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| Grenache | |
|---|---|
| Grape (Vitis) | |
 Grenache noir in Viala & Vermorel | |
| Color of berry skin | Noir |
| Species | Vitis vinifera |
| Also called | Garnatxa negre, Alicante, Cannonau, Garnacha tinta, Grenache noir (more) |
| Origin | Spain |
| Notable regions | Aragon, Alella, Priorat, Roussillon, Rhône, Sardinia, Rioja |
| VIVC number | 4461 |
Grenache (/ɡrəˈnæʃ/; French pronunciation: [ɡʁənaʃ] ) or Garnacha (Spanish pronunciation: [ɡaɾˈnatʃa]) is one of the most widely planted red wine grape varieties in the world.[1] It ripens late, so it needs hot, dry conditions such as those found in Spain, where the grape is believed to have originated. It is also grown in the Italian island of Sardinia, the south of France, Australia, and California's Monterey AVA, Paso Robles, Santa Barbara County and San Joaquin Valley.
It is generally spicy, berry-flavored and soft on the palate and produces wine with a relatively high alcohol content, but it needs careful control of yields for best results. Characteristic flavor profiles on Grenache include red fruit flavors (raspberry and strawberry) with a subtle, white pepper spice note. Grenache wines are highly prone to oxidation, with even young examples having the potential to show browning (or "bricking") coloration that can be noticed around the rim when evaluating the wine at an angle in the glass. As Grenache ages the wines tend to take on more leather and tar flavors.[2] Wines made from Grenache tend to lack acid, tannin and color, and it is often blended with other varieties such as Syrah, Carignan, Tempranillo, and Cinsaut.
In Spain, there are monovarietal wines made of Garnacha tinta (red Grenache), notably in the southern Aragon wine regions of Calatayud, Carinena and Campo de Borja, but it is also used in blends, as in some Rioja wines with tempranillo. Grenache is the dominant variety in most Southern Rhône wines, especially in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, where it is typically over 80% of the blend. In Australia it is typically blended in "GSM" blends with Syrah and Mourvèdre with old vine examples in McLaren Vale. In Italy, the Sardinian D.O.C. wine Cannonau di Sardegna is by law 90% local Grenache (Cannonau in Sardinian). Grenache is also used to make rosé wines in France and Spain, notably those of the Tavel district in the Côtes du Rhône and those of the Navarre region. And the high sugar levels of Grenache have led to extensive use in fortified wines, including the red vins doux naturels of Roussillon such as Banyuls, and as the basis of most Australian fortified wine.[3]
- ^ Niels Lillelund: Rhône-Vinene p. 25, JP Bøger – JP/Politikens Forlagshus A/S, 2004. ISBN 87-567-7140-1.
- ^ Wine & Spirits Education Trust (2012). Wine and Spirits: Understanding Wine Quality Second Revised Edition, pp. 6–9. London: Wine & Spirits Education Trust. ISBN 9781905819157.
- ^ Robinson, Jancis, ed. (October 1, 2006). The Oxford Companion to Wine (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press. pp. 297-298, 333-334. ISBN 978-0-1986-0990-2.