Grenache may be one of the most widely planted grape varietals in the world, but here in Australia, it sits rather low down in the pecking order in what is likely fifth position, behind Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Pinot Noir. And for the life of me, I don’t know why we don’t make more…
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For reasons I’ve never really understood, Grenache has long been the Nutribullet of grape varietals; not really a headline act itself, but considered really useful for blending. But in recent years, the style seems to be gaining momentum as a single varietal of note and one worthy of occupying space in the cellar. And if…
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No one wants to pay more than they need to but the bitterness of poor quality lingers well after the sweetness of low price is forgotten. In these troubled economic times, most of us are constantly on the hunt for value; that Goldilocks balance that’s “just right” in the tension between quality and price. After…
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Ask any sommelier what styles and varietals of wines are seeing sales growth, and you’ll normally be told that it’s all about rosé, Mediterranean varietals and organics. Some venues have seen rosé sales increase by as much as 40% while orders for sauvignon blanc (especially the highly aromatic styles) have declined as consumers are developing…
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The Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France has long been the poor cousin of the French wine industry. Grape growing in the area dates back to the Pliocene period yet despite being one of the oldest wine-producing regions in Europe, the district has never been highly regarded by the French as a premier wine-producing region. Such…
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These days, everyone with a social media account and a mobile phone is a food or wine critic and the power of these so-called “influencers’ increases exponentially with the increase in reach of every flippant, if not ill-considered post. And it’s a sad reality, that in the wine industry the fortunes of wineries and winemakers…
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If I had a “tenner” for every time I’ve heard people say that “the sulphites in red wine give me headaches”, I reckon I’d probably be on a plane to the Bahamas right now! Rightly or wrongly, sulphur dioxide (SO2) is often blamed as being the cause of hangovers and headaches on the morning after…
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Sardinian wine may hold the key to a long life Cannonau di Sardegna may be earning its’ fame as the “longevity grape from Sardinia”, but for all the touted health benefits it offers, it is a remarkably palatable drop. The “it’s good for you” spin, may be just the work of clever local marketers, but…
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They produce Grenache wines of complexity The Grenache varietal is thought to have originated in Spain, where the hot dry climate is ideal. PARADOXICAL it may be but, despite Australia being a “New World” wine producer, we are also home to some of the oldest Grenache vines in the world! While European vineyards suffered at…
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Wow. It’s not often that I try a wine for the first time and immediately search for descriptive superlatives, but the Deisen Barossa Grenache 2010 left me in an adjective free zone and bordering on speechless. Grenache is a style that is normally used in Bordeaux blends which on its own can be floral and…
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