Friday, 6 February, 2015
Gabriel Stone, The Drinks Business
Presenting a collection of Grenache-based wines from all over the
world, Alex Hunt MW, purchasing director at UK merchant Berkmann Wine
Cellars, praised this variety as being “capable of eloquence in more
than one language.”
Despite its historic presence in France, Spain, Sardinia (where it is
known as Cannonau) and Australia, Hunt tracked the declining fortunes
of Grenache since 1990, when it was the world’s most planted red variety
after Airén, to being pushed down a place by Cabernet Sauvignon a
decade later before being relegated further by 2010 behind Merlot and
Tempranillo.
Nevertheless he suggested: “The future needn’t be bright
quantity-wise for it to be very bright quality-wise.” Indeed, Hunt
continued: “Now that it’s not as ubiquitous as Cabernet or Merlot, it’s
got a bit more specialist, attracting growers who want to make a go of
it.”
Highlighting the attributes of this variety, Hunt noted its ability
to thrive in hot conditions, “so if climates around the world are indeed
getting warmer then Grenache is going to be very important.”
...Read more here