Winemaker Notes
The bouquet reveals that this wine has a lot more to offer than merely fruit. There is pronounced earthy and mineral characters along with mushrooms and grilled nuts. In addition to these earthy flavors there is the lifted perfume of violets. There is plenty of fruit as well. It sits between raspberries and plums in the spectrum. In summary this is a very complex and rich wine.
Tasting the wine sees yet another dimension. The weight of the fruit is amazing. Whilst the appearance and bouquet promised plenty of concentration it is still surprising just how intense this wine is and also the richness and weight over the palate exceeds expectations. The fruit flavors seem to be more varied on the palate with a whole basket of berries mixing with the plums.
Whilst the fruit is ripe and very concentrated there is tremendous structure to the wine. The tannin levels are very high, yet the sweetness of the fruit tends to mask them at this stage of the wine's development. The acid is also very strong and gives the wine sharp focus at the back of the palate.
With this combination of fruit intensity and structural components the wine is ideal for laying down in a cellar for many years. Grenache generally is not regarded as a long term cellaring wine, however with the amount of tannin woven into the fabric of this powerful wine it will easily last a decade, quite possibly longer. The acid will also help preserve some of the fruit flavors, yet it makes the wine really lively and crisp in the palate as a young wine so you can enjoy the wine whilst the fruit is at its most potent.
As the wine is very intense with layers of fruit and then layers of secondary characters, you really have to search for strongly flavored dishes that will not be swamped by the wine. To this end I suggest hearty stews with plenty of root vegetables in the juices and tasty cuts of meat that demand long, slow cooking.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The dark ruby-colored 1998 Grenache Blewitt Springs Vineyard offers copious quantities of raspberry and cherry jam intermixed with spicy wood, earth, herb, and pepper scents. Heady, high alcohol gives the wine additional levels of glycerin, which coat the palate and teeth. Dense, chewy, and ripe, this large-scaled Grenache can be drunk now or cellared for 10-12 years.
Grenache thrives in any warm, Mediterranean climate where ample sunlight allows its clusters to achieve full phenolic ripeness. While Grenache's birthplace is Spain (there called Garnacha), today it is more recognized as the key player in the red blends of the Southern Rhône, namely Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Côtes du Rhône and its villages. Somm Secret—The Italian island of Sardinia produces bold, rustic, single varietal Grenache (there called Cannonau). California, Washington and Australia have achieved found success with Grenache, both flying solo and in blends.
Known for opulent red wines with intense power and concentration, McLaren Vale is home to perhaps the most “classic” style of Australian Shiraz. Vinified on its own or in Rhône Blends, these hot-climate wines are deeply colored and high in extract with signature hints of dark chocolate and licorice. Cabernet Sauvignon is also produced in a similar style.
Whites, often made from Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc tend to be opulent and full of tropical, stone and citrus fruit.