I hereby proclaim it officially Spring! Yes, it snowed only 2 days ago, and there is still some of the nefarious white stuff on the ground, but the sun was warm today and I'm breaking out the rosé. This was my rosé of choice last summer - it's inexpensive, delicious, and ubiquitous. There were 10,000 cases imported into the United States, so chances are you can find it just about anywhere.
Something like 80% of the wine made in the Côtes de Provence are rosé; something about the climate and the cuisine in Provence demand this sort of refreshing, food-friendly wine. A variety of grapes are allowed for rosé blends in this region; in this bottle we have a blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon. It makes for a delightful, light copper-salmon color in the glass, and aromas of fresh strawberries, orange blossom, green apple, and green grass waft from the glass. It smells like last summer.
The flavors on the palate are fresh and vibrant, and absolutely summery. Strawberry predominates, but I also get some orange rind and more green apple. The acid is there, and a hint of tannin. My only complaint is a fairly high level of bitterness, which I don't remember being a feature of this wine last time I tasted it. But paired with some food, it takes the edge off and makes for a tasty, fresh wine. Welcome back, Spring!
Vintage: 2009
Grapes: Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Côtes de Provence, France
Price: $10
Showing posts with label Grenache. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Grenache. Show all posts
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Sunday, March 6, 2011
2009 Schild GMS Barossa
First, to clarify, "GMS" stands for Grenache, Mourvedre, Shiraz," a blend of grapes that is fairly popular in Australia (and to some degree in South Africa). Of course, you see it in sourthern France as well, where it presumably originated, though it isn't Shiraz in France, but Syrah. Same grape, different name.
The wine is a bright ruby in the glass - I'd guess that Grenache composes the greatest percentage of the blend given the color. There's a good deal of characteristically Grenache and Shiras black pepperiness and smoke, in the nose, which I always love, some charred oak (but not too much), some barnyard, and some red chili spice. Unfortunately the fruits on the nose are dark and dense, like stewed prunes or raisins. I suspect they waited a bit too long to harvest these grapes in the hot, sunny Barossa Valley.
My suspicions are supported by the way the wine performs on the palate. The first sensation is one of overwhelming heat. The alcohol burn is intense, even with a hint of residual sugar in the wine (i.e. not all of it was fermented and ended up as alcohol, meaning there had to be a lot of sugar to begin with). The wine is surprisingly acidic, though, making me think the winemakers may have "adjusted" the level of acid. This sort of monkeying is hard to hide; added acid rarely integrates seemlessly into a wine.
Criticisms aside, the fruits are still present in the mouth, albeit overripe tasting, and linger on forever - this wine has one of the longest finishes I've ever experienced. It's not an elegant wine - more a bull than a ballerina - but it's acceptable for what it is. Even bulls have their place in the wine world. Just drink it with a pepper steak and not a filet of salmon.
Vintage: 2009
Grapes: Grenache, Mourvedre, Shiraz
Region: Barossa Valley, Australia
Price: $18
NB I tasted a "GMS" blend from d'Arenberg the other day that cost half as much as this one, and was twice the quality in terms of winemaking prowess. Go for the Stump Jump instead!
The wine is a bright ruby in the glass - I'd guess that Grenache composes the greatest percentage of the blend given the color. There's a good deal of characteristically Grenache and Shiras black pepperiness and smoke, in the nose, which I always love, some charred oak (but not too much), some barnyard, and some red chili spice. Unfortunately the fruits on the nose are dark and dense, like stewed prunes or raisins. I suspect they waited a bit too long to harvest these grapes in the hot, sunny Barossa Valley.
My suspicions are supported by the way the wine performs on the palate. The first sensation is one of overwhelming heat. The alcohol burn is intense, even with a hint of residual sugar in the wine (i.e. not all of it was fermented and ended up as alcohol, meaning there had to be a lot of sugar to begin with). The wine is surprisingly acidic, though, making me think the winemakers may have "adjusted" the level of acid. This sort of monkeying is hard to hide; added acid rarely integrates seemlessly into a wine.
Criticisms aside, the fruits are still present in the mouth, albeit overripe tasting, and linger on forever - this wine has one of the longest finishes I've ever experienced. It's not an elegant wine - more a bull than a ballerina - but it's acceptable for what it is. Even bulls have their place in the wine world. Just drink it with a pepper steak and not a filet of salmon.
Vintage: 2009
Grapes: Grenache, Mourvedre, Shiraz
Region: Barossa Valley, Australia
Price: $18
NB I tasted a "GMS" blend from d'Arenberg the other day that cost half as much as this one, and was twice the quality in terms of winemaking prowess. Go for the Stump Jump instead!
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