Grenache

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"Bois Jaune" redirects here. For the Bulgarian wine grape also known as Bois Jaune, see Dimiat.
"Tintilla" redirects here. For other Spanish-French wine grapes that are also known as Tintilla, see Mourvèdre and Trousseau (grape).
"Redondal" redirects here. For the Portuguese wine grape that shares this and several other synonyms, see Alicante Bouschet.
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Grenache
Rioja
VIVC number4461
Grenache noir grapes

Grenache (

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

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

Banyuls, and as the basis of most Australian fortified wine.[3]

History

The early history of Grenache is closely linked to the lands under the Crown of Aragon.

Grenache or Garnacha (as it is known in Spain) most likely originated in the region of

phylloxera epidemic.[3]

Grenache was one of the first varieties to be introduced to

Yakima Valley rosé earning mention in wine historian Leon Adams treatise The Wines of America.[7]

Viticulture

The strong wood canopy of Grenache allows it to thrive in a windy climate but also makes mechanical harvesting and pruning difficult.

The Grenache vine is characterized by its strong wood

bunch rot and downy mildew due to the vine's tight grape clusters. Marginal and wet climates can increase Grenache's propensity to develop these viticultural dangers. The vine's drought resistance is dependent on the type of rootstock it is planted on but on all types of rootstocks, Grenache seems to respond favorably to some degree of moisture stress.[6]

Grenache prefers hot, dry soils that are well drained but it is relatively adaptable to all

mechanical harvesters and pruning equipment, and more labor-intensive to cultivate. In highly mechanized wine regions, such as Australia and California, this has contributed to a decline in the vine's popularity.[3]

Mutants and crosses

Over centuries, the Grenache vine has produced

crossing of Grenache and Petite Bouschet.[6] In 1961, a cross between Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon produced the French wine grape Marselan.[9]

Winemaking

The thin skin and lack of coloring phenolic compounds makes Grenache a useful variety for the production of pale rosé

Grenache is often used as a blending component, adding

racked as little as possible. The use of new oak barrels can help with retaining color and preventing oxidation but too much oak influence can cover up the fruitiness of Grenache.[6]

The high levels of

maderized character and flavors of sour raisins, nuts and cheese. These fortified VDNs and port-style wines have longevity and can be drinkable well into their third decade.[6]

Wine regions

Grenache is one of the most widely planted red wine grape varieties in the world with France and Spain being its largest principal wine regions. In the late 20th century, total acreage of Grenache in Spain has been on the decline with the vineyards being uprooted in lieu of the more fashionable

cuttings sold since 1998 according to French ampelographer Pierre Galet.[6]

France

While most French Grenaches are blends, varietal examples are also produced.

In France, Grenache is most widely associated with the wines of the Rhône and southern France. Its history in the Rhône can be traced to the influence of

Vacqueyras regions.[6] Today Grenache is most widely planted in the Languedoc-Roussillon region, widely blended with Carignan, Cinsaut, Syrah and Mourvèdre. The vine also has sizable plantings in the Drôme department. The vine's strong, hard wood and affinity for bush vine training allows it to thrive in the Mistral influenced southern Rhone regions of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas.[3] In Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Grenache noir is the most common variety of the 13 permitted varieties, although some producers in recent years have been using a higher proportion of Mourvèdre. Grenache produces a sweet juice that can have almost a jam-like consistency when very ripe. Syrah is typically blended to provide color and spice, while Mourvèdre can add elegance and structure to the wine.[10]

The grape's thin skin and pale coloring makes it well-suited for the production of full bodied, fruit

Corbières.[6]

Spain

In Spain, Grenache is known as Garnacha (Garnatxa in

Rhone Rangers) sparked a re-evaluation of this "workhorse" variety. Today it is the third most widely planted red grape variety in Spain (behind Tempranillo
and Bobal) with more than 57,907 hectares (143,091 acres) and is seen in both varietal wines and blends.

Garnacha plays a major role in the

Madrid, Penedès, Somontano, Tarragona and Terra Alta.[3]

Aragon

Aragon, believed to be the probable origin of the grape, concentrates the largest surface of Grenache (or Garnacha as it is called locally) in Spain, with 40,034 acres (16,201 ha) planted. Garnacha is the dominant variety in the region and is typically used to produce single variety wines. Even though in the mid-20th century Garnacha was considered a "workhorse" variety for large volume wines, in the last 20 years a new generation of winemakers have taken a new approach, by controlling yields, taking advantage of the old vines (from 30 to more than 100 years), and applying modern techniques in combination with old traditions to increase concentration. The

Cariñena DOP has the largest surface of Garnacha vineyards in the region with 11,120 acres (4,500 ha), many of them old vines. Although many of Somontano
DOP wines are now produced with international grape varieties, some of the oldest high altitude vineyards are still traditional Garnacha.

Rioja

In Rioja the grape is planted mostly in the warmer Rioja Baja region located in the eastern expanse of the wine region. Usually blended with Tempranillo, Garnacha provides juicy fruitiness and added body. In recent years, modern Rioja producers have been increasing the amount of Garnacha used in the blend in order to produce earlier maturing and more approachable Riojas in their youth. Garnacha is also used in the pale colored

rosados of Rioja.[3]
The vine has a long history in the Navarre region where it has been the dominant red grape variety with nearly 54% of the region's vineyard planted with Garnacha.

Navarre

Compared to neighboring Rioja, the Garnacha-based blends of Navarre are lighter and fruitier, meant for earlier consumption.[6]

The steep terraced hillside vineyards of Priorat are planted to nearly 40% Garnacha.

Priorat

Ampelographers believe Garnacha has had a presence in the

aging before it would be approachable to drink. Nearly 40% of all the vineyard land in the Priorat region is planted to Garnacha, and most of the rest is Carignan but the acreage of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot increased before 2000 as modernist producers sought to blend those varieties to add complexity. Some of these new modern style Priorats tend to show softer, blackberry fruit in their youth and over time develop notes of figs and tar.[6]

Italy

Grenache is most commonly found as Cannonau in the island of Sardinia where it is one of the principal grapes in the isle's deeply colored, full bodied red wines that routinely maintain alcohol levels around 15%. The Sardinian D.O.C. wine Cannonau di Sardegna is by law at least 90% local Grenache (Cannonau).

Grenache is also found in the regions of

Calabria
. Grenache is known under various name in Italy, like Alicante, Tocai rosso, Guarnaccia, Bordò, and Vernaccia Nera.

Other Old World regions

Grenache has been grown in

Greek islands.[6]

Australia

Grenache was one of many grape varieties introduced to Australia by James Busby.

A clone from

GSM"-Grenache, Syrah and Mouvedre-blends becoming popular.[3] Varietal Grenache from the McLaren Vale is characterized by luscious richness and spicy notes while Barossa Valley Grenache is characterized by jammy, intense fruitiness.[6]

United States

A "Rhone-style" Grenache based blend from Washington State

In the early California wine industry, Grenache's high yields and alcohol level made it an ideal blending component for jug wine production. Early plantings centered in the hot central San Joaquin Valley, where the grape benefitted from its tolerance to heat and drought. It was first used to produce sweet, pale colored "white Grenache" wines similar in quality and substance to

Columbia Gorge American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) have also begun to attract interest.[7]

South Africa

Grenache Noir came to the Cape in the 19th century but was only confirmed as such in the early 1900s by a Stellenbosch University professor. While there isn't a lot of Grenache Noir planted in South Africa at only 305 hectares in 2014, many of the 100+ Grenache based blends are proving to be very fashionable with winemakers due to South Africa's warm climate, dry land and granitic soils.[12]

Other New World wine regions

Despite being one of the world's most widely planted red grape varieties, Grenache's colonization of the New World has been limited apart from strongholds in Australia and California. The rising popularity and success of the Rhone Ranger's movement has brought greater attention to the variety and more plantings of Grenache are popping up every year in places like

South Africa.[6]

Wines

Grenache grapes
A vin doux naturel made from Grenache

Though Grenache is most often encountered in blended wines (such as the Rhone wines or

aging. However, producers (such as some examples from Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Priorat) who use low yields grown on poor soils can produce dense, concentrated wines that can benefit from cellaring.[3] The fortified vin doux naturels of France and Australian "port-style" wines are protected from Grenache's propensity for oxidation by the fortification process and can usually be drinkable for two or three decades.[6]

The characteristic notes of Grenache are berry fruit such as

tawny-like notes.[6]

Synonyms

Grenache is known under a variety of synonyms across the globe. These include: Abundante, Aleante, Aleantedi Rivalto, Aleante Poggiarelli, Alicant Blau, Alicante, Alicante Grenache, Aragones, Bois Jaune, Bordò, Cannonaddu, Cannonadu Nieddu, Cannonau, Cannonau Selvaggio, Canonazo, Carignane rosso, Elegante, Francese, Gamay del Trasimeno, Gamay Perugino, Garnaccho negro, Garnacha Comun, Garnacha negra, Garnacha Roja, Garnacha tinta, Garnatxa negra, Garnatxa Pais, Gironet, Granaccia, Granaxa, Grenache noir, Grenache rouge, Kek Grenache, Lladoner, Mencida, Navaro, Navarre, Navarre de la Dordogne, Navarro, Negru Calvese, Ranconnat, Red Grenache, Redondal, Retagliadu Nieddu, Rivesaltes, Roussillon Tinto, Roussillon, Rouvaillard, Sans Pareil, Santa Maria de Alcantara, Tentillo, Tintella, Tintilla, Tinto Menudo, Tinto Navalcarnero, Tai rosso, Toledana, Uva di Spagna,[13] and Vernatxa.[14]

See also

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 87-567-7140-1
    .
  2. ISBN 9781905819157
    .
  3. ^
    ISBN 978-0-1986-0990-2
    .
  4. ^ a b Radden, Rosemary. "Grapes and Wines of the World". The State Library of South Australia, GPO Box 419, Adelaide SA 5001. Archived from the original on August 7, 2007. Retrieved May 5, 2007.
  5. ^ "È il vino sardo il più antico del mondo, prove di una specie di Cannonau di quasi tremila anni fa". December 10, 2016.
  6. ^
    ISBN 978-0-1560-3291-9
    .
  7. ^
    ISBN 978-05-2-026138-9
    .
  8. ^ a b c Robinson, Jancis. "Garnacha Peluda". Wine Grapes p. 403, New York: HarperCollins, 2012.
  9. ^ Alley, Lynn (September 30, 2007). "New French Wine Grape Arrives in US Market". The Wine Spectator.
  10. ISBN 978-1-56305-434-1
    .
  11. ^ Entry in DRAE
  12. ^ "Higgo Jacobs' Top 20 South African Grenache Noirs". Explore Sideways. June 27, 2017. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  13. ^ Maul, E.; Eibach, R. (1999). "Vitis International Variety Catalogue". Information and Coordination Centre for Biological Diversity (IBV) of the Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food (BLE), Deichmanns Aue 29, 53179 Bonn, Germany. Archived from the original on April 11, 2007. Retrieved May 5, 2007.
  14. doi:10.2436/20.1503.02.32
    . Retrieved January 4, 2020.
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