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International Garnacha/Grenache Day!

Friday, September 16^th

Spanish Garnacha up to 98 Points

Southern Rhone Grenache up to 99 Points

A taste from where it all began: Spain.

As far as we can tell, Garnacha (Grenache in France, Cannonau on Sardinia) more than likely originated in the Kingdom of Aragon in north eastern Spain, and then spread across the lands controlled by the Kingdom, to Sardinia and Roussillon. From there it moved throughout the southern parts of France, into the Rhone Valley, before spreading to the four corners of the world.

While it is one of the most widely-planted grapes in the world, growing in Southern France from the Languedoc to the Rhone, and across Australia, California and Washington State, it is a grape capable of making world class wine. Often blended with bits of other grapes like Syrah, Carignan, Cinsault, Tempranillo or Mourvedre, it is the key grape in favorites like Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas from the Rhone, GSM from Oz, and the many “Rhone Rangers” from California.

One of the finest examples of Garnacha comes from the slopes and terraces in the Spanish DO of Priorat. Powerful wines, but elegant and pure. A great place to start to understand the wonderful grape that is Garnacha!

2019 Alvaro Palacios Finca Dofi Priorat

$94.89 (750ML) In Stock-Buy Now

97 WA / 96 JS

#29 James Suckling's Top 100 Wines of Spain 2021

The single-vineyard red 2019 Finca Dofí comes from the 14 hectares of vines planted across three parajes (lieu-dits) in Gratallops. This year, it's 87% Garnacha, 12% Cariñena and 1% white grapes (Garnacha Blanca and Macabeo. It fermented in oak vats with indigenous yeasts and matured in large oak barrels (bocoyes and foudres) for 14 months. It's classy, elegant and fresh with very clean aromas and flavors, not lacking concentration or power. There is superb definition and purity here; it has to be the finest and most elegant Dofí to date. It has finer tannins and more elegance than La Baixada this year. The 2018 was fragrant and this has more clout but superb balance. These two vintages have been great for Dofí. I still remember the 2005, hard as nails then and what the wine is now—spherical and velvety. Dofí on a roll...--Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate

Cracked cloves and white pepper with dark fruit and iron. Perfumed and subtle. It’s full-bodied with a vertical layer of very fine tannins that give a creamy and round texture that turns almost powdery. Flavorful finish, yet refined. Give this time to open. Try after 2023. - James Suckling

More Spanish Garnacha-based wines:

2018 Espectacle Del Montsant Rene Barbier

$137.89 (750ML) In Stock- Buy Now

98 WA

2017 Clos i Terrasses Clos Erasmus

$198.89 (750ML) In Stock- Buy Now

96 WA

2017 Clos i Terrasses Laurel

$117.89 (1.5L) In Stock- Buy Now

95 WA

2017 Bernabeleva Garnacha de Vina Bonita

$47.99 (750ML) In Stock- Buy Now

95 WA

And don't miss all of our other great wines of Spain!

Excellent Grenache from the Southern Rhone
Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas
Up to 99 points!

As Garnacha made its way over the Pyrenees into France, it eventually found another perfect home in the southern part of the Rhone Valley. Here the Grenache-dominant wines tend to be big and higher in alcohol, actually better to be consumed in cooler climates, but there is always the whites (often with Grenache Blanc) and rosé for the warm summer days.

While there are everyday drinkers from the Cotes du Rhone appellation, it is the celebrated Chateauneuf-du-Pape reds, with as many as 13 grapes in the blend, but in reality, mostly Grenache with some Syrah, Mourvedre and Cinsault, that are the standouts. The slightly less known but equally impressive wines from the Gigondas appellation are also really coming into their own. There is so much to explore with these great Grenache-focused wines from the Southern Rhone.