Hayes Family Wines - Barossa Valley - GSM - The Art of the Blend
The History of the Blend
The Barossa Valley has a very long history of grape growing and winemaking. The grapes that have been core since the 1840s have been Shiraz, Mataro (or Mourvédre) and Grenache. Initially blended for fortifieds, but for much of the last century red wine production. These core 3 varieties remain the mainstay’s of the Barossa Wine Industry. It was therefore natural that these wines would be blended for still red wine production.
The blending of grape varieties perhaps has its home in France, and the Rhone Valley in particular where the core Barossa Varieties are blended, along with others in the classic wines of the region. But in Australia, there are no rules other than the blend that the winemaker enjoys to drink or make (and the grape varieties that he or she has access to in any particular vintage). What is legally required is that the grape varieties are listed on the label in volume order in the blend. As a result, we sometimes see GSM (Grenache, Shiraz & Mataro), SGM (Shiraz, Grenache and Mataro) or MSG (Mataro, Shiraz and Grenache) or any other combination of these core varieties or in fact others that deliver the desired flavours and characters.
The GSM Blend at Hayes Family Wines
At Hayes Family Wines we have access to old vine sources of all 3 varieties. I have an affinity for Grenache, Andrew for Mataro, and practically everyone for Shiraz. But for our GSM, we are looking for drinkability first and foremost, and Grenache delivers that component, beautiful ripe red fruits, perfume if you like to the blend, Shiraz brings body and mouthfeel, and Mataro, that savoury and spice character so important to ensuring that the wine matches with a variety of foods.
Our GSM’s
At Hayes Family Wines we typically make 2 GSMs, our Estate Field Blend, and our Barossa Valley GSM. Typically, our Barossa Valley Grenache is 85% Grenache, 10% Shiraz, and 5% Mataro, but the exact blend does vary year to year. Ultimately, the decisions are made on the tasting bench in any particular year with the wines laid out and Andrew and I, and a few guests trialling the blends in search of the right combination in that particular vintage.
We bottle our GSM in 500ml, 750ml and 1500ml bottles. So a perfect size for a night in by yourself, dinner with a friend or a night out with a group.
2019 GSM
2019 Estate Field Blend