The more-than-century-old bush vines entrenched in d’Arenberg’s estate vineyard yield modest quantities of highly flavored grenache, coveted by winemakers and kangaroos alike.
Old Vine Grenache -Prize bottlings from Australia's secret garden
By Steve PitcherMost Aussie winemakers would have you believe that each and every of the 6,200 acres of grenache and nearly 92,000 acres of shiraz planted in Australia are home to ancient, gnarled bush vines with ruinously meager yields that produce magnificent, concentrated, mind-blowing wines that deserve to be drunk in the kneeling position. Granted, the assertion applies to more than a handful of these acres, but hardly all. In reality, virtually all of the country's old vines, the oldest of which are survivors from late 19th- and early 20th-century plantings that have been lovingly maintained into the 21st, are concentrated in the state of South Australia. To its good fortune, South Australia never suffered from the periodic phylloxera infestations that decimated vineyards in other Aussie winegrowing states and elsewhere around the globe.
Old vine or not, Shiraz is Australia's superstar wine, and, as such, continues to receive most of the press. Yet its hardy Rhône companion, grenache, has been planted Down Under for just as long and is finally emerging as a captivating varietal wine, too, albeit in significantly smaller quantities. (Australian law dictates that a varietal wine must contain at least 85 percent of the variety to be so labeled, ten percent more than the American standard.)
In France, the variety is grown extensively in Roussillon (the French Catalan region) and in the Southern Rhône, where it can be made into a varietal wine or, more likely, used as a principal component of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. It also figures prominently in Tavel Rosé.
Like most Rhône reds, Aussie Grenache benefits from decanting to jump start aromas and loosen up initially tight fruit flavors. But how do Aussie wineries distinguish between old vine bottlings and wines made from newer plantings?
No matter the variety, the phrase "old vine" is a relative term (both Down Under and here in the states); like the "reserve" designation, it has no legal definition. Although there are few effective controls on the use of it, most winemakers make a determined effort to be honest in their labeling. For example, until recently Burge Family produced a wine called "Garnacha, Old Vine Grenache," which was made entirely from a 1920s-era block of Barossa Valley vines. Beginning with the 2003 vintage, winemaker Rick Burge supplemented the fruit from this block with grapes from younger, twelve-year-old vines (propagated from the old vines) planted adjacent to the old block and farmed in the same way. Because the actual old vine portion of the wine then dropped to 82 percent, the wine's name was changed to "Garnacha, Dry-Grown Grenache." "We like to state the truth - it makes everything easier in the long term," Burge asserts.
For wine consumers, the term "old vine" on the label strongly suggests a higher quality wine, which seems a reasonable assumption. In any event, the concept is romantic and evocative, and probably helps sell wine.
Because the designation remains outside of the law, Burge notes that, "Naturally [it] opens up the term to a wide range of views." He personally would like a definition. "Then there [would be] some value to the term 'old vine,' understood by consumers. Of course, you can still make crap wine from old vine grapes, but generally 'old vine' signifies 'old vine yields' - especially if the fruit is dry-grown, which, in turn, relates to better color, flavor and overall extract, which, in the hands of a good winemaker, should result in a great wine."
If Burge had his way, vines would be classified as follows: "Young Vines" for plants up to 15 years old; "Mature Vines" for those between 15 and 50 years; and "Old Vines" for those older than 50. For the purposes of this article, a vine will be considered getting on in years at around 30, and an "old vine" at 50.
In Spain, where grenache is known as garnacha and esteemed wines like Clos L'Ermita from Álvaro Palacios are crafted from it, ancient, gnarled stumps are well entrenched in the northern and eastern sections of the country. Most easily top 100 years in age, yet a vine needn't be a centenarian to be considered old. It's commonly accepted among winegrowers everywhere that vigor and yield in commercial vineyards begin to decline after 20 years, and that after 50 years of age, the vines are producing so few grapes as to be rendered uneconomical. At least on paper.
For quality-driven producers like Stephen Henschke, winemaker-proprietor of his eponymous winery in Australia's Eden Valley, the trade off is worth it. "As a consequence of low vigor come low bud numbers and open canopies, low yields and often smaller berry size. With the lower yields come earlier ripening and full maturity, and a development of extract or intensity of flavor on the palate." Case in point: His Hill of Grace Vineyard was planted in 1860 and produces an iconic Shiraz.
While that wine and other old vine Aussie Shiraz bottlings are widely heralded and highly sought, other than winemakers, very few wine lovers know what Grenache tastes like - old vine or young - or how it feels on the palate. One San Francisco retailer, however, sums it up succinctly: "Grenache is Pinot Noir on steroids." Chuck Hayward should know.
As the chief wine buyer at the Jug Shop, he is a knowledgeable merchant with the reputation as the go-to guy for Australian wine in the city.
Like pinot noir, grenache reflects the conditions under which it is grown. Yet unlike pinot, it is happiest in warm, sunny places such as the Barossa Valley and nearby McLaren Vale - both perfect growing areas for the variety.
In his book, Wine Atlas of Australia and New Zealand, Aussie wine authority James Halliday opines that, "McLaren Vale produces marvelous Grenache, opulently fruity and spicy, while that of the Barossa Valley is even riper in flavor, indeed, to the point of being quite jammy." With all due respect, after comparatively tasting dozens of current-release old vine Grenaches from both growing regions, it seems to me there is more similarity in style than the "opulently fruity" versus "quite jammy" characterizations.
Opulence, roundness and suppleness are in evidence from both appellations without the impression of overt jamminess. Rather, in most bottlings, a viscous, kirsch-like, red fruit richness is apparent along with a sense of sweetness that comes not from residual sugar (the wines are uniformly fermented dry), but from perfectly ripened fruit combined with the varietal's inherent propensity to show elevated alcohol levels (14 to 17.5 percent) and modest, supple tannins.
Another asset is the general absence of too much oak influence. Thin-skinned grenache doesn't take well to lots of new oak, no matter its origin. Barossa and McLaren Vale winemakers have learned this lesson well, relying mostly on seasoned oak barrels and shorter maturation periods than employed for Shiraz, which allows the grape's lovely red fruit to emerge free of woody constraints, enhanced in many cases by spicy notes.
Located about 30 miles northeast of the charming city of Adelaide, the tidy Barossa Valley is one of Australia's premier wine regions. Settled in the 1840s, largely by German immigrants from the old Prussian provinces of Silesia, Posen and Brandenburg, it is a repository of German bakeries, wurst shops, Germanic architecture, century-plus old vines and historic wineries - including Yalumba, Penfolds, Orlando and Seppelt - clustered around the towns of Angaston, Nuriootpa and Tanunda.
While Barossa's climate is often perceived as warm to very warm, Halliday reports that "its biologically effective temperature summation and ripening mean temperatures are almost identical with those of Bordeaux and the Margaret River." Compared to Bordeaux and Margaret River in Western Australia, however, Barossa has a wide diurnal temperature range, higher maximum daytime temperatures, more sunshine and higher humidity, "all adding up to a climate ideal for full-bodied red wines," he concludes.
"Grenache has long been a very popular variety in the Barossa Valley, due to its ability to withstand extremes of heat, aridity and wind," notes Peter Schulz, proprietor and winemaker at Turkey Flat Vineyards. The vines, he explains, are "traditionally spur-pruned, in the goblet style of southern France." Up until the 1960s, grenache was a mainstay of fortified winemaking, but when a shift in consumer tastes caused a decline in fortified wine consumption in the 1970s, Schulz recalls that many grenache vines were pulled up and replaced by trendier varieties, principally cabernet sauvignon.
"Renewed interest in Grenache as a dry table wine has meant that the few old vines that do remain are now highly prized," Schulz says. The Turkey Flat estate vineyard, originally planted by his forebears in 1847 near Tanunda, contains almost 20 acres of 90-year-old bush vine grenache - fantastically concentrated fruit that translates into a style for which the winery has gained an enviable reputation. And at Rusden, winemaker Christian Canute notes that the similarities between the 35-year-old block of grenache grown in Vine Vale sand and that grown in the Southern Rhône are quite amazing. Yielding a modest 2.5 to 3 tons per acre, the vineyard's fruit is the latest ripening grenache in the Barossa Valley, adding to his wine's complexity.
In California, Grenache is made at more than two dozen wineries, some from old vine fruit. Curiously, for at least one California winemaker, clonal distinctions can trump old vines. "My experience with grenache in California is that the old vines produce inferior wines to those made from the recently planted grenache noir clones," asserts winemaker Mick Unti of Unti Vineyards in Dry Creek Valley.
During his former tenure at McDowell Valley Vineyards in Mendocino, he noticed that their 70-plus-year-old grenache vines "produced a pleasant, fruity wine that lacked the depth, complexity and personality" he had come to love from Southern Rhône reds. In 1998, his father planted three clones of grenache noir in their Dry Creek vineyard. "These clones, selected from Châteauneuf-du-Pape, give darker color and better structure than the majority of grenache planted in California," Unti believes. Since the 2001 vintage, the Untis have been making a grenache-based red that in a very short period has developed quite a following.
Be that as it may, Unti's counterparts Down Under value their old vine grenache. At Yalumba, Australia's oldest family-owned wine company (founded in 1849), there exists a veritable viticultural treasure that the family refers to as the Nursery Vineyard. Situated in the heart of Barossa on the outskirts of Angaston on the valley floor, the vineyard includes grenache and shiraz vines planted as long ago as 1889, making them "among the oldest grapevines in the world," notes Yalumba's managing director Robert Hill Smith.
From the Nursery Vineyard comes a unique, 100-percent varietal Grenache dubbed Tricentenary Vines sourced from gnarled bush vines and reasonably priced at $32. Old-vine fruit from this vineyard, supplemented by grenache from 40-year-old vines owned by the Habermann family in Tanunda, comprises the family's Barossa Bush Vine Grenache, a great value at $17.
Spending less than $20 on a Grenache loaded with old vine fruit is the exception, both in Barossa and McLaren Vale, the latter of which stretches southward from the outskirts of Adelaide. Bordered by the Gulf of St. Vincent (named for the patron saint of viticulture) to the west and the Mount Lofty Ranges to the east, the rolling hills topography of McLaren Vale, combined with a temperate maritime climate characterized by warm days and cool nights - perfect for maintaining grape acid balance - create an excellent environment for Rhône varieties, particularly grenache and shiraz.
Indeed, the higher elevations around the town of Clarendon (which shares its name with a sub-region of McLaren Vale), are renowned for old bush vine Grenache from specialist producers such as Clarendon Hills (which offers five single-vineyard Grenaches, including the country's most expensive), d'Arenberg (with two varietal Grenaches, including the legendary Custodian) and Wirra Wirra (an aboriginal term meaning "among the gums" or eucalyptus trees, synonymous with "meeting place").
McLaren Vale's grape-growing history dates to the 1830s, but it wasn't until the late 1880s, led by the pioneering families of Johnston, Reynell and Hardy, that viticulture became an important agricultural staple. Alexander Johnston purchased 120 acres of rich farmland east of the fledgling village of McLaren Vale in 1881. "He named the land Pirramimma, an aboriginal phrase meaning the moon and the stars," notes Alex Johnston, the founder's grandson and the winery's general manager. "It's been in family hands ever since, although it's been increased to 600 contiguous acres, 450 of which are planted to vines."
Winemaker Geoff Johnston, Alex's first cousin, is particularly fond of the old bush vine Grenache he crafts. "The current vintage - 2003 - was an exceptional one for Pirramimma Grenache, producing grapes of excellent quality, hand-picked from the oldest vineyard on the estate, dry-grown bush vines planted in the spring of 1944 by Italian prisoners of war," he explains.
The d'Arenberg winery also has a long, if somewhat less colorful, history with old vine Grenache. Winemaker Chester Osborn claims that no other Australian winery has so proudly represented the varietal. "When my grandfather purchased the established Milton vineyards in 1912, they were already planted to grenache, shiraz and mourvèdre. In fact, grenache has been the foundation of all of d'Arenberg's red wines since the construction of the cellars in 1927."
Estate vineyards don't supply enough grenache for all of d'Arenberg's production requirements, so Osborn must purchase fruit as well. Determined to secure the finest old-vine grenache possible, in 1993 he advertised that he would pay double the market rate per ton for dry-farmed, small berry grenache, and 20 to 30 small growers responded. "Most of them had been selling their fruit to the backyard market and their crops ranged from a half-ton to three tons per acre. It was, and is, exceptional fruit - very low yielding - and still complements the Osborn vineyard material to make up the Custodian Grenache to this day."
The oldest grenache vines in the d'Arenberg estate vineyard are approaching their 120th season, Osborn notes, "and are thick-trunked, dry grown and deeply rooted, struggling to produce modest quantities of small, highly flavored grapes."
As with all of his d'Arenberg reds, the Custodian undergoes the same gentle processing using the Demoisy crusher, fermentation in the concrete and stainless steel open-top fermenters, where the grape skins are submerged in the fermenting juice by foot treading. "Gentle pressing in our 19th century basket presses is followed by approximately twelve months in some new, but mostly older American and French barriques," Osborn explains.
Under his Clarendon Hills label, winemaker Roman Bratasiuk arguably produces South Australia's most powerfully expressive old vine Grenache (his Australis is counted among the country's elite group of iconic Shiraz). All five of his bottlings are crafted from venerable, dry-farmed grenache vineyards planted in the 1920s in the Clarendon, Blewitt Springs and Kangarilla sub-regions of McLaren Vale and sited within a four-mile radius of the winery in the town of Blewitt Springs.
The line's flagship is the Romas Grenache, whose handpicked fruit comes from non-trellised bush vines grown in the highest, steepest part of the east-facing Blewitt Springs Vineyard where the soil contains high amounts of ironstone, rock and quartz and the yield is meager at about one ton per acre. Bratasiuk explains that, "Romas is made like all Clarendon Hills wines with natural yeasts and minimal intervention, but sees no new oak barrels, usually two- to three-year-old seasoned French barriques."
Remember "Pinot on steroids?" Bratasiuk confirms that old vine Grenache inspires enthusiastic comparisons. When describing his Romas Grenache, at $115 Australia's most expensive bottling of the varietal, he says, "It has a most exotic element to it reminiscent of Naomi Campbell in high heels wearing pink lipstick."
Sounds provocative, but tasting dozens of old vine Grenaches convinced me that Pinot Noir has a competitor in the pure pleasure department.
Tasting BAR
The following wines were tasted blind in San Francisco. Alcohol percentages are stated when they exceed 14.5 percent.
barossa valley
Burge Family, 2004 Garnacha, Dry-Grown Grenache, Barossa Valley - $45: Bush vines planted in the 1920s provide most of the fruit for this medium-bodied wine. Fragrant, lifted aromas of freshly crushed strawberry and red plum accented by subtle spicy notes. Exuberantly fruity with flavors announced by the nose that are enlivened by bright acidity. (15.5% alcohol) Score: 89
Craneford, 2004 John Zilm Grenache, Barossa Valley - $25/screwcap: Made from 30- and 60-year-old grenache vines and blended with a dash of mourvèdre from 60-year-old vines and a little shiraz, this opulent wine offers forward aromas of wild raspberry and red cherry, subtle peppery spice and red licorice. Rich, dense and concentrated with medium tannins and copious, very ripe red fruit that has a kirsch-like richness, this full-bodied wine compels a second sip, then another. A great bargain. Score: 93
Glaymond, 2003 Gerhard Grenache, Barossa Valley - $59: Named for winemaker Damien Tscharke's father, who planted the vines during the drought year of 1965, this Grenache is bottled hedonism, offering heady scents of ripe, just-crushed wild strawberry, a palate of kirsch-like richness with deep, concentrated flavors of strawberry compote and supple tannins. The enormous palate presence comes from a combination of extracted red fruit and 17.5% alcohol. Score: 93
Magpie Estate, 2002 The Gomersal Grenache, Barossa Valley - $40: Deep aromas of dark cherry, wild strawberry, vanilla and a bit of pepper. Elegant and polished with medium-full, ripe tannins, the Gomersal (named after a town) is a joyous wine experience - not too heavy, not too light - brimming with vanilla custard-tinged, extracted, dark cherry-black raspberry fruit that's deep and concentrated, benefiting from 22 months in new and seasoned French oak, accented by peppery spice and exhibiting a luscious kirsch-like texture. A perfect example of "Pinot on steroids." Score: 93
Magpie Estate, 2002 The Fakir Grenache, Barossa Valley - $21: Forward, spicy nose of mocha and ripe red cherry-strawberry fruit. Smooth and round with medium tannins and lots of glycerin lending a kirsch-like richness. Classy and complex with a long close. Blended with 7% shiraz. Score: 92
Ross Estate, 2002 Old Vine Grenache, Barossa Valley - $20: Warm, inviting aromas of red cherry, red plum and subtle dark chocolate. Soft and plush with ripe, supple tannins, the wine (from 75- and 90-year-old vines) is richly textured with copious, bright red cherry flavors. Score: 89
Rusden, 2004 Grenache, Christine's Vineyard, Barossa Valley - $35: Made from 37-year-old vines, the Rusden Grenache offers a slow-to-open nose of freshly crushed strawberry, red cherry and cranberry with a subtle minerality emerging as the wine airs. The moderately complex palate echoes the nose, enhanced by just a touch of "good" barnyard. (15% alcohol) Score: 89
Trevor Jones, 2002 Boots Grenache, South Australia - $15: Blended with 8% merlot and 7% cab franc, Boots fittingly possesses a subtle leathery note, accenting the aromas of crushed wild strawberry and chopped fresh lavender. Smooth, round and juicy with medium-full tannins (from the Bordeaux grapes) and generous red fruit flavors along with a touch of brown spice. Very easy to drink, especially if lightly chilled. (15% alcohol) Score: 89
Turkey Flat, 2003 Grenache, Barossa Valley - $24: Forward, very fragrant aromas of raspberry, dark cherry, plum and brown spice. Luscious, rich and loaded with ripe red fruit, this generous wine from 90-year-old vines has ripe, chewy tannins and great depth of flavor with that distinctive old vine kirsch richness. (15% alcohol) Score: 92
Two Hands, 2004 Aerope Grenache, Barossa Valley - $100: Deep, fragrant, complex aromas of black cherry-cassis fruit, dark chocolate, rose petals, dried lavender, subtle forest floor and brown spice. Round, plump and very smooth with medium tannins, this gently oaked, flagship Grenache is bursting with concentrated, extracted fruit that echoes the nose's complexity with the chocolate aspect extending into the long, spicy finish. Score: 93
Two Hands, 2004 Yesterday's Hero Grenache, Barossa Valley - $35/screwcap: Mildly gamy, Rhône-like scents woven with red fruit and minerals are replicated on the palate of this unoaked bush vine Grenache. Velvety smooth and juicy with medium tannins, the wine's flavors are generous, finishing with notes of leather and pepper. (15% alcohol) Score: 90
Yalumba, 2004 Bush Vine Grenache, Barossa Valley - $17: Forward, wonderfully spicy nose of raspberry, strawberry and plum, enhanced by vanillin oak and clove spice. Plump, fruity and very easy to drink with supple tannins, this super smooth, 100 percent varietal Grenache from vines ranging from 50 to about 80 years of age, delivers copious, lip-smacking flavors of sweet, luscious, red fruit and cranberry relish accented by orange zest and white pepper. Great value. Score: 90
Yalumba, 2004 Tricentenary Vines Grenache, Barossa Valley - $32: Deep, brooding aromas of dark chocolate, black cherry-raspberry fruit, violets, brown spice and subtle forest floor that expand with airing. Full bodied, round and plump with silky tannins, this noble Grenache from vines planted in 1889 offers copious, very ripe black cherry-cassis fruit accented by notes of crushed juicy pomegranate seeds, dark chocolate and brown spice that resonate in the extended finish. A powerful, yet lithe wine that needs three to five years of cellaring. Score: 93
McLaren Vale
d'Arenberg, 2004 The Custodian Grenache, McLaren Vale - $19: Shy, initially earthy aromas that clear with airing to reveal lifted plum, red cherry, cassis, violets and mocha. Silky smooth, with supple tannins, the broad palate delivers juicy flavors of sour cherry, raspberry, black currant, white pepper and tobacco leaf, along with touches of vanilla and mocha. Score: 90
d'Arenberg, 2003 The Derelict Vineyard Grenache, McLaren Vale - $29: The spicy nose of red cherry, raspberry and chocolate is replicated on the palate, which is richly textured and kirsch-like with medium-full, chewy tannins. The extended finish picks up some cranberry, anise and white pepper flourishes. Score: 91
Clarendon Hills, 2003 Clarendon Grenache, Blewitt Springs Vineyard, McLaren Vale - $80: Deeply colored and very rich, exhibiting forward raspberry, plum and blueberry fruit that is echoed on the palate, where brown spice also enlivens the mix. Score: 90
Clarendon Hills, 2003 Clarendon Grenache, Clarendon Vineyard, McLaren Vale - $73: Very aromatic, with scents of red cherry, blackberry, plum and dried lavender. Velvety in texture and mouth-filling without overt weightiness; deep flavors replicate the nose. Score: 91
Clarendon Hills, 2003 Clarendon Grenache, Hickenbotham Vineyard, McLaren Vale - $73: Made from vines planted in the 1920s, this is a spicy, plush Grenache that exhibits super-ripe raspberry, strawberry, red plum, allspice and marzipan in both aroma and extracted flavor; medium-full bodied with supple, medium tannins. Brooding red juice with enormous palate presence and a flourish of white pepper in the finish. Score: 92
Clarendon Hills, 2003 Clarendon Grenache, Kangarilla Vineyard, McLaren Vale - $80: Forward, complex aromas of dark berries, plum compote and clove-cinnamon spice, accented by subtle, fresh green herbs. Voluptuous and almost sweet with medium tannins and flavors that echo the nose. Score: 92
Clarendon Hills, 2003 Clarendon Grenache, Romas Vineyard, McLaren Vale - $115: The most profound Grenache in the Clarendon Hills portfolio, the Romas required two days to analyze. Slow-to-open nose of raspberry, white chocolate, rose petals, anise and copious dried lavender (which pervades the palate as well). This bold, extracted wine delivers ultraripe black cherry-dark berry fruit and finishes with a white pepper flourish. It may be too much for some palates, but mine was captivated. Score: 94
Chateau Reynella, 2002 Basket Pressed Grenache, McLaren Vale - $24: Liqueur-rich nose of strawberry and red currant with a touch of loamy earth. Round and juicy with spicy red fruit accented by blueberry; medium bodied and very easy to drink. From 40- to 80-year-old vines. Score: 88
Simon Hackett, 2004 Old Vine Grenache, McLaren Vale - $18: Forward, very fragrant aromas of red fruit (raspberry, plum and sour cherry) along with allspice and subtle vanilla. Round and juicy with medium tannins, delivering copious red fruit and racy tannins. Score: 90
Pirramirra, 2003 Old Bush Vine Grenache, McLaren Vale - $23/screwcap: Subdued nose of sour cherry, violets and cola doesn't hint at the great burst of flavor: extracted, liqueur-rich black raspberry and red currant accented by white pepper. Elegant and generous with great concentration and focus. An exceptional value. Score: 91
Tintara, 2003 Grenache Reserve, McLaren Vale - $50: Aromas of fresh raspberry and musk with nuances of violets, lavender and spice. Medium bodied with silky, medium tannins, tasting of luscious red fruit with hints of mint and minerality. Displays the elegant, rather than bold, profile of old vine Grenache. Score: 88
Tirna N'og, 2003 Old Vines Grenache, McLaren Vale - $25: Enticing scents of dark berries, black cherry and wild strawberry are echoed on the rich, kirsch-like palate. Boldly flavored and concentrated, this impressive Grenache picks up some black pepper as the vibrant fruit expands with air. (15.9% alcohol) Score: 92
Twelve Staves, 2003 Grenache, McLaren Vale - $23: From 76-year-old vines, displays characteristic cherry-strawberry scents accented by a touch of crushed clove. Medium bodied with medium tannins, the flavors advertised by the nose are direct and not too deep, but still delicious, and the wine finishes with a note of white pepper. Score: 88
Wirra Wirra, 2002 Grenache, McLaren Vale - $27: Nose of freshly crushed strawberry, black raspberry, star anise and grated nutmeg. Super smooth, rich and polished with copious red fruit flavors, the stunning wine from 50-year-old vines is oozing personality with spicy undertones that expand in the finish. Score: 94
Yangarra Estate, 2003 Old Vine Grenache, McLaren Vale - $25: Forward, fragrant aromas of freshly crushed wild strawberry and juicy pomegranate seeds. Luscious and powerful with a kirsch-like texture and copious, sweet strawberry fruit laced with black pepper, displaying impressive depth and an extended finish. (15.8% alcohol)
Score: 91
Based in San Francisco, Contributing Editor Steve Pitcher may be reached by e-mail at wine2words@aol.com.
