TtD McLaren Vale 2012 Old Vine Grenache

Grape:       Grenache
Price:         c. £10
From:         Sainsbury's
Country:    Australia
Region:     Mclaren vale
ABV:          14.5%

Those of you that follow my blogs will know that I have a particular penchant for a varietal wine.  A drink that has come from a single grape variety is, to me, a great way to learn what to expect from a grape and provides an excellent knowledge base upon which to compare other similar wines, be they from a different year, price bracket, producer or country.  This has really helped me to recognise what particular grape varieties I like, where I like them from and the sort of price I am happy to pay.

Learning about varietal wines also helps to identify signature smells and tastes so when you decide to purchase a blend, you can have an idea of the kind of things to expect.  A recent discovery of my own is a Shiraz/Viogner blend.  Amazing!  A tiny portion of the white grape, Viogner, is added to Shiraz, a red, and helps it to add complexity and interest to the nose and palate, rather than taking over.  The reason I mention this now is because Grenache has long since been used in blends, the most common being a Shiraz (or Syrah), Mourvedre (or Monastrell and Mataro) and Grenache (or Garnacha and Cannonau) combination, often abbreviated to GSM.  Each wine in this blend donates their best characteristics and any flaws are covered by the strengths of the other grapes.  Grenache brings soft berry flavours and warmth from the alcohol.

This weeks wine is a Taste The Difference, pure Grenache from Australia where those berry flavours are intensified by the warm climate.   The 'Old Vine' on the label also indicates the produce is from mature, developed vines which are synonymous with higher quality grapes.

On the nose is warm strawberries, raspberries, plums and a hint of Christmas Pudding floating about in the background.  As expected, there is no obvious wood note but instead, gentle spices of the black pepper and clove variety are detectable.  The nose belongs very much to the fruit bowl though.  The first taste echoes the feeling of warmth and quickly follows with smooth, bramble fruit flavours and cassis.  Gentle tannins become more pronounced at the back end of drinking.  Medium to low acidity and the lack of tannins make this a disarmingly easy wine to drink.  The strength of the alcoholic content is apparent through the entire experience and is what provides that warm feeling. 

If this grape had a CV, it would probably say, "Works well in a team but is also able to work well by itself".  A tiresome quality on a human resume but an endearing feature for a fantastic grape.

Sainsbury's have numerous stores throughout the UK and can also be found online at www.sainsburys.co.uk