This blog is from a show that aired June 15, 2024. Still on the topic of red blends, here is a particular red blend that by its name tells you what it contains. That blend is called GSM, for Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre.

What’s in a Name: GSM Blends

If you ever get tired of red blends, I sure do, it’s nice to find a blend that announces its grapes and follows a specific formula to some extent to crafting a good wine for barbeque or eloquent dining. The most specific is GSM, which does not mean game set match; this is not tennis!

Grenache-Syrah-Mourvèdre are commonly the three most common Rhone red grapes, in blends such as Cote Du Rhone and famous wines like Châteauneuf-du-Pape. These same blends are popular worldwide where these grapes thrive. Since the base grape that makes this blend work is Grenache; France and Spain, where the grape originated as Garnacha, account for about 90%. California Central Coast and Washington’s Columbia Valley also produce wonderful examples, but there is as much grown in Algeria and Tunisia!

It is hard to imagine that in the 1960s Rhone wines were virtually not on anyone’s radar. Moreover many of the grapes that comprise the red and white wines had only meager plantings in California. Viognier was unheard of until the 1980s and Syrah a distant memory. Part of what changed was an ever-growing interest in wine in America from a time when liquor stores were stocked with more spirits than wine. That created a demand that those with a passion for Rhone varietals were eager to satisfy.

Two men helped boost our interest in Rhone varietals; Kermit Lynch and Richard Olney. Olney through his many cookbooks on French cuisine and Lynch finding the Rhone wines to his liking as he built up his wine shop, Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant. Many of these wines had ended up at Alice Waters influential restaurant; Chez Panisse. Another significant influence was Robert Parker who became entranced with the Rhone region; later publishing Wines of the Rhone Valley and Provence in 1987. The huge market that developed for these wines influenced many French vignerons to increase their plantings and the quality of their wines.

By the time the new millennium came along many wine regions that were merely part of the Cote du Rhone advanced to become village wines and later Protected Designations of Origin (AOP). Chateauneuf-du-Pape was the first such AOP, established in 1937 and one of the few popular Rhone wines. ChP, the abbreviation for this  wine now command top prices and while we have featured them on two of our shows, it became clear that many other areas of the north and south Rhone were producing their own unique wines at a much better price point than top-rated ChP, Hermitage and Cote Rotie.

In that quest we are back in the Southern Rhône Valley and trying other worthy wines that might have escaped your notice. The Rhône and its signature grapes are known and planted worldwide. The term, GSM, most likely originated in Australia, which is also well-known for their Rhone varietals. It is convenient shorthand for Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre, a blend popular in the Rhone Valley since the Popes of Avignon cultivated a taste for Chateauneuf-du-Pape. The barrel stamped “CDR” was added in 1737 to identify a wine as Cotes-du-Rhône and establish a quality name designation.

In the wine world there are always “hot” new areas to explore and two of those have been signaling their excellence and uniqueness for a few years now; Cairanne and Beaumes des Venise in the southern Rhône Valley. Cairanne is the latest region to achieve AOP status, Beaumes des Venise was so defined in 2005.

Southern Rhône Red Grapes

To review, the three principal grapes of Southern Rhône are Grenache, Syrah and Mourvēdre. No matter what other grapes might be used in the blend, usually less than 5% it is these three grapes that define style and elegance. Good secondary level grapes include Cinsault, which can add softness and bouquet and Carignan (SP-Carińena), which can add color, tannins and acidity if required by the principal grapes.

Grenache:
  • Terroir: Grenache or Garnacha is a widely planted grape variety that ripens late, so it needs hot, dry conditions such as Spain and the Rhône Valley. The vine has a strong wood canopy and highly resistant to windy regions, such as the Rhône Mistral (25 to 60 mph).
  • Flavors: Generally spicy, berry-flavored ( typically raspberry and strawberry) and soft on the palate producing wine with a relatively high alcohol content, but needs careful control of yields for best results. Aged Grenache takes on leather and tarry notes; classic flavors of Spanish Priorat wines. Grenache is typically over 50% in a blend.
Syrah or Shiraz:
  • Terroir: The Syrah grape is influenced by where it is sited. Moderate climates like Rhône produce medium to full-bodied wines with medium-plus to high levels of tannins and notes of blackberry, mint and black pepper. Syrah is usually the second grape in the blend at 20% to 30% and provides structure and body.
Mourvēdre
  • Terroir: It favors hot sun with good irrigation and good winds to prevent powdery mildew. It’s late ripening and harvesting. Thick-skinned it can handle harvest in rain without getting waterlogged. Seldom grown north of Avignon for proper ripening. Mourvèdre tends to produce tannic wines, high in alcohol and is typically 5% to 10% of a blend. It brings tannic strength, ballast and balance to a blend as well as a bit of funk.

Rhône Valley quality levels Wines

As one might expect quality designations in the Rhône Valley are similar, but different to other French wine regions such as Bordeaux and Burgundy. The basis for all of them is the Appellation or AOC system. In the Rhône Valley there are four quality levels defined.

Cotes du Rhône AOC:

Accounting for 50% of the valley’s production, this is the ‘entry level’ classification. Most are red blends or GSMs, based on Grenache or Syrah with vineyards planted on a variety of soils. Production rules are not as strict as other levels but wines must have a minimum of 11% alc. and be made from the 21 sanctioned grape varieties.

  • Generally five grapes are most commonly used and alcohol is usually over 12%.
  • White blends and Rose are also very good but harder to find
Côtes du Rhône Villages AOC

The next quality level is the village wines, which are more complex with lower yields and slightly higher alcohol. These wines have great aging potential and will be priced higher.

Côtes du Rhône (named) Villages AOC

Take note of village wines with a named village, rather than a mix of various village grapes. The label will include one of the villages that are allowed to declare their names.

Top level: the Crus

These 17 distinctive AOP or Crus of the Rhône Valley – 8 in the north and 9 in the south – truly express their individual “terroir” and are responsible for about 20% of Rhône wine.

Southern Rhône :
  • Beaumes des Venise (2005) Cairanne AOP (2016)                      Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOP
    Gigondas AOP (1971)                     Lirac AOP (1945)                               Tavel AOP (1936)
    Rasteau AOP (2009)                        Vacqueyras AOP (1990)                 Vinsobres AOP (2006)
Northern Rhône
  • Cornas AOP Condrieu AOP                                   Château-Grillet AOP
    Côte-Rôtie AOP                                                Crozes-Hermitage AOP                 Hermitage AOP
    Saint-Joseph AOP                            Saint Péray AOP
Nobles Rives Cave de Tain Crozes Hermitage, 2015, 13% ABV, $25

Crozes Hermitage is a large subarea on the east side of the Rhone that encompasses the legendary Hermitage, but with more moderate pricing and more available.

Tasting notes: Shows flavors of olives, fruitiness, and hints of cured meats. Hints of spices permeate throughout which allows for a lovely harmonious wine.

Guy Mousset Cotes du Rhone Reserve, 2021, 14.5% ABV, $15

Mousset makes one of my favorite Rose wines from the Rhone and this 14.5% CDR is set to astonish.

Beverage Dynamics: “A delicious blend from Southern France, ripe with dried strawberry and herb notes. This wine pairs well with Lamb, Cornish pasties, and Moroccan tagine.” 95 points

Gabriel Meffre ‘Saint Mapalis’ Cotes du Rhone Villages Plan de Dieu, 2021, 14% ABV, $20

Intl W&S Competition: GSM – “Mixed fruit compote with fine, elegant tannins. The red currants presented have incredible freshness. Lavender and liquorice are found on the finish.” 95 points

Brusset Cairanne Vieilles Vignes, 2019, 13.5% ABV, $30

This wine is a Cairanne Cru of southern Rhone. Vielles Vignes means old vines.

Wine Advocate-93 points: “It offers a bold, lusty mouthful of dark-berried fruit, hints of licorice and garrigue on the nose and ample concentration and length on the finish. Supple tannins and a softly dusty finish.”