Grenache pulls in the stars
Forget about the London Wine Fair and other dreary gatherings for those of us who earn a living from an anything-but-dreary liquid. The first International Grenache Symposium held recently in the Southern Rhône showed how these things should be done. Brilliantly organised by estate owners Nicole Rolet of La Verrière and Walter McKinlay of Domaine de Mourchon, it was enjoyable, thought-provoking and a networker’s dream.
Perhaps in the reverse order, to be truthful. Moderated by leading wine writers Steven Spurrier and Michel Bettane, G-Day attracted a galaxy of top names from different spheres in 23 countries. Producers including California’s Randall Grahm, the Barossa’s Stephen Henschke, Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s Vincent Avril and Priorat’s René Barbier joined world-famous viticultural experts, journalists, distributors and retailers to unpick the potential of the grape described by Spurrier as ‘the girl next door – you know she’s always there but you don’t pay too much attention to her’.
Among the many interesting points raised by the 250 attendees, I was taken by the suggestion that global warming is likely to bring heat-living Grenache more to the fore. Another topical claim was that this grape is remarkably eco-friendly, needing no irrigation and surviving into extreme old age rather than having to be ripped up after 30 years and replanted.
Of the recommendations made, one of the most practical was to serve Grenache cooler than most other red wines – at 15-16 degrees C, to lessen the impression of sweetness and alcohol which sometimes make it seem like a jammy blockbuster. And the most fun? The idea of an International Grenache Day, when to celebrate this extrovert grape everybody wears a loud shirt. (That one came from McLaren Vale winemaker Chester Osborn whose shirts are deafening – every day.)
