The Terroirists show: Grenache the Magnificent

A Wednesday, A Cheap Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Happiness

One can walk down the streets of San Francisco and ask any a mere mortal what the best vintage of Chateauneuf-du-Pape in the 21st century is thus far, and one could expect to get a lot of strange looks. Of course, one may also come upon a few folks who exclaim, “2007”, and thereupon begin to reference Robert Parker scores and the high level of ripeness achieved throughout the region. So 2007 Chateauneuf-du-Pape is hot right now, but I have to wonder how crazy hot it would be if the economy didn’t… well… whatever you want to call it.

The thing with Chateauneuf-du-Pape is the prices refuse to drop into the teens. Even in Bordeaux the great 2005 vintage offers numerous under $15 bottles which tend to be less than overwhelming. Bordeaux is a significantly larger region than Chateauneuf-du-Pape, however. So what is Chateauneuf-du-Pape besides a cool name?

CdP at Sunset

There are 13 permitted varieties in the region, but the dominant grape is Grenache. Other more common varieties found in red CdP’s include Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, and Counoise. The area within France’s Southern Rhone Valley is translated to, “new castle of the pope”; named after the penthouse suite which the man himself once called home. Without getting into religious discussions, the Pope now resides once again in Vatican City (as seen in Eurotrip).

What brings me to this point in this amazing text-creating machine shall follow. In Sonoma, California I found myself with an extra 15 minutes before my appointment at the aforementioned Scribe Winery. I drove by a Whole Foods Market, stumbled in, and stumbled back out with a 2007 Chateauneuf-du-Pape in my grasps. The bottle cost me a measly $20, but I added on a chocolate peanut butter treat and I donated to some foundation by rounding up my total $.12. Please leave your compliments in ‘Ask a Terroirist’.

This is one of those wines that’s too cheap to be true, but it is. Oh, the wine is the 2007 Ogier ‘Les Closiers’ Chateauneuf-du-Pape. The wine smells amazing upon first sniff, but then it starts to unravel. It makes me wonder how it was treated. I’d guess it is a mix of bulk wines from various producers which received rough handling and too much oxygen. The back labels claims the wine was aged in oak for 12 months – I mean I guess that would be impressive to someone who doesn’t know very much about wine. My advice: buy this and drink it within 2 minutes of opening. A power hour of wine consisting of 25 individuals would be a good use. Don’t get me wrong – it’s actually very good right away, but it’s staying power is lacking.

Right now I’m choosing to drink coffee rather than Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Please, remember this moment as a similar phenomenon may never occur again.

Grenapril

March went very quickly, as did our supply of Cabernet Franc. It’s time to usher in a new era; and with this era comes Grenache. Grenache is among the most planted grapes in the world, and if statistics were better and easier to find I might call it the leader of red grapes.

Bacon Deviled Eggs

Planted widely in Southern France and in Spain (where it’s known as Garnacha), Grenache is a workhorse grape that deserves respect. The Terroirists are delivering that respect in April. The Chateauneuf-du-Pape region of the Southern Rhone tends to make wine which doesn’t suck, and Grenache is the majority grape in most CdP wines. Despite being just one of thirteen permitted varieties in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, most wines produced there meet the American requirement to be called a Grenache — that is 75% of the wine is Grenache.

In the United States Grenache makes a small showing in Washington along with more renown in Paso Robles, but Australia has got it going on. Grenache tends to have a lighter color not far from Pinot Noir, but it has a fuller body and aromatics which are borderline strawberry Jolly Rancher at a 3D movie. Were it not for France and Spain, however, Grenache would likely be one of those unfortunate grapes that falls to the wayside thanks to wine globalization and varietal labeling. Sick of Cabernet Sauvignon? Try a Grenache; it won’t disappoint you — especially if you were expecting Thunderbird.

Council of Three: Spanish Shenanigans

2008 Borsoa Red Wine – 75% Garnacha | 25% Tempranillo from Spain ~$10

The council of three met tonight, and together we were merry. Eric chose this wine and I was way off – guessing Syrah. Mike was pretty close with the guess of GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre). Rather dark color for a Grenache based wine, and definitely a new world style. A rather buttery nose with a little bit of a stink and rich dark fruit – I’m talking blackberry cobbler rolling like Bill Gates. The wine isn’t bad by any means; the finish is somewhat reminiscent of 409 (the cleaner) sprayed onto a paper towel and rubbed on the floor. If one is into liquified blackberry cobbler made with excessive amounts of butter this wine is highly recommended. If one is not, it’s still a decent value. Eric summed it up by saying, “I wouldn’t take it to bed”.

Eric’s score: 86 (unblind)
Steve’s score: 85
Mike’s score: 85

Council of Variable Members score: 85

If we keep judging wines so closely the integrity of CoVM will be compromised. I might have to throw in a Pinot Noir to mix it up a bit next time.