Our panel: Coralie Gelot, Beverage Manager, The Windsor Hotel Group; Chris Ryan, Senior Wine Buyer, Trader House Group; Liinaa Berry, Sommelier Consultant; Gary Mills, owner/winemaker Jamsheed and Jamsheed Urban Winery; Rory Lane, owner/winemaker The Story Wines; Ben Mullin, owner/winemaker, Mulline; Lisa Cardelli DipWSET, freelance writer; Gabriella Rush, wine retail professional.
We gathered every McLaren Vale Grenache that we could find and set our expert panel the task of finding the wines that compelled the most. The aim was not necessarily to try and find the most serious and age-worthy wines, but rather wines of interest and character regardless of style – wines that compelled. All wines were tasted blind, and each panellist named their top six wines.
Kubis had this as his top wine of the day, with Mack and Berry also including it among their top few. “This is serious, Mum!” exclaimed Kubis. “The colour is light enough to just make out the slight haze in the glass. Name a red or dark fruit and you will most likely see it in this wine’s aromatic roll call. Raspeberry? Present. Plum? Present. Cranberry? Present… and so on. All of these fruits are offset by alluring savoury aromas, such as autumnal wet earth, cedar and garrigue characters such as lavender, thyme, rosemary and sage. The mouth is in unity with the nose, with all these flavours repeated before the textural brilliance of this wine takes over. Refreshing acidity is lively but not overbearing and the tannins here frame the wine so beautifully, crescendo-ing into an absurdly long textural and flavourful finish. The application of this wine is so versatile, I see it being as comfortable chilled at a poolside BBQ as at room temp on a bistro table alongside Lamb shoulder and carrots with smoked yoghurt. All class.” Berry added: “Indian spices, some violets, good clarity it is focused and quite concentrated without being heavy and overly perfumed. Ripe red fruits, raspberry coulis, stewed strawberries with star anise and cloves, poached quince. Would pick it to join a gastronomic table. Thinking: some Chinese food with Sichuan spices, eggplant and pork congee, or red duck curry. “One of the hallmarks of this wine is purity and clarity, which grenache can show strongly when grown in a quality site and produced by a very good winemaker,” concluded Mack. “A juicy mouthfeel but also with layers of good structure and ripe tannin, the wine has lovely poise and intensity.”
This was Carbonneau’s wine of the tasting, while it rounded out the top few in Rush and Sokolin’s selections. “Complex and enticing nose, reminiscent of Catalunyan grenache grown on schists,” said Carbonneau. “Deep and pure aromas of fresh tarragon with a hint of pomegranate and light spices. The palate is light bodied with refreshing acidity and good persistence. The wine has character and fine tannins. Digestible and highly drinkable. A great drop to have on its own or with your charcuterie plate as you start the evening.” “This is what I hope to see more of in this tasting this wine was the best in its class of playful, lifted, low-grip styles,” declared Sokolin. “Grenache responds very well to a Beaujolais nouveau treatment and this was a prime example. This is the kind of wine that could rescue any fallen grape variety from extinction. It feels really unacademic yet smart and would be a joy for anyone to drink. Vine blossoms and Jasmine feature prominently and are balanced by some herbal notes from stems. Rhubarb, cranberry and currants. No pokey oak or elbows. I lament that styles like this are somehow considered ‘lesser wines’ as they are really quite hard to execute well.” While Rush noted: “The raspberries, currants, and pomegranate were all there but it took a turn into a more Schweppes Agrum, citrus forward theme. Like drinking a negroni, those blood orange, Campari, bitter notes sang out. Drink with friends, they’ll love the company of negroni wine!”
Both Webb and Mack had this as their number one wine from the tasting. “A very aromatically inviting wine: beginning with some red violets and fresh wild herbs that sits alongside a core of ripe pomegranate and raspberries,” wrote Webb. “As the palate builds a concentrated baked strawberry character really drives the mid-palate, working with some crushed fennel seeds that reinforces the wild garrigue that was initially on the nose. There is great purity and definition to the finish on this wine, with that core of vibrant strawberries providing plenty of concentration through the wine, balanced by those savoury fennel spices and anise.” “This is a wine of texture with some lovely skinsy aromatics at play,” noted Mack. “The wine shows great precision with an effortless flow through the palate. Length is a key here; the wine has huge carry. This wine is a great example of how far the region has come with grenache in terms of freshness, vibrancy, and texture.”
This was Rush’s top selection, with it coming an at the top two for Carbonneau. “My, my,” said Rush, “It is very hard not to be charmed by grenache! My favourite on the day because it struck every beat in its symphony. The bouquet was herbaceous at first with a blackcurrant jubey Jols Pastilles note. Rose bushes, cranberry sauce, something sweet and earthy like roasted pumpkin with sage. This was the singsong harmony of sweet and savory, delicate and powerful, elegant body and intricate tannins. Mouth-watering!” “The nose is spicy – black pepper, cinnamon and cloves – with attractive hints of crunchy green-ness,” wrote Carbonneau. “Speaks perhaps of a cooler vintage. The palate is super pure and crunchy with appealing and juicy fresh raspberry sweetness. Quite structured, making it a gastronomic wine. Real personality and expressiveness. Would be very versatile at the table, keeping good company to quail and poultry dishes as well as light pasta and grilled seafood.”
This was Sokolin’s top wine, whilst it was also in the top-six for Hirose and Mack. “I admittedly have a bias toward fresh, very lightweight styles of grenache,” confessed Sokolin. “The charm of the variety and its range of flavours were on display here, or at least those I like. The core of fruit was dense and went beyond the simple red fruit idiom. Rhubarb, raspberry, plum and pomegranate is my kind of ice-cream and it works in this glass too. A lot of wines on show today reached for these heights, but most either pushed too far, either falling to excessive oak élevage and maceration, or didn’t quite get there. But enough about fruit, grenache can do spice too – and this was one of the few in the lineup to exhibit any at all. White pepper and coriander seed report for service to balance out the fruit. There’s broad gastronomic application here too but this doesn’t need any help from your dinner.” “A ‘carbonic’ note – bubble gum and strawberry spread – but not over the top,” said Hirose. “Elegance and perfume struck me at first look, but also kept me entertained for its drinkability and casualness. This not-so-serious wine will be perfect for a picnic or to accompany your Sunday lunch. The candied berry flavours of the wine would work well with turkey with cranberry chutney. Christmas lunch?” “This wine is one of the prettiest in the lineup,” said Mack. “Lovely purity to the red fruited aromatics are complemented by some herbal ‘bunchy’ lift. Really fine tannin provides good structure that allows the generous red and black berried palate to sing with a glorious grenache core of fruit.”
This was just pipped for top spot on Hirose’s list, with Carbonnea and Mack also having it among their top-six wines. “This wine is dark and ripe!” exclaimed Hirose. “Black-pepper-like nose is generously support by blue plum, violet and assam tea leaf. The contrast and balance between fruits vs non-fruits amazed me. I felt a decent heat on my chest and it sure has a body to match with a late night dinner in a winter evening. It would be a great bridge wine for a shiraz drinker. Kirsh, cassis and boysenberries; oolong tea and lifted florals, it finishes with silky, soft tannin. Very generous body.” “We’re on a different aromatic spectrum here,” noted Carbonneau. “We’ve got very appealing notes of macerated strawberries on the nose, alongside brown spices but well handled in a harmonious bouquet. The palate is deep and layered with excellent concentration and serious structure. We’re on darker red fruits here as well as darker spices. Would be an excellent pairing to a Sunday roast or charred vegetables on the BBQ.” “Great structure and intensity on the palate and the fruit concentration is something to behold here,” said mack. “A wine of power but also precision with structure the key to its success. A wine that displays that well integrated and ripe tannin in grenache can be a wonderful thing.”
Mack had this as his second-top wine of the day, with Hirose and Webb also including among their top-six selections. “Deep, and bit more of a serious side,” noted Hirose. “Boysenberries and elderberry… The more you look into it though, the more it becomes interesting. The fruits tone-down, and a nice savouriness takes over. Turned earth, ginseng tea and autumn forest floor. Slightly austere but good weight on finish. I loved that acid tension. It won’t be for everyone’s favourite and requires a bit of understanding. It’s bit like Nuits-Saint-George in Burgundy. Not so friendly and needs time but will be age gracefully.” Mack pointed to the complexity of this wine, too: “Slight bunchy herbal notes lead the aromatics with briar and a slight vanilla pod character from some well-judged – not overt – oak. There is a lovely savoury carry through the palate, and the tannins are round and ripe. One of the more mouth filling wines in the lineup but done with great care. A clean and long finish with layers of complexity and structure.” “Alluring fresh red cherries provides a vibrant fruit core which flows into a raspberry cordial note,” said Webb. “Beyond the alluring red fruits, dried red violets and roses are met with wild thyme and lavender adding a savoury floral element to the nose. On the palate there a purity of that raspberry cordial that builds in concentration towards the finish. Those savoury lavender notes build alongside that red fruit core, building drinkability. Fine-grained tannins build structure and provides a morish finish.”
This was the second-top wine for Berry, and Webb had it in his top-six slections too. “Staying true to my preference of quenchable styles of grenache, it’s important to note that drinkability and digestibility do not mean the wine is simple,” declared Barry. “That’s where I see the art in crafting a great grenache: letting it express its vibrant red fruit aromas, its spice, its dried herbs and garrigue notes, without the weight of the alcohol, without the sappiness of too much whole bunch and with great length and firm refined tannins. This wine represents all these characteristics. I like the unfined and unfiltered mouthfeel; the ebullient floral notes; the spice orange peel; the lively freshly picked raspberries… I would have this any day of the week, whether you want to uncork it at dinner or as a lunch wine, it’s sort of timeless really!” “Deep and sweet red plums, baked raspberries and blackberry fruit dominate the nose,” described Webb, “with the distinct baked character of the fruit meeting some sweet nutmeg spice and char. There is plenty of turned earth and leather that builds a sophisticated savoury spectrum to the wine. That core of red plum fruit sits at the heart of the wine, with some chewy yet supple tannins on the finish allowing those savoury notes to flow through to create a long finish.”
Rush had this in her top two wines, with Sokolin and Carbonneau also selecting it in thier top-six. “I did slightly raise my eyebrow at the visible sediment in the glass but I need not be such a puritanical snob,” started Rush. “It was so surprising that the wine had brilliance and freshness but it’s true strengths were the sentimental savoury elements.” “A very charming bouquet of fresh pomegranate, currant and sweet fruit, groseille, coupled with emanating freshness that makes you want to dive into this wine,” noted Carbonnea. “The palate delivers what the nose promises with subtle fresh strawberry notes and wild berries. It’s a wonderful weeknight drop, paired with your roast chicken or garlic pasta.” “Easily the wine I’d finish first,” declared Sokolin. “It was just so juicy and joyful. A watermelon and raspberry nose supported by some star-anise spice, likely coming from stems. It’s notably lighter in colour and weight, and I like that it doesn’t feel constrained to style. It takes a surprising amount of thought and precision to execute wines of this style.”
This was Kubis’ second top wine of the tasting, and Rush placing it in her top-six too. “Whilst aromatically shy at first, the wine revealed more after several return tastes,” noted Kubis. “The captivating allure of this wine though, highlighted the theme of the day being that some of my favourite wines being stories of texture rather than flavour. The aromatics did slowly reveal themselves, showing hints of raspberry, plum and spices like clove and cinnamon. Back to that texture though – tongue tickling acidity that wasn’t overtly pronounced but came on slowly almost like a Sichuan sensation, with the tannins here both framing the wine and helping carry it further and further into a wonderful chalky finish. I can still feel this wine next to me, such is the textural length.” “Roasted capsicum, tomato sauce, eucalypt, mortadella with its sweet meaty creamy pistachio taste,” wrote Rush. “The saccharine elements were burnt sugar, toasted marshmallow, pomegranate, molasses and strawberry yogurt – amazing how many grenaches today made me think of strawberry milkshakes, raspberry spiders or straight up ice cream. Crazy, but all these flavour sensations worked, just like Willy Wonka’s chewing gum meal that takes you through five courses. A dinner party delight.”
Both Carbonneau and Sokolin had this around their top few wines of the day. Carbonneau noted: “The nose is fragrant and floral, with notes of peonies and pink flowers. Very seductive. The palate is bursting with vibrancy and vitality, alongside fine and elegant tannins, making it a very balanced wine. Extra points for drinkability and deliciousness. It’s a yes from me – to drink on its own while you prepare your meal!” “It smells like cranberry, plums of the fresher kind, and lots of spice,” said Sokolin. “I find cardamom at times, which I have a weakness for. It’s voluminous in the mouth and framed by some tannin. Good tannin as far as tannin goes and it didn’t feel drying or difficult. It feels very well packaged, if that makes sense. I’m imagining this may come in a wooden case from a well reputed winery and vineyard, known for other styles, venturing into the sandbox of brighter, fresher styles. It’s very good and available only to the mailing list. One case per customer. And it’s probably sold out.”
Hirose declared this the top wine from the tasting. “Nose is very lifted and inviting. Sniff of white pepper followed by juicy red fruits like red current and framboise. I really enjoyed the balance between ripe fruits and savoury spices. I found it surprising how those two contrasting characters could co-exist in a same wine. Palate is bouncing between earthiness and fruitiness. Every sip you have, you find something anew. You see a bit of confected strawberry first and dried tea leaf follows, then next sniff you have juicy red plum and bitter roots vegetables… kind of strange but fascinating. Body is generous and creamy texture fills the palate. I really enjoyed its deepness and generosity. It will evolve with time in the bottle.”
This was in Webb’s top two wines of the day. “There is a deep core of fruit framed around baked raspberries and fresh red plums. There is plenty of savoury preserved fennel and fresh tarragon leaves that add a wonderful green spice element to the aroma. On the palate this grenache transforms, with the fruit and spice having a distinct salty texture. This saline feeling is met with a dense core of baked strawberries providing plenty of weight to the wine. The finish is driven by savoury tannins, bringing the wine back to those lovely preserved-fennel fronds on the nose.”
This was Berry’s wine of the day. “There are good reasons why we seek a grenache. Often to quench the thirst for a pretty wine that is generous in sweet red fruits without the weight or big structure or tannic profile we get from other wines, like nebbiolo or pinot. This wine is bright, and complex with lots of energy. It might seem light on its feet at first but there are subtle complexities evolving. Red fruits like cherries; Satsuma plums that turn a little savoury mid palate; pomegranate seeds; dried herbs; a crack of spice; refined tannins… deliciously more-ish. The palate is pure with somewhat of a calming depth. A wine perfect as an aperitif with a charcuterie platter; a conversation starter, but can also carry well with oily fish like sardine soldiers with Spanish onions, chorizo tapas, some well aged Iberian ham – 36 month old pata Negra, no less!”
Kubis had this in his top few wines from the tasting and Berry also included it in her top-six selections. “An impression of delicacy soon gives way to aromatic density and power,” commented Kubis. “Lots of dark cherry, raspberry, plum and pomegranate, but also a herbal edge coming through too. The mouthfeel here is silky, coating the mouth and offering a wine that can be taken on its own, unchaperoned by a plate of food. One of the more polished examples of the day for me, this is certainly a wine that attended finishing school, from the moment it introduces itself with its generous flavour to the end of the very loooong and interesting finish. Personality, poise and presence.” “There seems to be a lot more citrus fruit rather than red fruit profile on this wine,” noted Berry. “A pinot-esque expression of grenache, there are some savoury sweet fruits like sour cherries balanced by some amaro notes that also come through. Bitter orange with some dried red fruit mid palate, this lively wine is lighter to medium bodied with some good acid lift and finish. The brightness in this wine seems to be the perfect bottle to open on a balmy summer night.”
Kubis placed this in his top three wines of the day. “The colour here advertises pinot noir, before the glass meets the olfactory senses and it shows a broader frame. The nose here is alluring and extravagant, offering a kaleidoscope of red and dark fruits. The movie in the mouth delivers what the trailer on the nose promised, with generous offers of dark cherry, raspberry and blackberry, but also with an autumnal forest floor character that provides an extra dimension. A lovely silkiness in the mouth initially but this gives way to powder dry tannin that aids in increasing the very, very long finish.”
Webb included this in his top three wines. “Bright red violets, juicy strawberries, crunchy red cherries and a forest floor/sous bois thing makes this wine really stand out in the bracket. The juiciness of the fruit flows through to the palate, providing a lot of finesse and class. That forest-y feeling to the fruit is a real signature, displaying a layer of ‘Pinosity’. Towards the finish there is a green peppercorn note that jumps out, adding a savoury layer to the earthy tannin structure of the wine.”
Carbonneau had this among her top few selections. “The wine is pretty and red fruited on the nose. There is real elegance, detail and restraint to those red fruit characters (field strawberries and red currant) aromas. Explosion of red raspberry flavours on the palate with a deep and velvety mouthfeel. The palate is balanced by a refreshing acidity and elegant structure. Hard to put down!”
This was placed in Sokolin’s top three wines of the day. “I like the light, loose-framed style we saw in a handful of the wines today. They are fresh and digestible and I think the appeal is broad. It should represent a larger share of the grenache we produce in my opinion. Almond blossoms and a really lifted core of red fruit, delivered without overt tannin or oak. For me, this would have the ability to also work as a chilled red. It’d work at a barbecue or as an aperitif wine. It’s like the bowl of chips at the pub – there may be other, more stately wines at the table when you sit down, but this, like the chips, will disappear first!”
Rush placed this around the middle of her top-six selections. “First three words for this note: yum, delicious, relief. I was having a moment, clearly. Raspberries, cranberries, tobacco, vanilla pods, citrus rind and burnt sugar. Reminiscent of the upside-down cake I made the night before with mandarin and maple syrup. There’s a sweet-smokey joy to the characters of the wine that hides the tannins in the background and makes the finish everlasting. It became more herbal as I revisited it – like dried bay leaves.”
“Wow, this is one of the day’s most exuberant examples, with red berry aromas soaring from the glass!” said Kubis, placing this wine among his top-six on the day. “In the mouth, this story is repeated with waves and waves of ripe strawberry, cherry, cranberry and juicy pomegranate crunch. It is refreshingly light on its feet in weight, but with wonderful tannin derived freshness finishing each sip. I love the lightness and seemingly lack of heavy-handed extraction. Very long length, and a wine that makes me smile – very much full of joy!”
“A lovely bunchy lift to the aromatics with some good white pepper spice,” wrote Mack, including this wine in his top-six selections. “There is an innate drinkability to this wine thanks to the medium body and perfumed red berry notes. When on song, grenache can be a wine to contemplate but equally delicious to just relax and unwind with. Good tannin structure supports the fruit and adds plenty of length to the palate with good energy on the finish here.”
“This wine was very representative of the kind of wine I expected from McLaren Vale,” commented Sokolin when including this among his top-six wines. “The fruit profile here veered more into the cherries. Some herbal stem spice frames it and some gentle eucalyptus overtones give you some geographic context. This would be recognizable to a drinkers of classic Australian wines and appeals to me too.”
“Pure sour cherry and pomegranate,” wrote Hirose, putting this wine in his top-six from the tasting. “Very approachable and welcoming. It would make the perfect introduction of the varietal. Crunchy strawberries as well we some blue fruits. Generous fruits are supported by decent alcohol warmth. I liked it for fullness and generosity. Would be great with smoked ham. It’s a crowd pleaser and a handy wine to have in the restaurant as this will be perfect compromise for both pinot noir and shiraz drinkers. Pure and fruity.”
“Oh yes, this is grenache’s pinot noir alternative in full flight!” said Kubis, including this among his top-sex selections. “Pale in colour, the nose jumps out of the glass with intense raspberry, cranberry and strawberry, albeit with a burlier aromatic presence. The acidity refreshes instantly, almost deleting the palette fatigue of tasting 25 wines before it. Slightly candied strawberry and berry crunch adds to this refreshment and has me dreaming of drinking it in the pool with a lamb sausage in hand. There’s a confident casualness to this wine, that makes it so approachable straight out of the gates, and makes me want to return to the glass again and again.”
Berry including this in her top-six wines of the day. “There is a good balance of red fruit and citrus lift. Blood orange, ruby red grapefruit add a splash of acidity and lovely bitterness to the sweeter stewed rhubarb, raspberries and wild cherries notes. There is a subtle earthiness, some botanicals – like a vermouth character – tobacco leaf, lots of good crunch, super vibrant, with crisp red berries and fine sandy tannins. The palate goes from sweet to savoury, there are herbs like thyme, some lavender, and a good line of acid that keeps me coming back for more.”
“Really fresh strawberries and candied raspberries burst out of the glass, there is a confected nature to the fruit here that is so inviting,” wrote Webb, placing this in his top-six. “These confected fruits are met with red liquorice and freshly crushed fennel seeds that tempers the sweet attack of the fruit. The palate is driven by lovely fresh yet ripe strawberries and cherries. This wine may sound fun and playful, however the more-ish texture built around those crushed fennel seeds adds a serious dimension to this wine, providing length and concentration.”
Hirose placed this wine in his top-six selections on the day. “A little bit of a cloudy look and a funky nose,” he wrote “It reminds me Beaujolais by Jean Foillard Cote de Py: with a sense of whole-bunch winemaking providing some stem and dusty earth character. Wild berries are ripe but not over ripe. It’s my cup of tea! I like that it has a gaminess, wildness and funkiness. Calling for roasted pigeon with Chinese mustard or something Asian that has a soy base. This wine really shows the versatility of grenache, from a super pure-fruit driven wines, to examples with earthy, savoury and a bitter finish. I want to find more like this!”
This wine rounded out the top-six on the day for Berry. “There is a medicinal nose, signalling some whole bunch. The ‘stemminess’ is not green in any way but well integrated. I thought this is a refreshing style if one is not looking for just that sweeter fruit profile, but more of a serious style with structure and body, savouriness, fine tannins and some botanical notes. It is plush, with some blue fruit aroma and some violet notes, and rich berries. It has superb fragrance and some opulence. A gourmet wine with roast duck, I can also imagine raw meat like a tartare with potato crisps.”
“This was a meaty one. I loved that it had slow cooked ossobuco elements where you were salivating with moreish delight,” wrote Rush, placing this in her top-six wines of the tasting. “Green olives, cherry tomatoes, liquorice. The red fruit was pomegranate and raspberry cordial. Big confident tannins that would pucker you lips as your tongue traces the clues of maybe some whole-bunch winemaking. Loved that this wine was bold compared to the majority light, fruit fresh styles.”
Grenache has quite large berries with relatively thin skins, and given the warm areas it is grown in, it often reaches ripeness quite readily, meaning the wines can be pale in colour, with high alcohol and lowish or moderate tannin.
Grenache’s home territory is split between France and Spain, with the former perhaps having the most international recognition, but the latter being its rightful birthplace. It is thought to have emerged from Aragon in Catalonia, in Spain’s north-east corner, and served as a reliable workhorse grape across the country, often being blended with tempranillo. It wasn’t until the resurgence of Priorat that old vine garnacha was given its proper due in the 1990s. Historically, grenache/garnacha spread into France, radiating up through the country’s warm southern Languedoc-Roussillon region to the Southern Rhône, where it found its most recognised home. Grenache is the main driver of the wines of Côtes du Rhône and its named Villages, like Gigondas, and arguably reaches its height in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, where it is sometimes used solo (most famously for Château Rayas), but is typically blended, principally with mourvèdre, cinsault, syrah and counoise. Aside from often powerful blended wine from the South, grenache is the main grape for French rosé, both in Provence and the Rhône.
In Australia, it was one of the first varieties planted (coming across the seas in 1832 as part of the Busby Collection), and some of the earlier vines (1840–50s) are still producing commercial crops today, making them the oldest grenache vines in the world to do so.
It is no wonder that Grenache vines were popular then, given that the variety had already proved that it thrives in warm, dry environments. South Australia certainly fit that bill, with grenache becoming somewhat of a staple, though perhaps its durability was more celebrated than its personality. Grenache was also a most suitable canvas for fortified wines, which were the dominant force in the wine industry during the first half of the 20th century.
It wasn’t until the 1960s that consumers began to turn towards table wines, but this gradual reversal of tastes didn’t see grenache emerge from the shadows, even though it was the nation’s most widely planted variety at the time. Indeed, grenache declined considerably, shrinking from a monopoly to somewhat of a bit player, with many old to ancient vines grubbed out, and next to none planted, while the area under vine devoted to varieties like shiraz skyrocketed.
“There’s been a fabulous collaboration of winemakers in McLaren Vale that have worked together to understand where we’re all trying to go – and we’re all doing something slightly different – but we’ve all got a similar goal of brightness, tannin, acidity, but then how does the site express itself with the slight differences, that’s really contributed to the confidence of producing ‘that’ style.”
McLaren Vale has many subregions that producers reference, such as Blewitt Springs, McLaren Flat, Seaview, Sellicks and Willunga, but these are not enshrined in law. The Vale is said to have over 40 distinct geologies, with the oldest dating back 500 million years, and the youngest a mere 15,000-year-old pup. Red-brown sandy loams, grey-brown loamy sands, distinctly sandy soils, patches of red or black friable loams and yellow clay subsoils interspersed with lime are all part of the picture.
McLaren Vale is characterised by a Mediterranean climate with hot summer days and low rainfall in the growing season, making it particularly resilient to disease pressure.Those warm days are meliorated by cooling breezes from the Gulf of St Vincent and air filtering down from the flanking Mount Lofty Ranges.
Grenache’s presence in the Vale stretches right back to some of this country’s first forays into viticulture. Today, that means there is an enviable resource of mature, significantly old and ancient vines to work from. And while grenache is being planted again, meaning the quite lowly 1,500 hectares (nationally, on 2015 data) is on the up, the older material is by far in the majority, with much fruit from venerable vines ending up in some very accessibly priced bottlings.
Grenache has been an emblematic variety of McLaren Vale for some time, but this perceived position has in reality been far eclipsed by Australia’s dominant variety: shiraz. In McLaren Vale, grenache had long been an afterthought, often relegated to blends (not that there’s anything wrong with blends) or just dealt with in a way, both in the vineyard and winery, that didn’t do full justice to the fruit. But much has changed in the last 10 years.
McLaren Vale is now leading the charge for making grenache in a considered way, with many of the wines of the past – which were often dry and rustic or were dominated by confected raspberry notes, and often soused up with alcohol and oak – being replaced with wines that can be earthy and savoury, as well as fragrantly pretty. The wines seen now are more lithe and vibrant, more elegant and a far more detailed side has been given voice. The wines can be silky, or grippy – it is versatile, characterful and reflects where it is grown with stunning clarity.
It was around 10 or so years ago that new takes on McLaren Vale Grenache emerged. Taras Ochota won the Young Gun of Wine in 2013, with his Fugazi vineyard grenache from McLaren Vale playing a core part in wowing the judging panel. Then Luke Growden of Year Wines won the Best New Act trophy in 2015 for his label that included a pair of grenache wines from the Vale. These were the early outliers for lighter expressions of grenache in this country, and looking back today, Growden references that Ochota Barrels wine as reference point or inspiration for the sort of grenache he wanted to make. “I remember theirs – it was great!” he says. “Super ‘bunchy’, crunchy fruit, lovely nose. Definitely lighter on its feet. That’s what I enjoy about grenache from here: pretty aromatics but good tannin and acid line.”
“Grenache didn’t have hype around it. It was unsung. There were great old vineyards that you could get access to – growers couldn’t sell their fruit. Our first vintage was from a 50+ year old vineyard. No one wanted it. We bought fruit at around $800 per tonne: fruit that’s costing around $3-5k today.”
Growden casts his mind back to his first few vintages around 2012. “Grenache didn’t have hype around it. It was unsung. There were great old vineyards that you could get access to – growers couldn’t sell their fruit. Our first vintage was from a 50+ year old vineyard. No one wanted it. We bought fruit at around $800 per tonne: fruit that’s costing around $3-5k today. We looked at grenache as the hero, rather than as a blending component. We looked at techniques like ‘whole bunch’ and earlier picking to bring structure and interest without the palate weight.”
Rob Mack of Aphelion then won the best New Act in 2017, followed by the Young Gun of Wine in 2018, with a cluster of progressive grenache wines. His label has evolved to focus predominantly on the variety today. However, Mack points to the wines of Yangarra as his reference point, signalling the nuance in the spectrum of these light to medium bodied grenache wines – whereas producers in the Ochota Barrels ilk may push the envelope a little further in relation to earlier harvest dates to chase crunchy and fresh wines, and a hands-off approach in the winery, Mack is chasing a medium-bodied, aromatic style.
Mack wants to build age-worthy wines and says the conventional wisdom of adding new oak to cabernet as a recipe for making something to be cellared doesn’t apply. “I reckon the best thing about ageing grenache wines, is that it doesn’t need to rely on winemaking artefact. If we can get good structure, good balance and good persistence out of time on skins and whole bunch, then we’re probably more than halfway there.”
Pete Fraser of Yangarra recalls how this change in style was in fact a response to Mother Nature. “2011 forced our hand where we had a very wet cold vintage, and we were forced to pick early and ended up shocking ourselves,” he says, referencing the more elegant styles they made from 2011. “2011 was written-off in the early stages, but it was the vintage that gave us the most excitement for what could be achieved. We didn’t immediately understand what we had…” For Fraser, it took until the warm 2015 vintage, by which stage they had two vintages of making wine with amphora under their belt. “…We started to understand how to finesse the tannins of our grenache. The big change and the big move for us, was longer, more gentle maceration.”
Since 2017 at Yangarra, Fraser says there has been a complete absence of smaller oak barriques, with more ceramic eggs/amphoras, and only larger ‘old oak’ puncheons (that don’t have the oak character imprint of new oak barrels), and foudres (larger oak vats, that benefit the wine with a sense of texture, rather than oak character).
“The most important part is the picking window, and understanding that it’s very, very tight. And this fine line between acid and sugar ripeness. And I know it probably sounds very simple, but it’s actually quite a juggling act.”
The grenache subtle changes in winemaking have gone hand in hand with vineyard decisions. “In the early 2000s, our view of physiological ripeness of fruit on the vine was probably two weeks too late for what we now know.” At Yangarra Estate, Fraser also points to the viticulture program run by his long term colleague, Michael Lane, and the benefits of organic practices and greater green grass cover under the vines as contributing to fruit quality.
“The most important part is the picking window, and understanding that it’s very, very tight. And this fine line between acid and sugar ripeness. And I know it probably sounds very simple, but it’s actually quite a juggling act.”
Fraser described how the wines have improved thanks to the culture and camaraderie amongst the local producers. “There’s been a fabulous collaboration of winemakers in McLaren Vale that have worked together to understand where we’re all trying to go – and we’re all doing something slightly different – but we’ve all got a similar goal of brightness, tannin, acidity, but then how does the site express itself with the slight differences, that’s really contributed to the confidence of producing ‘that’ style.”
Our panel: Yuki Hirose MS, head sommelier Lucas Restaurants; Chris Webb wine buyer, Cumulus Inc; Lyndon Kubis, owner of several wine bars and DITC online retailer; Liinaa Berry, Sommelier Consultant; Rob Mack, winemaker Aphelion; Sophie Carbonneau, National Sales Manager Bibendum Wine Co.; Mitch Sokolin, winemaker, Eleven Sons; and Gabriella Rush, wine retail professional.
“The benchmark historically has been Châteauneuf-du-Pape... but here today we have freshness, digestibility, expression of place, character... So, I was thinking, here’s the benchmark for grenache today.”
Mack opened the discussion, referencing the start of his Aphelion wine label 10 years ago and producers like Pete Fraser at Yangarra who were the first to lead in making “medium bodied aromatic styles of grenache” as the new stylistic expression from the grape that he wanted to pursue.
“From chats I’ve had with people who know what they’re talking about,” said Mack – who is also presently studying for the Master of Wine, “who have tasted a lot of Rhône, and a lot of other world regions that specialise in this variety, they talk very strongly about McLaren Vale as being a unique part of the world for this, and there were some very special wines in this blind tasting today.”
Mack continued with his local winemaking insights, “People are using different techniques, such as whole-bunch and some really exciting stuff with months on skins, which I saw in some of these wines today. When grenache spends time on skins it just does magic things texturally. If I’m looking at fine wine, I’m looking at flavours. It’s like, you can pull out plumb, you can pull out raspberry, whatever the hell you want – but if you’ve got ‘texture’ and you have ‘carry’ and you have ‘balance’, that’s where things start to come together, and that’s where a lot of these wines were I think in play.”
“That’s what I love about this variety from this particular part of the world and I think it’s why we should be screaming and yelling about it. As sommeliers, we should be doing more and more and more to celebrate them. These wines in comparison to Châteauneuf-du-Pape are killing ‘em.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” replied Webb. “I was blown away predominantly by the freshness that came through the wines. Particularly the freshness of red fruit that really shines, but that married so well with structure and concentration on the back palate. I loved in that integration of that fennel spice that shines through the wines. It got me really excited for a region I was already excited by: McLaren Vale.
“You definitely saw there was a bit of consistency in ‘this is how we make the wine’ and then the different makers shone through – there was some individualism in those wines. I was blown away by the overall quality.”
“Just to extend from Chris’ comment about the consistency of quality,” added Carbonneau. “It just struck me, sort of three quarters into the tasting, you know the benchmark historically has been Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but lately the change in the last three to five vintages have gone ‘overboard’ – but here today we have freshness, digestibility, expression of place, character… So, I was thinking, here’s the benchmark for grenache today.”
“There is so much application for these wines and more often than not you’ll have a table with a combination of pinot noir and shiraz drinkers, and they need to find a happy middle ground, but more importantly people just want something a nice red to drink. McLaren Vale Grenache suits this so well – and we just can’t fit enough in!”
“Just on that comment – digestibility,” replied Webb. “There was so much freshness… The best benchmark for wine right is when you put the glass down, the first thing you want to do is pick it back up.”
“Yeah, slurp it,” chimed Rush.
“But that’s slurpability also with concentration and thought provoking and deliciousness,” continued Webb. “That’s what I love about this variety from this particular part of the world and I think it’s why we should be screaming and yelling about it. As sommeliers, we should be doing more and more and more to celebrate them. These wines in comparison to Châteauneuf-du-Pape are killing ‘em.”
“Agreed, those Southern Rhône wines are too alcoholic,” said Rush. Relating to the experience of recommending wines for someone in a dining situation, she continued, “You’re kind of ending the occasion for people with those wines – I mean, they’re not going to be like, ‘Yeah, I want to go somewhere else from it’. They’re more like, ‘Okay, I’m done now. I’m tapping out.’ Whereas something like these wines today, these are invigorating, they’re like a refreshing opener, or almost like a refresh of the palate after you’ve had other glasses.”
“Grenache delivers what pinot promises!”
“Yeah… When I was learning, in my early years as a sommelier,” recalled Berry, “I remember someone told me, ‘grenache delivers what pinot promises!’ It’s actually got spice and generosity of flavour. It’s promiscuous and seductive on the nose. Pinot can be a lot more restrained… I’m seeing that idea of grenache to more and more true, but with elegance as well.”
“What I wrote in many of my notes, was a combination of confectionary and savoury characters that co-exist,” added Hirose. “It’s crazy! It’s really unique.”
“The wines tended to cluster around what Rob described as a mid-weight aromatic style,” said Sokolin. “The one thing I kind of expected to see more of was a hybrid fresh ‘carbonic’ style. I’d like to see even more wines in the light and fresh idiom. They are not lesser wines in my view and grenache delivers this so well.”
Sokolin continued, “The quality across the lineup was very high and there were hardly any difficult wines, which in turn made it quite hard to parse out the best examples. Oak did dull some of the lesser examples but overall we’re in a very good place.”
Kubis replied, “Heavy-handed oak and overtly alcoholic wines were hard to find, with words like ‘freshness’ and ‘bright’ getting a solid workout on the keyboard, pointing to how embedded earlier picking dates and non-oak vessels have become. What a wonderful time to be drinking McLaren Vale Grenache!
“I would echo the theme of all panellists that the overall quality in the tasting was astonishing,” concluded Kubis. “If we were to do a similar exercise for Mornington Pinot Noir or Margaret River Cabernet there would likely be a lot of hairy outliers to sift through, but the struggle for today was trying to find just six wines to present forward as there was 30 or so that could have easily made it to the top of the podium with only a handful being wines I wouldn’t be very excited to enjoy a bottle of.”
“In the restaurant setting, I’m struggling to withhold expanding that McLaren Vale Grenache section,” added Webb. “There is so much application for these wines and more often than not you’ll have a table with a combination of pinot noir and shiraz drinkers, and they need to find a happy middle ground, but more importantly people just want something a nice red to drink. McLaren Vale Grenache suits this so well – and we just can’t fit enough in!”
Yuki Hirose MS fell for wine while working in bars in his native Tokyo. Moving to Sydney over 15 years ago, he honed his sommelier skills over a decade at Rockpool, while also working his way through the ranks of the Court of Master Sommeliers with the aim of achieving the highest distinction. Hirose moved to Melbourne during the pandemic to launch a world class wine program with Loic Avril for a string of ambitious venues for LUCAS Restaurants. Today, as Wine Operations Manager, he oversees the lists and sommelier teams at Society, Kisume and Grill Americano. In August 2023, after five previous attempts, Hirose became a Master Sommelier, one of less than 300 worldwide.
Rob Mack is the winemaker and owner of Aphelion wine, based in McLaren Vale. He has a Bachelor of Wine Science at Charles Sturt University; is a Len Evans Tutorial Scholar; a French Wine Scholar with Highest Honours; and is currently a Master of Wine student. Mack’s passion for McLaren Vale Grenache and Chenin Blanc. As a frequent wine show judge and former committee member, Mack is actively involved in the wine community.
Liinaa Berry is a Sommelier Consultant. She has had 20 years on the frontlines of wine in hospitality, acting as a curator for the last decade across notable venues in Adelaide and Melbourne, including, 2KW Bar and Restaurant, Mount Lofty House Estate, Pentridge and Sequoia Luxury Lodge, and TFW Hotels. In 2023, her work for Olivine wine bar won Australia’s Best New Wine List at the Wine List of the Year Awards.
Sophie Carbonneau worked for 10 years as a sommelier both in Australia and her native Montreal, Canada. She moved to the wholesale side of the business a decade ago, first alongside legendary retailer, importer and wine judge Randall Pollard at Heart & Soil, his import business, then at industry-leading independent importer and local wholesaler Bibendum Wine Co. She is now Bibendum’s National Sales Manager. Carbonneau is also a second year MW student, though she has pressed pause on her studies – for now.
Mitchell Sokolin left his native New York and a background in retail to pursue a career as a “vagabond winemaker”. The last 12 years with grapes have brought him long stints in Barolo, the remote western reaches of Spain, France, Ukraine, Georgia and of course Victoria, where he currently produces wine under the label, Eleven Sons. He’s also had a brief sojourn on the hospitality side of the wine industry, opening Gray and Gray wine bar in Northcote in 2021 before selling his stake in the business to his partners in 2023 to focus on Eleven Sons.
Gabriella Rush is a wine retail and hospitality professional. Currently studying her WSET Diploma, she has worked vintage between Australia and France, notably with the likes of Mount Mary in Yarra Valley and Domaine Chavy Chouet in Burgundy. Her former retail roles in Melbourne have spanned from Dan Murphys as a Wine Merchant to Blackhearts North Fitzroy store Manager. Rush has also worked at Noble Rot Magazine in London, and has recently launched her own wine label, ByGab.
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