Old vine Grenache.

[Slappy]

Picked and crushed a 1/4 tonne of old vine Grenache from Mclaren Vale yesterday. Fruit came from 60-70 year old dry grown bush vines. Was bloody hard work doing all the work by hand but got there in the end. Got the fruit crushed and pitched Lalvin 2226 rhone yeast. Left 15% as whole bunches. Starting gravity was 1.110 so expect 15% ABV. Plan is to add MLB in a couple of days and will press after 7 days. Storing in stainless steel kegs. Will rack and sulfite once MLF is complete. After 2nd racking will do a light oak addition before bottling. Had a chat to the winemaker who takes most the fruit from this vineyard and he was picking the next day. He's going to let me know his lab analysis of the fruit so I can make acid adjustment if required. Looking forward to seeing how this all turns out.

 

[Slappy]

 

[Johnd]

Great plan, that fruit looks absolutely pristine!!

 

[sour_grapes]

Looking fine!

 

[pgentile]

Looks and sounds great. I like the 15% whole bunches left in and rhone yeast. Good luck.

 

[Slappy]

3 full days into the ferment now and all going well. Temperature has been mild and it's sitting around 25 degrees. Very clean smelling ferment. So much berry fruit aroma which has surprised me a bit. Was very sweet yesterday and only today getting a noticeable drop in sugar from taste. I'll do a hydrometer reading tomorrow night. Very happy with color and tannin extraction so far. Depending on hydrometer readings I may wait an extra day or 2 to press. This will be a big wine if I can get enough tannin into it. Winemaker updated me today that the fruit was 14.8 baume the day I picked. So could be 15.5% abv.

 

[Slappy]

Also inoculated with mlb tonight.

 

[Slappy]

 

[Slappy]

 

[Slappy]

Not bad color for 3 days in! Very happy.

 

[REDRUM]

Looks awesome ... as I mentioned in my threat my grenache was picked way early (nearly a month ago now) so yours should have MUCH better flavour & colour development.
Which vineyard / where in McLaren Vale if you don't mind me asking?

 

[NorCal]

I've never heard big and Grenache used together before Your extraction looks really good!. My California Grenache of 2016 was much lighter in comparison.

 

[Slappy]

Looks awesome ... as I mentioned in my threat my grenache was picked way early (nearly a month ago now) so yours should have MUCH better flavour & colour development.
Which vineyard / where in McLaren Vale if you don't mind me asking?

Hey REDRUM,
Got the grapes from Mark Briggs at Briggs Nursery Foggo Road. Top fella and he still has some fruit left if you wanna go pick some.

 

[Slappy]

I've never heard big and Grenache used together before Your extraction looks really good!. My California Grenache of 2016 was much lighter in comparison.

Big and Grenache can happen with some of our really old vineyards in McLaren Vale and the Barossa Valley. I'm talking wines from 60 to 100+ year old vines that are not trellised and no irrigation leading to low yields. Of course as a rule you'll never see wines as big as a Barossa Shiraz but with good enough color and tannin extraction and 15-16% alcohol they can totally reshape your views on the humble Grenache.
Next year I want to get some fruit from one of the real ancient vineyards in the Barossa if I can and blend with some Shiraz and Mourvedre. We call that a GSM and it's one of the classic blends in the region.

 

[Slappy]

Took a gravity reading and it's at 1.034 so has come a fair way along. Hoping it doesn't quite ferment dry by Saturday morning when I can press as I really can't do it any earlier than that. Has developed more color again over the past 24 hours. Starting to taste more like wine than fruit juice.

 

[sour_grapes]

and blend with some Shiraz and Mourvedre. We call that a GSM and it's one of the classic blends in the region.

Hey, we call that GSM here, too, but here the "S" stands for Syrah!

 

[REDRUM]

Hey REDRUM,
Got the grapes from Mark Briggs at Briggs Nursery Foggo Road. Top fella and he still has some fruit left if you wanna go pick some.

Thanks!!! I don't have the space or equipment for another batch this vintage, but I will keep this in mind for next year.
I am a huge fan of McLaren Vale grenache & you're right, one of the great things about the grape is versatility ... it can be really fragrant & delicate, equivalent of Pinot for warm regions ... or it can be a big juicy bomb.

 

[REDRUM]

Hey, we call that GSM here, too, but here the "S" stands for Syrah!

I want to make like a Graciano/Saperavi/Merlot just to screw with people

 

[Donatelo]

I am SO jealous!
Beautiful!

 

[sour_grapes]

I want to make like a Graciano/Saperavi/Merlot just to screw with people

Where's the triple-like button?!

I want to buy a chateau in Bordeaux and produce nothing but Carmenere/Malbec blends with the DOC imprimitaur!