d’Arenberg is once again throwing its support behind International Grenache Day on September 21st with specialised tastings at cellar door, a regional ‘tweet-up’ and specially developed dishes at d’Arry’s Verandah Restaurant. The date will also mark the release of the 2010 vintages of the sub-regional Grenaches from Chester Osborn’s ‘Amazing Sites’ project.
d’Arenberg have been the driving force behind a McLaren Vale ‘tweet-up’ at the Vale Inn Taphouse that will see producers from around the region pouring Grenache in its many guises. Guests will be encouraged to tweet their thoughts and create some noise around this groovy grape using the hashtag #Grenacheday. A palate cleansing keg of Vale Ale, the region’s inaugural table tennis competition and a DJ on site will keep the celebrations kicking well into the night.
The d’Arenberg cellar door will have an even greater emphasis on Grenache for the week of September 17th– 21st. Visitors will have the opportunity to taste a selection of verticals of d’Arenberg Grenache wines including The Ironstone Pressings Grenache Shiraz Mourvèdre. The week will culminate with a tutored master class in ‘The Stables’ with senior winemaker Jack Walton for $10 per person.
Grenache day is the perfect occasion to release the trio of sub-regional McLaren Vale Grenaches from 2010 that form part of ‘Amazing Sites’ project. Handled exactly the same way in the winery and spending the same time in barriques these wines are set apart by the influences of the sub-region from which they are sourced. The Blewitt Springs shows the classic elegance and length of this higher, more inland area while The Beautiful View displays the hallmarks of earlier ripening and richness. New to the mix for the 2010 vintage is the McLaren Sand Hills. Wines from this area are beautifully fragrant due to the sand and have great concentration and complexity of soil character due to the young clay. Each wine will retail for $99 per bottle.
d’Arry’s Verandah Restaurant head chef Peter Reschke is also getting on board the Grenache celebrations. As a special treat all guests dining at d’Arry’s Verandah for the week will receive a complimentary tasting of The Derelict Vineyard Grenache 2009 and a smoked tomato, goat curd and capocollo tartlet.
Despite being one of the most widely planted varieties in the world, Grenache struggles for recognition, something International Grenache Day hopes to change. The idea was born out of the inaugural Grenache Symposium held in early June 2010 in the south of France.
d’Arenberg Chief Winemaker and Viticulturist, Chester Osborn, was at the international think tank along with other top producers and some of the world’s leading wine journalists. He believes International Grenache Day will help raise the profile of the much misunderstood variety.
“Once people taste a good Grenache they are sold, but the challenge lies in getting them to try it,” Chester said. “As a variety it has wonderfully fresh, sweet red fruits, beautiful spices and balanced lively tannins. It’s a great blending wine, but also makes brilliant single variety wines.”
McLaren Vale Grenache ‘Tweet-up’
Full details Grenache Tweet-Up
d’Arenberg Grenache Master Class hosted by senior winemaker Jack Walton.
21 September 2012
11am and 12pm
$10 redeemable off purchases
Bookings recommended via Rachael Whitrow, Cellar Door Manager
p- 08 8329 4828
e – [email protected]
d’Arry’s Verandah Restaurant
Complimentary Amuse Bouche – Available 20 to 24 September
Smoked tomato, goat curd and capocollo tartlet with a taste of the 2009 The Derelict Vineyard Grenache.
Bookings Encourage – 08 8329 4848
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