The wine trade in New York and Los Angeles are invited to taste the world’s finest Grenaches

Australia is to take on France and the US in two comparative Grenache tastings in New York and Los Angeles this month – and the wine trade are invited.

Yangarra Estate’s winemaker, Peter Fraser, is flying across to the US to host the Grenache masterclasses

The events will see the world’s finest bottles of pure Grenache poured at a pair of educational masterclasses, which are designed to draw attention to the quality of wine possible from this underrated grape, particular when sourced from very old vines in Australia’s McLaren Vale.

The masterclasses will take place at the International Culinary Center, New York, on Tuesday February 13th 3:30-5pm, and then at Redbird Restaurant, Los Angeles, on Thursday 22nd February, 10:30am-12pm.

Among the wines on show will be biodynamic wines from Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s Domaine de Cristia and Domaine de Marcoux as well as Female from Sine Qua Non, which is made with 78% Grenache by Manfred Krankl, a champion of Rhône grapes in the state.

However, leading the line-up will be Grenache from Yangarra Estate in the McLaren Vale, including the producer’s flagship High Sands Grenache, which is created using biodynamically-farmed fruit from bush vines planted in 1946.

Peter Fraser, who is winemaker for Yangarra Estate, is flying across to the US to host the Grenache masterclasses.

Named Australian Winemaker of the Year for 2016 by eminent wine critic James Halliday, Fraser is a highly respected figure in the Australian wine industry, and one whose expertise centers on Rhône grapes, in particular Grenache, having made wine from the variety since 2000 at Yangarra Estate.

Fraser has agreed to compare his wines to the greatest varietal Grenaches from around the world, which included not only the rarest expressions from the aforementioned Domaine de Cristia and Domaine de Marcoux, but also Spain’s Espectacle, a pure Grenache from 120 year-old vines in Montsant, made by René Barbier, famous for Priorat’s Clos Mogador.

The award-winning McLaren Vale winemaker has also said he will show his wines alongside Australia’s celebrated varietal Grenache from the Barossa Valley: Torbreck’s Les Amis, which is made using grapes from vines planted in 1901.

Together, this tasting will provide an educational look at Grenache using a selection of extremely rare wines made from one of the trade’s most underrated grapes.

And, importantly, there are spaces for members of the wine trade, so, if you would like to register your interest, please click here or, for more information, please email chloe@thedrinksbusiness.com

The event is sponsored by Jackson Family Wines, and organised by the drinks business, which has run a series of Yangarra Grenache masterclasses in London and Hong Kong.

It is free to attend.

The wines on show will include:

2015 Yangarra Old Vine Grenache (McLaren Vale)
2014 Yangarra High Sands Grenache (McLaren Vale)
2013 Yangarra High Sands Grenache (McLaren Vale)
2015 Domaine de Cristia Vieilles Vignes (Châteauneuf-du-Pape)
2015 Domaine de Marcoux Vieilles Vignes (Châteauneuf-du-Pape)
2013 Espectacle (Montsant)
2013 Sine Qua Non Female Grenache (California)
2013 Torbreck Les Amis (Barossa Valley)

Please register your interest here