Grape variety · Red
Grenache
A sun-loving, high-sugar red grape behind Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Spanish Garnacha, rosé and fortified reds.
- Red
- Home: Probably Aragón, north-east Spain (some argue Sardinia)
- Spain, France, Italy, Australia
At a glance
- Also known as
- Garnacha
- Cannonau
- Alicante
- Colour
- Red
- Origin
- Probably Aragón, north-east Spain (some argue Sardinia)
- Main regions
- Southern Rhône (Châteauneuf-du-Pape), Languedoc-Roussillon, Spain (Priorat, Campo de Borja, Navarra), Sardinia, South Australia
- Varietal or blend
- Mostly blended — with Syrah and Mourvèdre (the "GSM" mix), or with Tempranillo in Rioja — but also bottled alone.
- Body & sweetness
- Medium to full-bodied and often high in alcohol; dry, rosé or fortified sweet.
Taste & style
- Flavour
- Ripe strawberry and raspberry, white pepper, dried herbs; liquorice and leather with age.
- Style
- Generous and soft, with modest colour and tannin. Old bush vines give concentrated wines.
In the vineyard & winery
- Growing
- Drought- and wind-tolerant, suits hot, dry places and is often grown as free-standing bush vines. Ripens late.
- Winemaking
- Oxidises easily, so is often blended for colour and structure. Used for the sweet fortified wines of Banyuls and Maury.
Food matches
- Lamb tagine or roast lamb
- Barbecued meats
- Spanish chorizo and stews
- Rosé with salads and seafood
Notes
- Tavel rosé and many Provence rosés are Grenache-based.
From the glossary
Also confusingly known under the synonym names Alicante in the south of France and Guarnaccia in the Ischia DOC, Campania, Italy. It should not be confused with the shortened name for the late nineteenth century cross Alicante Bouschet.
From the Wine Grape Glossary by Anthony J. Hawkins (1931–2018), reproduced with authorship credit as he requested. Written in the 1990s.