Here’s something you may not know about Grenache. They grow it in China. Yep, there is 12,000 acres of it. Now, that sounds a lot but when you take into consideration the size of China, Grenache only takes up 0.0005% of the country. It doesn’t seem much does it? Now, compare that to Australia where there is 3724 acres of Grenache which works out at only 0.0002% of our great country. I would never have thought that those in the land of the Great Wall grow more Grenache than Australia.
I have never tried a Grenache from China but I don’t reckon theirs comes anywhere near the quality of those produced here, this one included.
Delicately perfumed it gives plenty of red fruits showing signs for what is definitely going to be a juicy wine to drink and it doesn’t disappoint. Flavours of cherries, strawberries, dried cranberries giving a nice touch of sweetness, and a gentle spicy/peppery note adding a nice dimension too. The alcohol sits at 14.5% but it has been very well tamed. Juicy it certainly is. Light to medium bodied it is very (or should I say too) easy drinking.
Considering the age of the vines, the quality of the wines (like this one)and the sort of new found popularity of the variety, I think there should be some consideration given to the building of a ‘great wall’ around the Grenache vineyards here…just in case.
Region: McLaren Vale, SA Price: $32 Source: Sample
Words from a Wine Glass 