| Go straight to the head of the class (or the wine bar) those who said 100-year-old Bush Vine Grenache from the Barossa Valley, a gold star and many quality red wines for you! This is the most notable of wine grape varieties which don't need to rely on a trellis. A distinct advantage in difficult times.
Poor old Grenache has had a bit of a roller coaster ride, with many ups and downs in its time on our continent and others. Abused for its hardy nature and willingness to produce, even in hot, difficult and dry conditions, the reputation of this giving variety took a battering as it was variously pushed into fortified production or force-fed water to make insipid bulk wines. For a while there, although it made up the bulk of GSM blends, vaunted for their juicy and friendly nature, Shiraz even got most of the credit!
Well, finally Grenache's patience is being rewarded in Australia as more and more discerning makers are featuring the variety's many qualities as single varietal wines, and why not considering that Australia possesses the oldest Grenache vines in the world (Cirillo in the Barossa) and oldest regional average vine age (90+ years in McLaren Vale)? A great, accessible example of the pure fruit qualities, raspberries, spice and light herb characteristics which make this so appealing in our country is Tomfoolery "Youngblood" Grenache from old vines out of the Barossa. "Inspired by the new wave 'Vino Joven' wines of the old world, Young Blood Grenache is released as a cheeky youngster with just a brief barrel maturation to showcase structure and varietal character, while retaining freshness and finesse." | 
