International Grenache Day 2024
Celebrating International Grenache Day 2024 with our latest post – Australia’s Old Vine Grenache is emerging as one of the country’s most prized wine varieties. Once overshadowed by the likes of Shiraz and Chardonnay, Grenache has now taken centre stage in the modern fine wine scene, earning its place among Australia’s finest offerings. Its aromatic profile is nothing short of enchanting—an alluring mix of roses, strawberries, florals, musk, and a touch of Turkish delight. These wines captivate with their complexity and depth, offering layers of flavours that evolve beautifully over time.
What makes Old Vine Grenache even more special is its immediate drinkability. From the moment the bottle is opened, it delivers a rich and rewarding experience that only improves with age. No need for lengthy cellaring—just uncork, and let the flavours transport you. This marks an exciting moment for Australian wine lovers, as they can savour the best of both worlds: wines that are stunningly delicious now and have the potential to evolve into even greater treasures.
While the future of Old Vine Grenache shines brightly, its roots stretch back over 150 years, beginning with the pioneering efforts of James Busby and John Reynell. In the mid-19th century, both traveled to France’s Rhône Valley to gather vine cuttings, which they then transported to South Australia for cultivation. Reynell, in particular, established nurseries at the now-famous Chateau Reynella, in what is today the suburb of Reynella, named in his honor. These initial plantings in McLaren Vale would form the foundation for Australia’s future success with Grenache.
What makes these original bush vines so remarkable is their pre-phylloxera lineage. Unlike many modern grape varieties, they remain untouched by genetic modification. While France’s viticulture was devastated by the phylloxera plague in the late 19th century, South Australia, which has never been impacted by the pest, now boasts some of the world’s oldest pre-phylloxera vine material. These old vine plantings have become not just a national treasure, but a global one, producing Grenache of extraordinary quality. Given their historical and viticultural significance, these vines deserve recognition and preservation as part of Australia’s national heritage.
In the 1930s and 1940s, Grenache found its initial commercial success in the fortified wine market. At the time, demand for fortified wines was booming, particularly in London, where Grenache, often blended with Shiraz, was sent for sale. These wines were warmly embraced by the market, marking Grenache’s first significant output. However, as consumer tastes evolved, preferences shifted away from fortified wines and sherry, both of which had enjoyed widespread popularity. Instead, the demand grew for still table wines, leaving many great vineyards neglected.
The market initially turned to Claret and Rhine Riesling styles. As wine appreciation deepened, Rhône-style and Burgundian wines became more common in cellars and on restaurant menus. During the 1970s, before intellectual property laws were firmly established, Australian wines like Grange Hermitage, Clare Valley Chablis, and Hunter Valley ‘Burgundy’ became household names, proudly featured on wine lists across the country. During this time, Grenache nearly faded into obscurity. It wasn’t until a few key individuals stepped in, rescuing the variety from decline and saving old vines from being lost to the rapidly expanding residential housing developments, that Grenache was revived and given a second chance at greatness.
In 1988, Charlie Melton set the stage for a new chapter in Australian wine by experimenting with blends inspired by the wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape from the southern Rhône. In the Barossa Valley, he combined Grenache with Shiraz and Mourvèdre, giving birth to the first iterations of the now-famous GSM blend. Just a few years later, in 1991, Roman Bratasiuk of Clarendon Hills took Grenache to the next level, producing Australia’s first 100% old vine, single-vineyard Grenache from a little-known area called Blewitt Springs, where Clarendon Hills still operates today.
Roman’s single-minded dedication to showcasing the potential of Blewitt Springs Grenache would span the next 34 years. His pioneering efforts put this sleepy hollow on the map, turning Blewitt Springs into the epicenter of world-class Australian Grenache. Thanks to Roman’s tireless work, Old Vine Grenache is now recognised globally, and Blewitt Springs is celebrated as the heart of this remarkable variety.
Grenache accounts for about 9% of the total vineyard plantings in McLaren Vale, a significant yet small fraction compared to Shiraz, which dominates with 56%. However, what makes McLaren Vale’s Grenache particularly special is that 75% of it comes from old vines. Old vine Grenache is vastly different from its younger counterpart. While young Grenache tends to be high-yielding, thin-skinned, and lighter in both flavor and structure—often made into rosé—it takes about 80 years for these vines to mature and produce the rich, concentrated fruit that characterizes old vine Grenache.
These magnificent, weathered old bush vines yield fewer but more intensely flavored grapes, with thicker skins and a depth of color and structure that’s hard to match. Thanks to their extensive root networks, they faithfully capture the unique mineral qualities of their terroir. Since 1991, Blewitt Springs has been regarded as one of the world’s finest Grenache-growing regions. Its exceptional combination of old vines, ancient soils, and proximity to the sea results in wines that are not only exotic but also stand apart from international examples.
Blewitt Springs’ unique terroir, rich in ironstone, imparts a distinctive ferrous, flinty edge to its Old Vine Grenache. In its youth, Blewitt Springs Grenache often shows notes of lavender, roses, and violets, with layers of forest berries, strawberry, blood orange, musk, and Turkish delight dancing on the palate. As the wine ages, it evolves, revealing crushed rock, rusty, and ferrous elements, which, after 20 years in the bottle, transform into earthy forest floor and truffle-like characteristics. These mature wines exhibit a gravitas and complexity reminiscent of aged Grand Cru Burgundy, showcasing the incredible aging potential and charisma of Old Vine Grenache from Blewitt Springs.