Do You Know What Grenache Can Do?

By / Wine + Drinks / December 10th, 2014 / 1

It’s amazing how you can forget all about a country and/or a grape until it is thrust into the spotlight and you get to taste a whole bunch (no pun intended).

In late-November I found myself at a tasting completely devoted to the Grenache/Garnacha grape from Spain … what an eye-opening experience.

I already knew I liked Spanish wines and I know I like Grenache based wines, but when you find yourself in a room with over 2 dozen you really start to understand why. From the simple to the complex this grape seems to be able to do it all.

Santo Cristo 2012 Seleccion Garnacha ($13.50)

Here you’re looking at a wine made form 60-80 year old vines and no oak was used, sure it’s fresh and fruit driven but because of the old vines it also has complexity and spice, you’d swear it saw the inside of a barrel, it has that many layers.

Bodegas Paniza 2012 Vinas Viejas de Paniza Garnacha ($17.95)

Another old vines offering that shows great fruit like cherry and raspberry all mixing it up with a gentle spice – the surprise is the complexity it gains with each sip.

Vinas del Vero 2009 Secastilla ($32.00)

This one is mainly Grenache but has other varieties thrown in for “seasoning”, and is consider more of a field blend; chocolate, plum, black cherry, blackberry, vanilla, the list goes on and on.

For more wine suggestions, see our other #WineWednesday posts.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michael is an award-winning journalist: Promoting the Promoters Award Cuvée 2010 and Ontario Wine Awards Journalist of the Year 2012.  He is also a national and international wine judge - Ontario Wine Awards, All Canadian Wine Championships; Best of Riesling — Germany; Essencia do Vinho — "Top Wines of Portugal".  He is currently the President of the Wine Writers Circle of Canada and the wine columnist for Ottawa Life and Grand magazine as well as regular contributor to Tidings, and Grapevine ... his reviews have also appeared in the LCBO Vintages magazine. Michael has also added a YouTube channel to his activities where he reviews bottles of great Ontario wine on a weekly basis. In whatever he does, it is Michael’s desire to educate, inspire and encourage others to grow their own love and enthusiasm for wine – and to realize that it is their palate that ultimately makes the decision.

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