Winemaker Notes
Intense red, with violet hues. Tastes friendly with soft tannins, with outstanding red fruit and a spicy finish.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Vibrant strawberries, white pepper and cherries. Juicy and dusty with an intense, medium-bodied palate full of dusty tannins and a ripe but fresh and spicy finish. Garnatxa negra and garnatxa peluda.
Grenache thrives in any warm, Mediterranean climate where ample sunlight allows its clusters to achieve full phenolic ripeness. While Grenache's birthplace is Spain (there called Garnacha), today it is more recognized as the key player in the red blends of the Southern Rhône, namely Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Côtes du Rhône and its villages. Somm Secret—The Italian island of Sardinia produces bold, rustic, single varietal Grenache (there called Cannonau). California, Washington and Australia have achieved found success with Grenache, both flying solo and in blends.
The highest wine growing zone in Spanish Cataluña, Terra Alta is south of Priorat and Montsant. Here growers are following the trends of Priorat, recovering Garnacha blanca vines for white wines and focusing on quality red blends.