Continuing our blind tasting training we recently lined up a number of Grenache / Garnacha based wines from different regions to taste and discover what common characteristics they had and what regional variation there might be.

Grenache Noir:

This is a late-ripening grape variety that thrives in warm, dry climates. Its resilience to drought makes it well-suited to regions with low rainfall, and it is often cultivated as a bush vine on low-fertility, well-drained soils. Known for its high yields, Grenache accumulates sugar quickly, leading to wines with elevated potential alcohol levels, often exceeding 14–15% ABV.

In the glass, Grenache typically produces wines with a pale ruby hue, low acidity, and soft, supple tannins. On the palate, it offers ripe red fruit flavours such as strawberry, raspberry, and red cherry, accompanied by herbal notes of dried thyme and rosemary, along with subtle spicy nuances like white pepper and clove.

Grenache is frequently used in blends, particularly in the Southern Rhône, where it contributes fruitiness, alcohol, and body. It plays a key role in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, alongside Syrah and Mourvèdre. The grape also thrives in Spain (where it is known as Garnacha), especially in Priorat and Campo de Borja. Other prominent regions include Australia’s Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale, and Sardinia (as Cannonau).

Tasting advice:

Nick Jackson describes the tannin of Grenache as having ‘structureless structure’.  This means that you feel tannin all over the cheeks, gums and roof of the mouth.

Tim Gaiser suggests looking out for ripe and cooked fruit, savoury herbs and animal notes in a high alcohol full bodied wine. Thick slow legs in the glass.

So what did we find?

In planning a Grenache tasting we focused on the classic wine regions but favoured examples that are 100%. In some ways this is atypical as the grape is by and large used as a blending partner that traditionally reliably ripens and tolerates a warm mediterranean climate.  On the other hand the examples we chose probably are representative of the current trend to make Grenache in a perfumed, lighter, unoaked style, picked a little earlier for freshness.

What this highlighted was that the addition of the other grapes changes the character of the wine enormously.  The only blend was the Gigondas which was still 80% Grenache but even the small proportion of Syrah and Mourvèdre added significant black fruits, earthy and dried meat notes.

Key findings:

• The light colour intensity of the pure wines was consistent and even the blend was still fairly light.
• All the wines had mid-range acidity, pretty full body and alcohol on the way to high.
• The mid-level tannins were consistently felt all over the inside of the mouth and were ripe.
• The pure Grenache wines were really quite aromatic, with pretty soft fruit, and consistent a dried herb, sometimes animal note. Including the one new world example from Barossa.
• In the mouth the fruit character of all the ‘old world’ wines was much less ripe and often quite tart. The finish was always savoury and very dry. Even the Barossa example finished dry and although fruity contained an herbal note.

So the good news is that there do seem to be quite a  few distinguishing features that spread across different regions of origin.

Tasting notes:

Finca L’Argata, Montsant 2016 14%

• Light ruby towards garnet, slightly dull sheen. Slightly hazy, unfiltered? Medium legs.
• Very aromatic nose, wild bright red strawberry, wild herbs, oregano, strawberry tart, spice, cherry cola. Very giving.  Floral notes, then dried rose and an orange peel note.
• Much tarter fruit on the palate than the nose promises. Dry, medium acidity, medium plus body, medium slightly prickly grainy tannins all over the mouth: cheeks, gums, roof of mouth. A biting into a lemon sensation, very tart cherry, underripe strawberry, a cranberry flush of freshness. Savoury and drying finish. Complex  Finish medium.

Contino San Rafael Garnacha, Rioja 2021. 13.5%

• Mid ruby through to the core. Medium thickness and speed legs.
• Ripe red and black cherries, raspberry, strawberry chew, dried basil, roasted rosemary, slight animal fir. Toast, and vanilla. Pronounced nose. Much more fruit forward.
• Dry, medium acid, full body, medium alcohol, medium grainy tannins again all over the mouth, again more savoury in the mouth than the nose, strawberry, orange, dried herbs and a wet stone and very dry finish. Good length.

Le Gril du Mas Cristine 2022, Cotes de Rousillon.13.5%

• Old vines, no oak aging.
• Pale ruby to a watery edge, medium thickness and speed of legs.
• Red cherry, raspberry, ripe fruit, strawberry sweet wine gum, dried wild herbs, touch of rosemary, dried oregano. Interestingly much more perfumed and fruitier in a burgundy glass.
• Dry, medium acid, med+ body, med alcohol, medium tannin finer grained all over the mouth again. Again more savoury the palate, herbs, wet stone, dry finish which is med +.

Vino de Altura Garnacha. WS Gen Series. El Escoces Volante. 2023. Calatayud. Spain. 13%

• Old vines. Altitude 750-950 m
• Darker colour, still medium depth. Red and black cherries, green stems, and herbs, very nicely perfumed and floral.
• Dry, medium upper end acidity, medium body, medium – tannin all over, tart fruit, orange peel. Medium plus length dry and savoury finish.

Yalumba Bush Vine Grenache. 2019. Barossa Valley, Australia. 14%

• 100% old vine 35%. Pale but a bit darker and goes closer to the rim. legs bit more viscous and slower.
• Strawberry, wild strawberry, cranberry, banana fruit salad, dairy, yogurt vanilla, sandalwood, pot puri. Pronounced. More fruit driven than others. The herbal nature manifests as more of animal, and an amaro herb liquor. In the small glass some green pepper corns but in the big glass sweet red fruit.
• Dry, medium acid, full body, high alcohol, really soft medium powdery tannin all over the mouth. Fruit is sweeter and rounder in the mouth, fruit is the main event, there is an underlying herbal note and the finish is fruity but with a bit of ash and cinders.

Moulin de la Gardette, Gigondas  2020. 14.5%

• 80% grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah
• Much deeper colour. Legs are very slow to form and slow,
• Cut grass, smoke, grilled meat, wild strawberry, balsamic vinegar, black cherries, ripe black berry, spice, dried herbs, pepper black. Carraway seeds. In the big glass much more fruit dominant and interestingly sweeter on the palate from the big glass.
• Dry, medium / medium + acid, tart blackberry, ripe black cherry, fruit is a little tarter but not as much as earlier wines. There is an earthy note from the Mourvèdre probably. Tannin is medium grainy and all over, finishes long dry and savoury. Most powerful and concentrated of the wines.