DAN'S WINE BLOG- THIS WEEK'S WINE REVIEW

Friday, October 20, 2023: This week I am talking about an iconic South Australian red blend, the GRENACHE/SHIRAZ blend. Being a New South Welshman I had not heard of such a critter when I first arrived in Adelaide back in 1990. I “discovered” it on my first jaunt down to McLaren Vale when I visited d’Arenberg Wines. From memory it was just called GRENACHE SHIRAZ in those days – still had the big red stripe though. It made a great impression and I have been keeping an eye out for this GS blend ever since. Along the way I also discovered the joys of GSM with the Mataro (Monastrell/Mourvèdre) added as well.

In recent times there have been two GS wines that have stood out for me, firstly the Patritti Wines ‘Marion’ GRENACHE SHIRAZ which comes from a 100-plus-year-old vineyard in the Adelaide suburb of Marion (the oldest suburban vineyard in the southern hemisphere if not the world).

Secondly, this week’s wine, which kicked off my love affair with GS 33 years ago, the sensational, d'Arenberg “d’ARRY’S ORIGINAL” MCLAREN VALE GRENACHE SHIRAZ 2020, current release, foot trodden, basket pressed and utterly delightful. The wine is bright purple/red in colour, with subtle aromas of red berries, vanillin oak and a smidge of dried herbs on the attractive bouquet. The palate is rich, round, smooth and tasty with lashings of appealing flavours leading up to a slightly tight, grippy finish making it a great food wine. Made in the contemporary winemaking style, whereby it is great drinking now but will also evolve further with a few years of diligent cellaring, rather than in the old-style which needed several years of cellaring to often off enough and be able to be enjoyed on its own.A brilliant and fitting tribute to the late, great d’Arry Osborne one of the wine industry’s “true gentlemen”.

PS: It has a gold medal from the NZ International Wine Show.

Friday, October 20, 2023: This week I am talking about an iconic South Australian red blend, the GRENACHE/SHIRAZ blend. Being a New South Welshman I had not heard of such a critter when I first arrived in Adelaide back in 1990. I “discovered” it on my first jaunt down to McLaren Vale when I visited d’Arenberg Wines. From memory it was just called GRENACHE SHIRAZ in those days – still had the big red stripe though. It made a great impression and I have been keeping an eye out for this GS blend ever since. Along the way I also discovered the joys of GSM with the Mataro (Monastrell/Mourvèdre) added as well.

In recent times there have been two GS wines that have stood out for me, firstly the Patritti Wines ‘Marion’ GRENACHE SHIRAZ which comes from a 100-plus-year-old vineyard in the Adelaide suburb of Marion (the oldest suburban vineyard in the southern hemisphere if not the world).

Secondly, this week’s wine, which kicked off my love affair with GS 33 years ago, the sensational, d'Arenberg “d’ARRY’S ORIGINAL” MCLAREN VALE GRENACHE SHIRAZ 2020, current release, foot trodden, basket pressed and utterly delightful. The wine is bright purple/red in colour, with subtle aromas of red berries, vanillin oak and a smidge of dried herbs on the attractive bouquet. The palate is rich, round, smooth and tasty with lashings of appealing flavours leading up to a slightly tight, grippy finish making it a great food wine. Made in the contemporary winemaking style, whereby it is great drinking now but will also evolve further with a few years of diligent cellaring, rather than in the old-style which needed several years of cellaring to often off enough and be able to be enjoyed on its own.A brilliant and fitting tribute to the late, great d’Arry Osborne one of the wine industry’s “true gentlemen”.

PS: It has a gold medal from the NZ International Wine Show.

Check it out, along with the amazing array of other fascinating d’Arenberg wines at www.darenberg.com.au

Cheers, Dan T.

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