Versatile and Spectacular Garnacha Wines Pique the Palate

Garnacha, or Grenache as it is known in France and much of the New World, is an interesting and versatile grape of Spanish origin. It’s absolutely one of my favorite red wine grapes as it shines in so many applications.

For the sake of brevity, I will simply refer to the grape as Garnacha now that we have established that the varietal has more than one name. You got past the Syrah or Shiraz confusion, so you’ll survive the Garnacha duel identity just fine.

Garnacha (we are referring to the red varietal – there is also a Garnacha Blanca) is, in my estimation, one of the greatest red grapes due to its flavors, obviously. Still, Garnacha’s flavors change dramatically depending upon how and where it’s grown.

Garnacha’s flavors range from soft, fruity notes reminiscent of strawberry and raspberry with sweet herbal accents to wines that are dense with flavors of black plum and cherry, accompanied by pronounced spice, herbal, and mineral notes. The color, too, ranges from light ruby red to deep garnet. You can plan a meal around Garnacha (it also makes great rosé wines), scaling up the flavors to match increasingly more hearty and flavorful dishes.

Garnacha can and does produce some of the best value red wines that you will ever taste from the Spanish regions of Aragon and Navarra (among others), and of course, Côtes du Rhône from the Southern Rhône in France. These wines consistently offer some of the best value for money among reds made anywhere in the world. Learn more about Spanish wines HERE.

Garnacha is also responsible for some of the world’s most serious, collectible, and expensive wines, like those made in the Southern Rhône appellation of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, as well as Priorat from Spain’s region of Catalonia. Both of these wines can run you $100 and upwards. Learn more about Rhône wines HERE.

While Garnacha is native to Spain, there are actually more acres planted in France. Spain is second in the world in terms of total Garnacha production, with Italy in third place (more on Italian Garnacha in a moment). However, Spain is on the rise again, as many Garnacha vineyards were replanted with Tempranillo in the 1980s in Rioja, but that trend is being reversed. Many producers are rediscovering that even their Tempranillo-based wines are better and more complex with a healthy dose of Garnacha in the mix.

The New World is still a bit behind Europe in terms of Garnacha, as the USA has fewer than one-fifth of the acres that Italy does. Australia has even fewer Garnacha vines. It is also whispered that China has started to grow Garnacha with some vigor.

The USA Garnacha has yet to find its center, with the glaring exception of Tablas Creek. Tablas Creek has partnered with Château de Beaucastel in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, arguably the most famous wine estate in the region, since 1989. Tablas Creek has managed to create wines that accentuate California fruit with techniques from the Rhône, producing wines that are often the best of both worlds. BevX reviews a selection of wines from Tables Creek each year, so please check out our reviews..

There is another California winemaker out of Santa Barbara getting ink for their ostentatiously priced Garnacha wines (running upwards of $500 — ouch), but BevX readers are far too clever to be taken in by the hype.

Italy is becoming a hot spot for Garnacha, especially on the island of Sardinia (Sardegna), where Garnacha is known as Cannonau. A growing number of Italian winemakers and scholars now believe that Cannonau is actually native to Sardinia; however, there is insufficient evidence at this time to substantiate this claim. Cannonau di Sardegna is the most famous of the Garnacha DOC wines from Italy and the easiest example to find on American store shelves. These wines typically range from the low teens to the low $20 range in price. The flavors are often charming and complex, with dense cherry notes supported by strawberry, dried herbs, and orange zest. If you have not tried Cannonau di Sardegna, seek it out at your favorite wine retailer.

While Garnacha is far from a sleeper variety, it still lacks its due appreciation. Perhaps you could help by sipping more value Garnacha from Spain, France, Italy, or the USA. Garnacha offers such a wide range of flavors and budgets. In comparison, value wines from many famous varieties are often a compromise on the flavor that Garnacha delivers across all price strata.