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Home , Grenache, Lirac AOC, Rasteau AOC, Rhone Rangers

Noir: More than just a blending component?

Dewaldt Heyns May 2017

Introducon

• Second most planted variety aer Airen • Sll lile known in spite of its volume • Tradionally seen as blending component • Some of the most expensive single • Versale and flexible • Reflects its • Can handle heat or sunshine, wind and drought • Thrives on a variety of soils • High vigour, high potenal • Impressive planng of old vines around the world Mutaons and Crosses

• Grenache Noir • – ’s fourth most widely planted white variety • Grenache Gris – Southern France and – pale and lightly nted white wines • “Hairy Grenache" (Garnacha Peluda in ) – vine leaf has a downy underside. Mutaon or closely related?

• Garnacha Tintorera () – Grenache Noir x Pete Bouschet • (planted in Languedoc) – Grenache x • Noir – Grenache Noir x Côt Noir • Chenanson Noir and Ganson – Grenache Noir x Jurançon Noir • Gramon Noir and Monerac Noir – Grenache Noir x Aramon Noir • Portan Noir – Grenache Noir x Portugais Bleu Noir Synonyms

• Abundante, Aleante, Aleantedi Rivalto, Aleante Poggiarelli, Alicant Blau, Alicante, Alicante Grenache, Aragones, Bois Jaune, Cannonaddu, Cannonadu Nieddu, Cannonau, Cannonau Selvaggio, Canonazo, Carignane rosso, Elegante, Francese, del Trasimeno, Garnaccho negro, Garnacha Comun, Garnacha negra, Garnacha Roja, Garnacha nta, Garnatxa negra, Garnatxa Pais, Gironet, Granaccia, Granaxa, Grenache noir, Grenache rouge, Kek Grenache, Lladoner, Mencida, Navaro, Navarra, Navarre de la Dordogne, Navarro, Negru Calvese, Ranconnat, Red Grenache, Redondal, Retagliadu Nieddu, Rivesaltes, Tinto, Roussillon, Rouvaillard, Sans Pareil, Santa Maria de Alcantara, Tenllo, Tintella, Tinlla, Tinto Menudo, Tinto Navalcarnero, Tocai rosso, Toledana, Uva di Spagna History of Grenache

• North East region of , Spain 1200-1300 • Spread within Kingdom of Aragon to Sardinia, , Naples, Roussillon, Corsica • Menoned by Eustache Deschamps in France around 1400 • 17th-18th century Burgundian merchants used it to beef up their wines – more popular in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas and Vacqueyras regions. • Post- planng favoured Grenache in 19th century. Can be found all over the Mediterranean. • Sardinia – 3200-year-old seeds have been found • Australia – 1832 (), 1844 Christopher Rawson Penfold (South of France), unl 1960 one of the most widely planted reds • California – Charles Lefranc 1857, soon second most planted variety aer Grenache Today

• USA (2000, 4519 ha to 2666 ha) and Australia (1979, 42 000 ha to 11 000 ha in 2010) replaced by Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, etc. • Spain, Navarra 23336 ha in 1976 – 2632 ha 2012, replaced by • EU vine pulling schemes 1988 and 2010. • France no 1 producer, only cul showing growth (24 800 ha in 1958 to 94 000 ha in 2010) • As of 2010, planngs of Grenache worldwide are roughly 200 000 ha: – 184 735 ha Grenache Noir – 7 370 ha Grenache Blanc – 1 232 ha Hairy Grenache – 2 429 ha Grenache Rosé

France

• Vaucluse, Gard, Herault, Drome, Aude, Var and Orientales • Second most planted variety aer Merlot – 94 000 ha • 60-90% of the wine in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Vacqueyras and Gigondas • AOC (changed in 2009), AOC and Tavel AOC (rosé only) • Coeres de Nimes, Cotes du Ventoux and – Grenache is not as dominant () • Languedoc-Roussillon – 38 000 ha of 283 000 ha Spain

• 70 000+ ha of Grenache vines • Can be found in almost every Denominación de Origen (DO) in Spain, e.g. Calatayud, Campo de Borja, Cariñena and in Aragon, Priorat, Montsant and Terra Alta in Cataluña, Almansa and La Mancha in Caslla La Mancha, Vinos de , Navarra and Rioja. • Mostly the northern and north-eastern parts Italy

• Known as Cannonau in Sardinia (Cannonadu or Canonau) • One of the principal of the island, producing deeply coloured, full-bodied red wines • Alcohol levels around 15% • Close to 7 500 ha • 70% concentrated in the central area of the island in the Nuoro province • Outside of Sardinia – Sicily, Umbria (in Trasimeno Lake area) and Calabria Australia

• Fih most planted red grape variety in Australia – 1800 ha • Once dominated • Suffered from government uproong schemes in 80s and move from sweet forfieds to classical variees since 60s • Shiraz (42 000 ha), Cabernet Sauvignon (25 000 ha), Merlot (9 200 ha) and (5 000 ha). • Most Grenache is planted in Southern Australia’s Barossa (518 ha) and McLaren Vale (354 ha). • Barossa 20%, McLaren Vale 19%, Riverland 15%, Langhorne Creek 11%, Swan Hill 10% – top 5 areas. • Both regions have a treasure of old vines, some of them more than 125 years old, planted on their own on sandy soils unaffected by phylloxera. • Popular in GSM blends. • Resurgence in single varietal bolings – old vines United States

• 3 885 ha of Grenache planted in California and some in Washington. • Despite decades’ long decline, since 1995, 404 ha of Grenache has been planted in high- quality Californian coastal locaons. • and rise in GSM blends renewed interest. Grenache in the

• Dr Linda Bisson, UC Davis: “Grenache is not difficult to ripen … it may be one of the most difficult grapes to work with, perhaps more difficult than Pinot Noir”. • Grenache shows its terroir in the glass • Sensive to vineyard locaon, soil and variaons, thus site selecon is fundamental • Top internaonal sites – deep, well drained soils, inducing moderate vigour with moderate to low water availability • Dry-farming or minimal irrigaon is advised. • Does well in windy areas due to strong upright growth of canes. • Controlling the vine’s vigour is essenal. • Suffers from “dead arm” or Eutypa dieback • Moderate suscepbility to Phomopsis • Sensive to , especially in cool, wet growing condions • Finding suitable excellent clones is a challenge • French clone GN 70 is very producve, most widely planted in France and SA. • 1064, 513 and 516 from Vitec is beer • Internaonal clones with potenal: US (Clone 2D), France (ENTAV-INRA 136 and 435), Spain (clones from Navarra – EVENA 11, EVENA 13, EVENA 14 and EVENA 15, VN- QUALITAS, clones from Caslla y Leon – CL 55, clones from Aragon – ARA 2 and ARA 24, clones from Rioja – RJ 21). • Select a drought resistant that induce moderate vigour – R110 • Plant Grenache as bush vines head pruned • Buds fairly early • Requires plenty of sunshine and can tolerate sustained summer temperatures of 40 °C • Need a long growing cycles to achieve phenolic ripeness • Nitrogen ferlisaon should be limited – shows its best at low yields • Indicator culvar for magnesium deficiency • Pruning should be severe to control the number of buds and spurs • Trimming the ps of developing shoots near the end of the flowering period to lessen incidence of couloure (afspeen) • Suckering/shoot thinning in spring and early summer to control the number of shoots per vine • Green /bunch removal aer is essenal – big bunches, with big shoulders. • Grenache clusters are compact and can be subject to bunch rot at harvest, thus basal leaves may be removed following fruit set • Use of permanent cover crops to devigorate the vines can be considered. • To produce premium wines, yields of 35 hl/ha or less are recommended, colour and extracon suffers with high yields Clones

• Charles Visser – three clones of Grenache Noir available – French clones ENTAV-INRA 70, 513, 516 and 1064. • Vitec imported from Australia in 2005 – GN – 179, 33, SAVI6 • Clone 70 most planted – average to high producon clone, berry/ spicy aromas, can somemes lack structure and colour • Clone 513 – average to lower ferlity, average to lower vigour clone, good quality, higher polyphenols and medium compact bunches • Clone 516 – average producon, wine typical of culvar • Clone 1064 – lower producon, small to medium bunches, high wine quality, wine with good tannin structure. • We have limited clones capable of producing high quality wines available. When to harvest?

Figure 7 – Evoluon of Grenache during ripening (year 1999, Rhône)

• Compared with other grape variees, Grenache contains a low amount of anthocyanins, composed mostly of 3-glucoside malvidine (75% of all anthocyanins), a component that oxidises easily under the influence of temperature and light. • Grenache berries are characterised by a hard, tannic and herbaceous skin that aains its colour late during ripening, taking some me unl berry colouraon is complete. • Throughout maturity Grenache develops intense fruity aromas with an evoluon towards the jammy/confiture flavour spectrum if le too late. • Seeds retain green characters throughout ripening and only reach maturity late. • When Grenache is harvested too early, the potenal alcohol deficit is normally followed by colour deficit and green tannins. • Sugar ripeness and phenolic ripeness are normally not aligned. • Grapes are normally harvested riper for longer ageing wines where colour and structure are important; wines develop spicy aromas, along with ripe fruit and potenally cooked and jammy fruit notes when pushing ripeness limits. • Wines desned for early consumpon, tannin and colour extracon are less important and the goal normally is to harvest to favour red fruit and berry character. • Different schools of thought: Montse Nadal, professor of at Tarragona University, comments that achieving phenolic ripeness is less crical compared to other grape variees because of Grenache’s lower phenolic content – thus aim for lower alcohol, higher acids and less overripe flavours. Zelma Long is of the opinion that in Grenache the silkiness of texture and the soness of the wine comes in part from ripe tannins. • Regarding the alcohol debate, one should keep in mind the opinion of the market, and other opinion formers. • The decision varies depending on the fruit maturity assessment, the experience of the winemaker and the type of wine the winemaker has in mind. Wine Styles

• Grenache – diverse variety of wine styles adapted to market preference. • White, rosé and single varietal red, as a blend, dry or sweet and forfied, even sparkling • Style will firstly be determined by vine age

Rosé • Fresh berry fruit aromas • So tannin structure • Delicate colour • High yield capability – economically viable • Achieve wine style that appeals to a broad market • Ideally suited for Rosé producon – especially younger Rosé Tavel style: • Red grapes only • Maceraon 12-36 hours • Proporon kept longer on skins or press wine is used • More tannic, powerful and darker • Stainless steel fermentaon • Minimal or no • MLF oponal • Alcohol 11% minimum, 13,5% max • Bright pink – light ruby colour • Profusion of berries – , raspberry, sweatmeats, jam • Fresh acidity, grippy tannin, flintstone, – food wine Navarra style: • 100% Grenache • Free run juice – saignée • Stainless steel fermentaon • Red berry fruit – cherry, strawberry, plum • Extended lees contact, rich mouth feel, dry finish Red – Fruit-driven style

• Younger vines, less than 15 years old • Bright brilliant red colour • Upfront red berry fruit – cherry, plum, strawberry flavours • Alcohol 13,5% – avoid overripe flavours • So mouth feel, round tannin, gentle to overt spice depending on whole bunch use, medium bodied • Yields 5+ ton/ha • adapted to gentle handling of grapes and ‘so-hands’ approach to fermentaon • Whole-bunch fermentaon oponal to provide structure • Minimal or no new oak • Proporon aged in stainless steel, cement tanks or big vats – 12 months • Make the most of the 15% allowed for blending • most commonly used – screwcap has potenal for this style • Ageing potenal of boled wines 5-6 years • Market-driven approach – consumer friendly Red – Bold style

• Vineyard age is crucial • Site selecon, high-quality clones • Associated with low yields – 2-5 ton/ha • Pronounced spice, savoury, bold, rich, dark ripe fruit, earthy notes, potenally higher alcohols, creamy full- bodied texture and palate length. Oxidave style? • L’Ermita from Alvaro Palacios – 80+ years, 16 months in 100% new French oak barrels • Clos Erasmus – 40+ years, 18 months in new French oak • Chateau Rayas – 60+ years, ferments in cement tanks and matures in old foudres for around one year In a blend

• Where Grenache has a unique niche • World famous wines have Grenache as a base or part of make-up • Cherry, red berry flavours, provides elegance and a silky texture to the blend with subtle spice. • Rhone-style blends (GSM, SGM, SGMV, SGV, SG etc.) have become popular • Shiraz, Mourvedre, Carignan, , Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot to boost the structure, colour and fruit profile and cancel inherent weaknesses of the culvar Region Grenache Carignan Syrah Mourvèdre Cinsault Tempranillo Other

Châteauneuf-du- Cinsault,Muscardin,Counoise Primary Secondary Secondary Terary Pape ,Clairee,Bourbulenc

Cinsault,Clairee, Terret Gigondas Primary Secondary Secondary Secondary Noir, Cournoise, Picardin

Rasteau Primary Terary Terary Secondary

Recently Vacqueyras Primary Secondary Secondary authorised

Bourboulenc,Claree, Tavel Primary Secondary Secondary Primary Picpoul

Lirac Primary Terary Secondary Secondary Terary

Rioja Secondary Secondary Primary Mazuelo

Priorat Primary Primary Secondary Cabernet, Merlot

Aragon Primary Secondary Secondary

Washington Secondary Primary Terary

California Secondary Primary Secondary

Barossa(GSM) Primary Secondary Terary

McLaren Primary Terary Secondary Terary Vale(GSM) Vine age and quality

• Correlaon between wine quality and vine age • No standard definion of the English term “old vines” , French “vielles vignes”, Spanish “viñas viejas”, Italian “vigna vecchia” or German “alte reben”. • DO Calatayud, Spain, a new category of red wines called Calatayud Superior – 85% from Grenache Noir, at least 50 years old, max 3 500 kg per hectare. “Viñas viejas” – vines at least 35 years old max 4 500 kg per hectare. • Louis Barruol, Château de Saint Cosme (Gigondas, France): “for me an is older than 50 years”. • US and California lack a precise definion. • Chile – not an agreed definion, accepted among top producers that “viñas viejas” are at least 60 years old. • Rosa Kruger, South Africa: 35 years old. • Australia – Barossa-based producer Yalumba created an Old Vine Charter, which states that: – An old vine is a vine 35 years or older. – An anque vine (or very old vine) is a vine 70 years or older. – A centenarian vine (or exceponally old vine) is a vine 100 years or older. – A tri-centenary vine (or very, bloody exceponally old vine) is a vine whose life has spanned three centuries. “Old vines produce great wine because of its root structure – the amount and depth they reach is in sync with the climate, never excessively vigorous and focused on survival rather than growth.” – Rosa Kruger

They self-regulate, have naturally low yields, smaller berries, beer acidity, ripens earlier, are more consistent year to year.

“Vir die eerste veerg jaar maak jy rosé. Eers dan probeer jy rooiwyn maak.” – Jan Coetzee Grenache and oxidaon A culvar that reacts to love, but doesn’t forgive mistakes …

• Grenache being prone to oxidaon is widely referenced in media • The wine develops quickly in the bole. • Lighter in colour – research performed in Rhône Valley – Grenache has lower anthocyanin total content (141 mg/ℓ) than Syrah (404 mg/ℓ) and Mourvedre (292 mg/ℓ)), so tannin structure, moderate acidity, potenally higher pH. Overripe styles historically produced provide less of a buffer, makes the culvar less forgiving and more prone to oxidaon. • Coupled with ‘old world’ tradional winemaking approach, use of cement tanks, ancient old foudres and rusc cellar environment with limited temperature control during ageing – result in the oxidised style we associate with Southern Rhone • With modern winemaking pracces and conscienous winemakers that are quality focused it should not pose such a big problem. • As a winemaker it is something to take note of – widely accepted as part of the make-up of the culvar and ‘the style’. In the cellar (Collecve wisdom) • The style of wine you produce should be dictated by your vineyard and adapted accordingly. • Get healthy grapes! • Select the best bunches in the vineyard. • Handpick in shallow crates in the cool of the morning to not break berries and oxidise juice

• Quickly transport to the cellar. SO2 addions if mechanical harvesng is done. • Pre-cooling of grapes prior to processing can be beneficial to preserve freshness of fruit – Clos Erasmus in Priorat sorts its grapes on selecon tables before destemming and fermentaon. Prior to this, grapes are refrigerated at 2 °C for 24 hours to retain freshness and avoid oxidaon. • Whole bunch fermentaons? Add tannin, structure, texture, longevity, flavour (spice), fraconally lower alcohol. Ripe tannin? Best bunches/ vineyards selecon imperave. Negave – green tannin, vegetal cooked character, dilute flavours. • Bunch sorng is recommended. • Destemming will depend on the house style. • Berry sorng is highly recommended. Single sorng, double sorng and even triple sorng is common pracce for Grenache. • I leave 20-30% berries whole depending on the vintage and colour of the skins. It enhances the red fruit component • Bleeding of the juice.

• SO2 adjustment as soon as possible aer destemming and chrushing. • Acid adjustment! Grenache is a grape variety that presents moderate acid content. • Tannin addion to must – stabilise colour and anoxidant. • USA – water. Chapouer experimented. • Enzyme for colour extracon. • Cold soak – under 12 °C with CO2 blanket or inert gas. Minimal or closed pump-overs. • Slow and regular alcoholic fermentaon, 25-28 °C • To yeast or not to yeast? • Pump-over or punch-down or a combinaon depending on the grapes and desired wine • Airaon during fermentaon – dependent on the fermentaon stage. • Fermentaon in stainless steel, foudres, cement tanks. • MLF – tradional barrels, stainless steel, cement tanks, 500 liter puncheons, 600 liter demi-muid, foudres. • Grenache is known for lower malic acid levels – where it is grown? • Sulphur immediately aer malolacc fermentaon. • Ageing on lees • New oak? • Length of ageing – average 12 months. Vessels vary. • Rigid topping regime. • Blending – commonly blended with Tempranillo, Carignan, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault and even with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Status of Grenache in SA

• One theory – James Busby took a clone of Grenache from Perpignan to Australia in 1832 – the variety could have been le in the Cape en route. • 1971, Die Burger – Napoleon drank Citrusdal Chian while exiled in St Helena. • In 1907 Professor Perold proved that Garnacha which he had imported from Rioja, Spain was similar to the Grenache Noir of Montpellier in France and to the local culvar. • SAWIS – 455 ha of Grenache Noir (344 ha) and Blanc (110 ha) planted in South Africa • Swartland, Paarl, Olifantsrivier (Piekenierskloof) biggest planngs. • Grenache Blanc – 1973 Vines per region and avg ton/ha

KILOGRAMS TOTAL VINES PLANTED HECTARES KG/HA HARVESTED

NORTHERN CAPE Grenache Noir 1 100 0,34 OLIFANTSRIVIER Grenache Noir 124 387 55,80 225 312 4038 SWARTLAND Grenache Noir 298 924 108,50 754 686 6956 KLEIN KAROO Grenache Noir 8 281 2,66 23 474 8825

PAARL Grenache Noir 284 423 94,73 773 677 8167

ROBERTSON Grenache Noir 51 039 14,51 153 338 10568

STELLENBOSCH Grenache Noir 117 093 36,67 296 290 8080 WORCESTER Grenache Noir 25 887 8,17 184 188 22544 BREEDEKLOOF Grenache Noir 22 173 7,29 3 799 521 CAPE SOUTH COAST Grenache Noir 43 269 15,78

976 576 344,45 2 414 764

Grenache Noir planting and kilograms, 2016 per district - Sawis Single-culvar bolings in SA

GRENACHE NOIR - SAWIS 2016 2014 2015 2016

Number of producers cerfied as single culvar 26 36 49

Liters cerfied as single varietal 136872 207547 228561

Producing members 130 146 147

Total Tons harvested 1 593 2 665 2 415

Average liter cerfied per producer as single 5264 5765 4665 varietal • Since 1999 Grenache Noir has grown 723% from 41,81 ha to 344,45 ha. • Grenache Blanc has shown 299% growth from 27,59 ha to 110,01 ha.

GRENACHE NOIR AGE DISTRIBUTION 2016 - SAWIS

VINES HECTARES

< 4 YEARS Grenache Noir 179 503 59,78

4 - 10 YEARS Grenache Noir 528 076 181,32

11 - 15 YEARS Grenache Noir 179 822 70,43

16 - 20 YEARS Grenache Noir 24 385 9,93

> 20 YEARS Grenache Noir 64 790 22,99

976 576 344,45 Is there a future in South Africa?

• Ideally suited to South African climate • With global warming in mind – drought resistant, high heat tolerance • Adaptable to a wide variety of soils and climates • Easy to maintain • Not overly expensive to farm • A growing category at producer level • Can produce a fruit-driven wine style aracve to consumers However …

• South African consumers, media and market sll uninformed regarding culvar • Overseas market beer informed – has more potenal • Wine producers need to taste the best • Educate ourselves – interest group? • Educate media, sommeliers, opinion formers • Harness our old vines – story • Produce market-relevant styles – non-oxidave? • Availability? • At the moment sll a hand sell. • Louis Barruol, Château de Saint Cosme (Gigondas, France): “Grenache quality is very sensive to the age of vines ... for me an old vine is older than 50 years. This means that we plant for the next generaon.”

• Zelma Long regarding the new excitement about old variees: “If I was starng from scratch today, I would go with Grenache. It can provide incredible freshness and cherry aromas.” Thank you!

• Kobus Hunter • Neil Ellis • Jan Coetzee • Miles Mossop • Conrad Louw and the Instute of Cape Wine Masters • Marn Gomez – dissertaon • Mark Bulman – Vineyards • Paolo Pitzolu • Wine swop – Adi Badenhorst, Carl van der Merwe, David Sadie, Carsten Migliarina, Jan Coetzee • The Saronsberg team • Muriel Visser Wines to taste aerwards

• Adi Badenhorst Raaigras Grenache 2015 • De Morgenzon Grenache 2014 • David Sadie Grenache 2015 • Carsten Migliarina Grenache 2015 • Saronsberg Grenache 2015 • SC Pannell Grenache 2014, McLaren Vale • Eperosa Stonegarden Grenache 2014, Eden Valley • Fleur de la Lune Grenache 2016, Barossa • Conni, Inu Cannonua Riserva, Cannonau di Sardinia DOC • Canna Oliena, Nepente di Oliena, Cannonau di Sardinia DOC

NEIL ELLIS VINEYARD SELECTION GRENACHE 2009

These limited release wines demonstrate the distinctiveness of specific vineyard sites and represent our finest quality. The mountain vineyards of Piekenierskloof are known to produce outstanding Grenache.

Vintage conditions

Harvest commenced on 11th March. Grapes were harvested at 24.6°B with a total acid of 7.8 g/l and a pH of 3.42.

The vineyards

Sourced from 55 year old bushvines in the Piekenierskloof .

Grape variety

100% Grenache.

Winemaking

Fermentation initiated in stainless tanks and underwent a series of punching before completion of fermentation and in the barrel. This wine spent 18 months in a combination of 4th and 5th fill French oak barrels.

Bottled in December 2010

Alcohol: 14.0 % Residual Sugar: 1.8 g/l Total Acid: 6.0 g/l pH: 3.6

Tasting notes ( as tasted in 2016) :

Medium red complex and already quite mature, with raspberry sweet spice /earthy aromas. Evolved palate with pleasant berry flavours and some leafy notes. Ripe fruit expression with modest tannin structure.