with the drinks business, a masterclass on the grape in Hong Kong on Monday 23 May, comprising leading varietal Grenaches from around the world, including Châteauneuf-du-Pâpe’s Château Rayas, the Barossa’s Les Amis from Torbreck, Spain’s Espactacle by René Barbier, and his own wines, including Yangarra’s High Sands Grenache from 70-year-old bush vines in McLaren Vale’s prized Blewitt Springs sub-region.

Speaking at the event, he described Grenache as an “unfashionable battler” that was planted in McLaren Vale after World War II when settlers in the region decided to diversify into grape production, choosing to plant Grenache because “it grew naturally without irrigation”, and “it could crop highly and produce lots of sugar” – much of the wine at that time was fortified.

As a result, by the 50s, “Grenache was as much as 60% of McLaren Vale; it outplanted Shiraz,” recorded Fraser.

However, as a component in blends, the grape received little recognition, a trend which continued as the demand moved from fortified products to table wine.

Fraser continued, “Then, when table wine became more fashionable [in the 70s], Grenache went into regional blends – for example Wirra Wirra Church Block – and the wines made with more Grenache were called ‘Burgundies’ and the ones with more Shiraz were called ‘Clarets’.”

In the 80s and 90s, however, when a demand for varietally-labelled wines emerged, it wasn’t Grenache that was wanted, but Cabernet and Chardonnay.

Fraser recorded, “In the 80s and 90s, Chardonnay had the highest grape prices in McLaren Vale, and it was probably one of least well-suited varieties to McLaren Vale, but people wanted to drink Cabernet and Chardonnay regardless of where they came from.”

Yangarra manages its bush vine Grenache planted in 1946 according to biodynamic methods

Consequently, few of the original plantings of Grenache in the late 1940s have survived, because they were removed to make way for more fashionable grapes.

But today the grape is making a comeback.

Fraser said, “Jess Jackson said that he thought Grenache was the jewel in the crown of McLaren Vale, and he agreed that we should plant more for the future, and we so embarked on a 30 acre planting of Grenache.”

And now Fraser sees a fresh interest in Grenache from consumers.

“As a Grenache fan I’m very excited by the future,” he said.

Explaining this comment, he said, “There is a growing demand for Grenache on the back of a thirst for medium-bodied reds, which has been driven by an increase in sales of Pinot Noir and imported wines in Australia, as well as wine writers, who have been recommending medium-bodied wines.”

He also said that producers in the McLaren Vale were looking to Grenache again as a suitable variety for the region due to its drought resistance, although he added that the best grape for heat extremes would be Mourvedre.

“One myth about Grenache is that it can handle really high temperatures, but actually, in a hot, hot year, when temperatures get above 40 degrees Celsius, Grenache turns its toes up; Mourvedre is the one to plant if it’s heat resistance you want, but it’s not as drought tolerant as Grenache.

Concluding he said, “So if it get hotter [in McLaren Vale], you want Mourvedre, but if it gets drier, you want Grenache.”