Description
The Variety
Grenache, or Garnacha as it’s known in Spain, can take on a myriad of representations ranging from Pinot Noir-esque styles to rich, syrupy examples that can easily be mistaken for overly ripe Shiraz examples – and everywhere between on that spectrum of styles.
Often thought of as a ‘warm climate Pinot Noir’, Grenache likes sunshine and favours warm, dry locations. It can handle alcohol levels better than many varieties—a key attribute in warming climates—while retaining acidity and freshness. Don’t be deceived by Grenache’s generally light colour; it lacks in neither power nor definition.
The Wine
An Approach To Relaxation is a joint project between (former) Master Sommelier Richard Betts and Carla Rza Betts. Their careers have seen them working amongst some of the most highly regarded restaurants throughout the USA, before falling in love with an incredibly old vine plot of Grenache in Vine Vale, of the Barossa region in South Australia.
Sucette is 100% Grenache from two dry-grown, own-rooted, sandy vineyards, with the oldest vineyard planted somewhere between 1860 to 1880. The culmination of its parts—old vines that have been unirrigated atop sandy soils—provide Grenache with the perfect complementary conditions to produce a detailed yet elegant expression of the variety. The wine only sees old French oak for around one year, so as to avoid overpowering the nuances of the wine.
