Vinofiles
Adventures in wine & food
Is grenache the new shiraz?
It’s always the quiet ones. Too often snubbed in favour of shiraz or passed over for a pinot noir, grenache is one of Australia’s most chronically underrated grapes. But this multi-talented little varietal is starting to get the props it deserves (and about time, too). If you’ve been casting around for your new favourite red wine, you can stop now.
It’s the grape that has broken a thousand winemakers’ hearts. A varietal so fickle that it’s been dubbed the ‘heartbreak grape’, pinot noir is a true mofo to get right. As Napa Valley winemaking legend André Tchelistcheff put it: “God made Cabernet Sauvignon, whereas the devil made Pinot Noir.” But you’ve got to give the devil his due: when pinot noir is good, it’s worth going to hell for.