25 September 2010

Fix St James: International Grenache Day, Sydney (24 Sept 2010)

111 Elizabeth Street, Sydney NSW 2000
http://www.fixstjames.com.au


A day of grenache

Thanks to a tip off at the Zaaffran Food Bloggers Evening from Anna from Morsels & Musings I found out it was International Grenache Day on the 24 September and Fix St James was one of the live venues between 4.30 til 6 pm. I met a wine writer Mike Bennie who organised the day including bringing along at least a dozen bottles to sample from the Barossa. Some other attendees brought along a bottle as well to share on the communal table. I arrived around 5.15 pm and sampled 5 of the wines. I've now learnt I'm actually not a huge fan of grenache but out of the wines I tried I think the Rojo Garnacha 2007 was the most palatable for me. In terms of wine I prefer a Sauvignon Blanc or Shiraz or anything that's highly drinkable, has a nice bouquet and possesses little tannin — and isn't too expensive of course. I'm still not sure what a good grenache is supposed to taste like so hopefully next year I'll be able to sample more again and spend more time talking to the wine makers. For more information check out Purple Palate.

The live tastings in the capital cities are free of charge. Live events were held in the Barossa, Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth:
• Adelaide – East End Cellars, Edinburgh Cellars
• Brisbane – Bar Barossa
• Melbourne – Blackhearts & Sparrows
• Sydney – Fix St James
• Perth – Your Shout Liquor

There was a selection of 12 Barossan Grenache for tasting at each live venue. The participating wineries were Biscay, Cirillo, Kaesler, Kalleske, Henschke, Langmeil, Massena, Melton, Rockford, Rusden, Teusner & Yalumba. The #Grenache hash-tag was used for twitter feeds allowing the winemakers to answer any questions that might crop up on the day.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:
PROS: Free event, Wine appreciation, Lots of choices to sample
CONS: Don't drink and drive, Grenache might not be your preferred style of wine
MUST TRY: Finding the best Grenache and food to match










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