Grape Varietal-Grenache

The Grenache grape variety is one

of the most widely planted red wine

grape  varieties in the world.  It is

one that ripens pretty late and needs

hot and dry conditions.  This is the

type conditions you get in Spain, the

South of France, and also in

California's San Joaquin Valley,

Australia, . It has a spicy flavoring to it and provides a high amount of alcohol.  This grape much of

the time lacks color and tannin so it is blended with other grape varieties to make up for that.  The

most common blend for this grape is the Syrah.  This is the blend most used by Australia.  In fact this

grape was one of the very first grapes introduced to Australia and became its most popular grape

varieties in the red grape category to be planted.

The grape variety has certain traits of flavors it usually portrays.  The flavors are cherries, raspberries,

and spiciness.  Its winemaking flavors are stated as concentrations and extractions.  Even though

there are plenty of places that plant this grape variety, the places it grows best are Rhone Valley,

France, and Spain.  In Kevin Zraly's book they show that Cotes du Rhone, Languedoc/Roussillon,

and Provence regions grow this variety as a major grape variety.  The Rhone valley is highly known

for their Grenache variety.  In south Australia the two valleys that grow this grape variety the most

are Barossa Valley and the McLaren Vale.  These regions also grow the Shiraz variety grapes.  These

regions are located in South Australia, which is one of the few regions of the world that has never

been affected by phylloxera.

This grape is one of the most important grapes in

Chateauneuf du Pape.  This wine is a prestigious

wine.  The alcohol content in these wines mostly

stays between 13 and 15%.  They do not use

small oak barrels with this wine because of the

Grenache. It is prone to oxidation in porous

wood barrels.


Grenache is a grape variety with an alternate crop.  It can have 8 to 10 per acre one year and 14 to 16

tons per acre the next.  They can yield fleshy heavy vines and then age rapidly.  They become Tawny

with age.  This grape yet still makes its wines more distinctive and identifiable than any other

because of its particular aromas and flavors.  They have thin skin and ripen late in the growing

season, hence the long hot dry growing season.  Now even China, Mexico, and Israel are cultivating

this grape. This grapes popularity continues to grow as the popularity of wine keeps expanding.  I did

some research on sales of the Grenache wine.  Most of he variety was coming from Spain.  They all

pretty much remained under $20 and many of them were actually under $10.   The Grenache from

Australia remained more on the pricey side.  The ones from McLaren Vale were pretty pricey.  One

was $110, but was on sale for $69.99 on wine.com.  There was a wine from Sine Qua Non vineyard

in California that had a 2008 vintage.  This particular wine was priced at $615.  It was called The

Duel.  There was another from the same vineyard and it was called The Line of the same vintage and

it was priced at $275.  The Line is barrel aged for 20 months and it is 87.5% Grenache, 11% Syrah,

and 1.5% Viognier.  It is stated as tight because in 2008 there was a lot of frost on the vineyards.  The

Duel on the other hand has extreme depth, extraordinary richness, and power.  It is 82% Grenache,

14% Syrah, 2% Viognier, and 1% Roussanne.  A portion of the Grenache in this wine is fermented

using whole clusters.  If you are interested in looking at these wines or purchasing them they are for

sale at wine.com.  There are so many choices on this website, and many of them are on sale which is

nice.  The Grenache from Spain may be something nice to start on because they will not knock a

huge hole in your wallet.  If you however make a ton of money or choose to purchase this $615 bottle

of wine, please let me know how it is!

Here is the wine.com link to the Grenache wine pages.  If you have never ordered from there before

you get shipping for 1 cent if you spend $49 or more.   

http://www.wine.com/v6/Grenache/wine/list.aspx?N=7155+124+10080&state=VA

References

Zraly, K. (2011). Windows on the world complete wine course. New York, NY: Sterling Epicure

Grenache Wine. (n.d.). Retrieved December 6, 2012, from Wine-Searcher website: 
     http://www.wine-searcher.com/grape-202-grenache-garnacha