Lawrence Dunham Vineyards Launches 2009 Grenache Wines

May 9, 2011 - PRLog -- Like California, Australia, Argentina and Chili's wine-growing areas, Arizona's climate and soil composition is perfect for growing a wide range of Rhone varietal grapes.  Lawrence Dunham Vineyards in the foothills of the Chiricahua Mountain region of southeastern Arizona announces the release of their 2009 Grenache and 2009 "Sky Island" Grenache to launch its foray into the emerging Arizona wine market.

"I am a huge Pinot Noir fan but unfortunately we cannot grow this varietal in the Chiricahua terrior," says winemaker Curt Dunham of Lawrence Dunham Vineyards.  "As a winemaker and serious cook who is looking to make wines to pair with a wide variety of foods, the Grenache grape offers an opportunity to make wines with Pinot Noir-type characteristics, as well as the pairing versatility that I am trying to develop across our complete portfolio of wines.  Rhone varietals tend to do well in rocky soils and we certainly have those!  After the first 20 inches or so of the volcanic top soils we have in our vineyard, the sub-layer is a honeycomb of Rhyolite granite rocks and stones. We think once the grape roots are established in this rock layer, they will produce wines with both fruit and great mineral characteristics."

Although Grenache wine is the second-most planted varietal in the world, the wine is not well known in the United States.  The vine is hearty and disease resistant, and over generations has been the key ingredient in world famous red wine blends, including those of the fabled Chateauneuf du Pape.  The United States is the largest wine-consuming country in the world, and the Grenache wines and blends (most commonly some blend of Grenache, Shiraz/Syrah and Mouvedre, known as "GSM "in Australian parlance), are gaining popularity for their versatility with a wide range of food.  

In the quest to provide a wide portfolio of body and flavor, in 2009, the Lawrence Dunham Vineyard produced two very distinctive Grenache wines from basically the same grape harvest.  A Grenache that is true to its French and Spanish heritage,  Sky Island Grenache is light, fruit-forward and extremely food friendly, served equally well as aperitif or paired with chicken, turkey, salmon, and rare Ahi tuna.

The 2009 Grenache has been aged in new French oak barrels and has totally different characteristics, pairing well with lamb, pork, sausages, and pasta.  An intriguing surprise with the Lawrence Dunham Grenache is its "chameleon" characteristics...the nuanced flavors that present differently with each pairing. "When the grapes produce flavors of strawberry, raspberry, cherry, pomegranate, white pepper and chocolate," says Dunham, how can we go wrong?"  Lynn Huber Jablonski, a member of the Lawrence Dunham Vineyard's Founder's Guild, the Chiricahua Circle, tweeted that it is "a delightful Grenache we served with our Easter dinner."

Lawrence Dunham Vineyards is located in the "Sky Island" area of Southeastern Arizona near the iconic Chiricahua National Monument.  A comfortable, four-season climate with a long growing season replete with warm days and cool evenings affords the opportunity to cultivate a broad range of Rhone varietal grapes. For information on their wines, wine clubs, upcoming activities, winemaker dinners and tastings go to www.lawrencedunhamvineyards.com, or contact the winemaker at info@lawrencedunhamvineyards.com. For more information contact, call 602-320-1485.

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Lawrence Dunham Vineyards creates hand crafted wines that are reflection of its special place. Our focus is Rhone grape varietals because they flourish in the volcanic soils of our 5,000-foot elevation estate in the Chiricahua Mountain foothills in SE AZ.