Having written about different white wines in August, it’s time to recognize the changing of the seasons, lower temperatures and break out a bottle (or two) of hearty, or delicate, red wine. We’re all still in an adventurous mood, right? And we’re all ready to branch out from the best known red varietals, such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir.
Let’s start with Malbec. This was little known in the Northern Hemisphere until some excellent Malbec based wines from Argentina became available in the USA around 25 years ago. But it’s not originally from Argentina, it’s from Western France where it’s known as Côt.
The vines in France were largely wiped out by the phylloxera louse around 1870, but Argentina was spared, since the climate there is so dry. The growing conditions are very different too. Argentina’s vineyards are in high desert with long sunny days while France is more temperate and a lower elevation. We like Argentinian Malbec that has been blended with other grapes; a little Cab Sauvignon or Cab Franc go a long way towards balancing the weight of the straight Malbec. If you can find any, look for wines from the Cafayete region of Argentina. Piattelli and El Esteco are a couple of the producers to look for.
Next, a red grape that makes some of the best wines around, in my humble opinion is Syrah. Both rosé and red wines are exceptional. This grape also originated in France, where it is used to make high quality wines in the Rhone valley south of Lyon. German immigrants to Australia took cuttings to the Barossa Valley, close to Adelaide, where it became known as Shiraz.
As with Argentina, phylloxera never affected Australia, so a few vines date back to the 1840s. More recently, Syrah has found a home in California and Washington State, where it results in some truly delicious wines. Syrah wines are distinguished by their peppery flavor, so they pair perfectly with any spicy foods, including barbeque. Syrah is also an important component of some blends, GSM for example, which stands for Grenache-Syrah-Mourvedre, a blend that’s made in both the USA and Australia.
Speaking of GSM, how about some Grenache? Your Wine Guys have mentioned it before as a blend component, but it also can stand alone and make an excellent bottle. It contributes bright fruit flavor to any blend. It’s a Spanish grape, flourishes in the dry conditions of Catalonia and southeastern France, and has found a home in other parts of the world, notably the USA and Australia. Straight Grenache can be made to drink young, or aged, as they do in parts of Spain such as Montsant and Priorat, in Catalonia. It also makes excellent rose wine, such as Tavel. The strawberry flavors come through perfectly. Try it with barbeque or lamb for a great pairing.
Vive la difference rouge!
Cheers!
-Submitted by Guy Gimson
(Image credit: Pixabay.com)