International Grenache Day 2022
It’s Grenache Day and, though I have a habit of only realizing it is a grape holiday just before, or sometimes just after dinner, today I got the message early!
Now don’t think that I don’t keep track of these things. I do! I have a sheet, somewhere, where I wrote down all the grape and wine holidays. I just often get caught up with other projects and then the day sneaks up on me.
This morning, it was Instagram to the rescue! So I headed downstairs to see what we had in the wine fridge. But, we’ll get to that later.
First how about a little background on Grenache or Garnacha, as it is called in Spain.
Garnacha
It is commonly believed that Garnacha originated in Spain, likely in the North east part of the country near Aragon. But a case has been made that it actually originated in Sardinia, where they refer to it as Cannonau.
Like Pinot, it has mutations, including a white mutation Grenache Blanc, or Garnacha Blanca and a grey mutation Grenache Gris.
Garnacha thrives in hot dry environments. It buds early and ripens late, so it needs a warm climate. The berries (grapes) can be very high in sugar and as such it often makes high alcohol wines (14% alc or more).
It is one of the main grapes in the Rhone Valley of France and is often blended with Syrah and Mourvedre in the commonly known GSM blend. It is the leading grape in the Southern Rhone.
Where do you find this grape? Well, in warm climates around the globe. France leads with the most hectares planted, followed closely by Spain, then Italy, China, the US, Algeria, Australia and Morroco!
Okay, enough history and science what does it taste like!?
First up is strawberry. If you have a glass of rose and the first thing you smell is strawberries, it is likely a grenache rose. The strawberries in might be fresh, candied or stewed, but you will definitely get strawberries. Other aromas and flavors might be black cherry, raspberry, cranberry & plum. Outside of the fruit, you might find citrus rind, blood orange, leather, anise, dried herbs, black pepper & spice.
Let’s look at some of the Garnachas or Grenaches and what to pair them with!
A Grenache Vertical from Tablas Creek
A while back we did a vertical of 3 Tablas Creek Grenaches. This tasting in 2017 was of their 2009, 2010 and 2012 Grenaches. We brightened a rainy afternoon with these wines and paired with both lunch and dinner.
Our lunch pairings included a Beef Shepherd’s pie, lentil soup and then a cheese plate that consisted of Asiago with Rosemary, a triple crème cheese and a Cambolzola (a triple crème bleu), fig butter, cherry preserves, dates, strawberries and rosemary.
For dinner, we made bacon wrapped dates, roasted root vegetables (carrots and beets), roasted strawberries with rosemary and crostini’s with cherry preserves and Beef Sirloin Tri Tip in a Kansas City BBQ sauce, which we topped with a little fresh rosemary.
Our lunch pairings included a Beef Shepherd’s pie, lentil soup and then a cheese plate that consisted of Asiago with Rosemary, a triple crème cheese and a Cambolzola (a triple crème bleu), fig butter, cherry preserves, dates, strawberries and rosemary.
For dinner, we made bacon wrapped dates, roasted root vegetables (carrots and beets), roasted strawberries with rosemary and crostini’s with cherry preserves and Beef Sirloin Tri Tip in a Kansas City BBQ sauce, which we topped with a little fresh rosemary.
Saenz-Olazabal “Gardacho” Garnacha 2018 Navarra
The vines for this wine average 75 years old that are planted at 500-550 meters above sea level. Soils here are clay-limestone.
100% Garnacha, it is fermented 50/50 in concrete and stainless steel with indigenous yeast. Then it goes into 5000-liter neutral French oak casks to age for 8 months. Unfined and unfiltered, this wine is bright and delicious. It can be found for around $15 which is a steal for this wine.
The wine was bright and cheerful with bold tannins, but the fruit is juicy with notes of baking spice. The wine has lift. It is a lively, joyful wine and is decidedly Spanish. When I stuck my nose in the glass I got those strawberry notes that I associate with Grenache as well as undertones of currant. Red fruit was prominent with deeper background notes of darker fruits like blackberries, with hints of baking spice.
What to Pair?
I went through lists of traditional dishes that are recommended in Pamplona and found Pochas estofadas. This dish of white beans, tomatoes, olive oil, and paprika seemed just right.
This recipe called for frozen beans, wild rice, fresh tomato, a poach onion, chicken stock, carrot, and zucchini. I simplified using canned beans and tomatoes and precooked rice. This went together in about 20 minutes. If you are using uncooked rice, just add 20 minutes for it to cook and stew in all those delicious flavors. ( the recipe is in the link)
Domaine Chamfort La Pause Rosé 2020 Côtes du Rhône Villages Sablet AOC
This wine is 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah from an ancient terraced vineyard. The vines are 20-50 years old and the soil is limestone and sand with galets, (those large pudding stones). It is made in the saignée method.
I smelled strawberry that was perhaps still a little green, watermelon, yellow peach, nectarine, raspberry and orange peel. There was a floral note that was a bit elusive as well as some chalk dust. In my mouth, I got nectarine and tart cherry.
Louis Bernard Rouge 2018 Côtes du Rhône Villages AOC
A blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah grown in sand, marl, clay, and limestone, this wine is hand-harvested and destemmed. Each lot is vinified separately. After fermentation, it ages 10 months before bottling.
It hit my nose with fresh berry compote right off the stove as it cools. There were cherries, plum, and blackberries, and a hint of something minty, plus sweet baking spices, with cardamom and star anise. In my mouth, there was cherry soda, not quite cherry cola, but a bit brighter, with notes of cherry candy.
We put together a cheese and charcuterie board to pair with each of the flavors of the wine including Truffled almonds, prosciutto, Salame Milano, calabrese and Toscano, goat cheese, aged Gouda, Grand Margaux brie, white peaches, black and red plums, strawberries, blackberries, black cherries, walnuts, and arugula.
To pair with the rose we did an arugula salad with peaches, strawberries, goat cheese, and a white balsamic dressing with dried orange zest, thyme, olive oil, and honey topped with sliced almonds.
For the red, a New York Strip and a Rib Eye, marinated in soy, balsamic, Worcestershire, Cardamom, Herbs de Provence, black pepper, olive oil, & minced garlic. We did a side of roasted red potatoes in herbs and smoked gouda. All the reds went beautifully with the meat and the Louis Bernard was especially good pairing with the gouda in potatoes.
Kind of Wild 2020 Syrah-Grenache Rosé
The wine was delicious! It is a 50/50 blend of Syrah and Grenache
“made by a 3rd generation female winemaker in the South of France.”
The Pays d’Herault IGP is for wines from the Hérault department of the Languedoc-Roussillon region in the South of France, North of the border with Spain. The region has its Southeast border on the Mediterranean sea and includes the cities of Montpellier to the North and Béziers to the South.
The wine had notes of watermelon and strawberries, it was refreshing but had a depth with a bit of tannin to keep it from being too carefree. I think of this, not as a party wine, but rather the perfect wine to quietly enjoy an amazing view…which is exactly what we did.
2015 Department 66 Others
Others Old Vine Grenache blend from Department 66 in Maury
The wine we tasted was the “Others”. It is a blend of 75% Grenache, 10% Syrah and then the rest is a mix of Carignan, Mourvèdre, and Lledoner. (Geek Alert, Lledoner Pelut is a name for a form of Grenache Noir, that is less rot-prone source)
This wine was an opaque ruby in color. Aromas of redcurrant and black cherry tried to peek out from behind the garrigue, spice, mocha, cloves, cinnamon, leather, and wet leaves. This is a high alcohol wine sitting at 14.5%.
In my mouth, it was cooked and dried fruit, a bit of prune, then a lavender-like note, something peppery, bright, and a little numbing in my mouth. Again those notes of clove, and wet leaves, and a bit of tobacco. With the deep color, it had more acidity to the palate than I expected and it went well with more of our pairings than I expected.
Pairing Catalan style
Cured meats, roasted peppers, olives, drunken goat cheese, sundried tomatoes, and grilled bread with tomatoes called “pa amb tomàquet” in Catalan to pair with the “Others”.
Humilitat 2015
This wine is 60% Grenache and 40% Carignan. Grenache (in Spain Garnacha) is 41% of the production of the region, with Carignan a 2nd with 23% of production. The Garnacha is rich and juicy (and very Spanish in attitude) and the Carinena (or Carignan) adds depth and intensity.
The winemaker notes this wine as “elegant, fresh, simple, humble…Garnacha at its best” I find it impossible to disagree
The bottle reads…
“Because every vintage is a new challenge. Because we wish to nurture nature but we are only vinegrowers, artisans honing our skills all our life. And maybe then, the harshness of the land opens up to us, enlightens our minds gives rise to a special wine. Maybe, this is humility, “humilitat”.
Franck Massard, sommelier & vigneron.
My notes
The first notes to hit my nose were of coffee and mocha followed by berries and bramble. Notes of garrigue, heavy on the lavender popped out. There were notes of raspberry and roasted strawberry along with deeper notes of dried currant and a whiff of black olive floating somewhere in the back. This wine is full, but in no way heavy.
On its own, the wine is decidedly Spanish, vibrant, and feisty with elegance.
We paired it with Coffee and five-spice sous-vide salmon and grilled herbed zucchini (the recipe you will find in the link)
Black Slate Escaladei 2017
The Black Slate Escaladei is a blend of Garnatxa, Cabernet Sauvignon and Carinyena. The grapes come from vineyards in the foothills of the Montsant Mountains. There are 3 “Black Slate” Wines made by the winemaker, Jordi Vidal. This is said to be the most elegant of the three. The fruit comes from 40 to 100-year-old vines grown at 500 meters (1640 feet). The soils here are a mix of the llicorella and clay-limestone and the vineyard is certified organic.
Steak and romesco
The steak was simply pan fried rare. While it rested the baby broccoli cooked in the same pan, soaking up the juices and getting just a little char. Then the summer squash and almonds were added and we scrapped up all the delicious bits on the bottom into the mix.
We served this with some sage gnocchi, and placed the sliced steak on a bed of romesco sauce.
Happy International Grenache Day!
I hope you are inspired to grab a bottle and tackle a pairing to celebrate!
More on Grenache by Crushed Grape Chronicles
Robin Renken is a wine writer and Certified Specialist of Wine and WSET 3 Certified. She and her husband Michael travel to wine regions interviewing vineyard owners and winemakers and learning the stories behind the glass.
When not traveling they indulge in cooking and pairing wines with food at home in Las Vegas.
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