A Grab For Grenache
The Age
Saturday September 27, 2008
"PERFUME IS THE KEY. IT'S MORE aromatic with a fresher profile and it makes you salivate like pinot noir," declares winemaker Stephen Pannell of a variety that he loves, grenache. "It's never fat on the mid-palate and it shouldn't be as it's a medium-bodied, not a full-bodied wine. The bad thing about medium-bodied wines with less fruit intensity, it's harder to build a wine with delicacy."
Not so Pannell's grenache, sourced from 67-year-old bush vines in McLaren Vale. That, in itself, is reason enough to love his just released 2006.Apart from grenache's aromatics, its tannin structure is also completely different to, say, shiraz. "The tannins are almost sandy gritty and they don't sit right across the palate, the weight is at the back with its slightly dry finish, which is important (as it makes a more food-friendly wine). Grenache is definitely not an aperitif style. In essence, it's a prettier wine than shiraz or cabernet because of that delicacy."Nuances, subtlety, the detail in wine are characters that he's acutely aware of bringing out in all the wines under his S. C. Pannell label, including an outstanding nebbiolo due for release at the end of the year. While he also makes a shiraz-grenache blend, the single grenache is his top wine. For that reason, "the pressure's on and it has to be my best," and it also means the wine isn't produced every year. And it can be a long wait between drinks - he didn't make one in 2005, nor '07 or '08, and only 250 cases were released of the '06. From a winemaking perspective, the other grenache peculiarity of note is it doesn't marry well with new oak. Pannell uses old puncheons to bring the wine together. "Anyway, all wine making is about grape quality. If you have good grapes, the rest will follow." OK, aside from its allure, grenache grows brilliantly in Mediterranean climates with little or no water and that makes it ideal for Australian conditions. "Rightly or wrongly, the Australian wine industry has focused on French varieties that are not suited. Shiraz and cabernet are very intensive varieties in regards to water and nutrients." Looking at where grenache shines in the world, apart from Chateauneuf-du-Pape - think Sardinia and Spain, distinct Mediterranean climates. Problem is, he says, we don't revere these wines. That's why Pannell believes in wine journeys, which is a pseudonym for eating and drinking. That is, go to a great restaurant and allow the sommelier to match a wine, one you haven't had before, to a particular dish and be taken on an exciting ride.Pannell always laces conversations with food references. Talking about his white blend Pronto (he makes a red Pronto too) from sauvignon blanc, riesling and pinot gris, he says: "The objective to blending is a la David Thompson (the famed Australian but London-based Thai-influenced chef) so you want to see the salty, sweet and sour in Thai food, with wine, you also want to see each variety. Blending allows you to fill the gaps: sauvignon blanc, from Adelaide Hills, can lose acidity so you have riesling to add that and length. The point is to make a better wine with blending and not throwing together this variety with that for the heck of it. With blends, there has to be a point to it." Although, that could easily stand as Pannell's wine motto. janefaulkner@winematters.com.au -- JANE FAULKNER S. C. PANNELL GRENACHE 2006 $58 Everything about this medium-bodied wine I love, from its intense purple-garnet colour to the fabulous floral lift, particularly scented with violets and roses and musky spice notes. There's a core of bright, sweet and juicy red fruits, grainy ripe tannins, tangy with excellent refreshing acidity that triggers the automatic reaction of another sip. S. C. PANNELL PRONTO 2008 $27A blend of Adelaide Hills sauvignon blanc, mostly, then riesling and finally pinot gris so think floral notes, fine acidity, plenty of length and a textural wine that's easily enjoyed on its own or with food, think sashimi or seafood. A little ripper.S. C. PANNELL SHIRAZ GRENACHE 2006 $55What a superbly balanced amalgam of fragrant McLaren Vale fruit with its raspberry and plum notes alongside a lovely spice profile, a hint of mocha, creamy mid-palate, with sweet juicy fruit plenty of tooth-coating tannins and terrific length.
© 2008 The Age
