Winemaker Notes
Pairs well with lighter dishes such as Tapas.
Blend: 98% Grenache, 2% Shiraz
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
Medium ruby color; silky, bright, and juicy with lively cherry and tangy raspberry; lush, ripe, and generous with richness and length.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Bottled a bit more than a month before I tasted it, the 2017 Basket Pressed Grenache looks pristine. Dried herbs and spices give an impression akin to garrigue on the nose. It's medium to full-bodied, with supple, almost creamy tannins and a spicy-herbal, lingering silky finish. Just lovely stuff for near-term drinking.
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.