Beautiful Grenache! A red grape varietal that thrives in warm conditions and produces a deliciously versatile wine. Whilst we love it here in McLaren Vale, its origin is linked to Spain – where it’s known as Garnacha. Equally you’ll find it planted across Italy and France, with the southern Rhône being one of the most renowned regions for its variety. There, Grenache commonly joins forces with Shiraz and Mourvèdre in its famous blends, and, in recent years, Australia has put its own distinctive stamp on this blended trio – affectionately known as GSM (Grenache, Shiraz, Mourvèdre). Increasingly, Grenache is shining as a single-varietal wine, with Australian expressions proving this red grape has everything it needs – and more – to go solo.
Grenache was the first grape variety our family planted here in McLaren Vale almost 100 years ago, so it’s a style we know and love. Read on to discover all you need to know about this popular wine. We love it so much that we make three different wines from this amazing variety.
What does Grenache taste like?
Grenache is an aromatic, fruit-driven wine that typically shows brighter flavours – expect strawberry, cranberry, raspberry and plum – that mingle with floral, herbal and spiced notes that add depth and complexity. Here in Australia, as producers gain more experience working with Grenache in new ways, a broad range of styles is emerging, from light and bright to rich and dense, and everything in between. Grenache is generally a plush, approachable, and food-friendly wine, an excellent option for many different tastes and occasions.
What is Grenache similar to?
Are you normally a Shiraz drinker? Well Grenache is an excellent alternative. Grenache can deliver much of the same texture, richness, and palate weight as Shiraz, as well as all those vibrant red and blue fruit flavours. But its hallmark spice—think hints of star anise and even cinnamon—sets Grenache apart, giving it a subtle exotic twist.
Grenache is also sometimes likened to Pinot Noir, with many styles landing at the lighter, more restrained end of the spectrum – traits people tend to love most about Pinot. Grenache can also present with more acidity than tannins, which puts it in a similar camp to Pinot, so it can suit people who prefer lighter styles of red wine.
Is Grenache sweet or dry?
With Grenache vines dating back to the late 1800s here in Australia, the variety was at the centre of fortified production for a long time, so it has a history of making sweet wines. As Wine Australia reports, more recently, however, Grenache has become one of our most celebrated dry red wines. Over the past 10 to 15 years, a renewed focus on Grenache has seen it stake its claim as a quality, regionally expressive red wine, and, in turn, a true Australian benchmark. Still, this is no Cabernet Sauvignon or Sagrantino – Grenache may be dry, but fans love its trademark lifted fruit flavours, minimal tannins and juicy palate.
Why is McLaren Vale so great for Grenache?
Grenache loves warm growing conditions, and it’s incredibly resilient to heat and drought, so this grape variety has found a very happy home in McLaren Vale’s Mediterranean climate. McLaren Vale may be the birthplace of wine in South Australia, but its producers continue to innovate with emerging varieties and new practices in their vineyards and wineries. As a result, McLaren Vale is now Australia’s third biggest producer of Grenache and makes some of the nation’s most coveted Grenache wines.
There’s plenty of old vines across the region, which results in incredibly complex wines and flavours. Look out for some popular options from some of our fellow wineries like Yangarra, Wirra Wirra, Kay Brothers, MMAD, SC Pannell and D’Arenberg.
What food pairs with Grenache?
Grenache is a brilliant food wine. It plays nicely with so many different meals, including a range of meats such as roast lamb and game, plus braises, pizza and chargrilled vegetables. Its spiced notes also make it a great match for dishes that share the same characters – think duck with Chinese five-spice or curries with a mild chilli kick. Most Grenache wines won’t overpower the flavours in a meal, so, much like Pinot Noir, it can even work well alongside richer seafood dishes such as tuna.
Discover Oliver’s Taranga Grenache
Grenache was the first grape variety our family planted here almost 100 years ago, and today, we make three Grenache wines – the Estate Grenache, RW Grenache, and The Banished Fortified Grenache.
There have plenty of years where we have just not had enough Grenache to make sure everyone gets as much as they want. We’re excited so many people are discovering just how great this variety is, and we look forward to serving up more and more fantastic Grenache every year, until everyone is a convert!
This is an approachable, medium-bodied style of Grenache that’s ideal for anyone newer to the variety. Loaded with spice, earthy notes and forest berry aromas and flavours, this is a perfect pick for pizza.
Sitting in The Greats range, this Grenache is named after our great-grandfather Robert William Oliver. Cranberry, raspberry, rose hip and crunchy red berry flavours collide with fresh fennel and anise in this generous style that has density, weight, structure and length.
There’s a story behind this name. Three brothers from the second generation of our family dodged their farming duties for drinking, smoking and gambling instead. This saw them banished from the property, but today, this wine salutes their carefree attitude. Aged for 20 years in a solera of ancient Cognac barrels, this fortified wine’s sweet fruit flavours are balanced by fresh acidity.
Want to learn more about other red wines? Read all about Sagrantino