Grenache, An Unsung Hero In The Vineyards

Grenache is a wonderful grape, a favorite of mine actually. But it is something of an unsung hero. You don’t often see the name on the front label as few producers use it on its own. But some do and with magnificent results. Grenache co-stars in numerous blends with Syrah and Mourvèdre in southern France, Australia and other places. It has an incredible resistance to hot weather and drought.

Not very long ago, it was the most planted red grape variety in the world. But in 20 years, the plantings have gone down from 535,000 acres to 370,000 acres. Grenache is now only the 5^th most grown among the reds, after Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Tempranillo and Syrah.

Although still much planted globally, Grenache hasn’t travelled widely, as most of the Grenache vineyards are in France and Spain. It is an old variety that probably originated in Aragón in northern Spain; however, this is being challenged by Italian researchers, claiming that the grape’s origin is Sardinia.

Grenache wines have an intense aromatic profile, with warm and ripe fruit, sometimes hints of dried fruit, and herbal and peppery notes. It has a smooth mouthfeel. The grapes can accumulate a lot of sugar, and alcohol can sometimes be high.

With 197,000 acres, France is the largest Grenache country. We find the grape along the entire French Mediterranean coast. It copes well with the heat, the drought and the strong winds. It is the dominant grape in most wines in the Languedoc, Roussillon, southern Rhône, including Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and Provence. It is blended with mainly Carignan, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cinsault.

Grenache is not a fashionable grape, although it has many admirers. It has been the hard-working champion of Southern France for a long time. But in the Languedoc, it has been overtaken by Syrah, a newcomer in the region, as the most planted variety. Over the years, we have heard many producers in the Languedoc, and the southern Rhône Valley lament the fact that the Grenache plantings are decreasing. Grenache is much more suited to the climate than Syrah, they say.

Producers in the Languedoc tend to use Syrah as the major grape for their prestige wines, maybe because Syrah is more well-known among consumers. But luckily, Grenache is now more and more appreciated by innovative producers all over the world. Many producers in southern France love Grenache because they say it expresses the terroir of their region. Talented producers can produce surprisingly fresh and crisp grenache wines.

Spain is the second biggest grenache country with around 148,000 acres. Here, the grape is called Garnacha. It is in third place among the red grapes in Spain, after Tempranillo and Bobal. It is planted all around the country. It adds aromas and intensity to Tempranillo in Rioja, and it is one of the main grapes for Priorat in Catalonia.

In Italy, the most famous Grenache comes from Sardinia, where it is called Cannonau. Cannonau di Sardegna is a DOC (appellation) covering the whole island. Some of the best Cannonau wines come from the eastern parts, around the towns of Nuoro and Capo Ferrato.

In California, Randall Grahm, at Bonny Doon Vineyard, created a highly enthusiastic group called The Rhone Rangers in the 1980s. Grenache was already planted at the time but mostly made into low-quality wines. The Ranger movement promoted Grenache and other Rhône Valley grapes as varieties worthy of being taken seriously. The grenache acreage has gone down in the last 20 years, but there is still an interest among growers who wants to be different. It also has some success in Washington, Oregon and Texas.

In Australia, Grenache was the most widely planted variety until the 1960s. It was mostly used for fortified wines. Then it was completely outmaneuvered by Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. But when interest increased for Rhône grapes worldwide, it made a comeback, and the GSM wines – Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre – became popular.

A few other countries have, so far, tiny plantings of Grenache. We think the grape has a great future in South Africa and Chile.

Grenache is available, through natural mutations, in two additional colors, white (grenache blanc) and “grey” (grenache gris, with pinkish grapes).

Grenache facts:

Total worldwide surface: 370,000 acres

Main countries: France, Spain, Italy, USA, Australia

Character: Warm, ripe fruit, intense aromas of spices and fresh herbs. Smooth mouthfeel and often quite soft tannins. Can easily be appreciated soon after bottling. Alcohol can be high but without impairing the balance.

—Britt Karlsson