Garnacha/Grenache

Grenache seems to be one of the more difficult grapes to make wine with in California.  So many  are overdone and taste roasted while others are thin and insipid.  It is a grape that gets very ripe and matching that to the California sunshine is not easy.  Andremily is one winery that seems to achieve that balance.  They are big wines but not roasted or hot, but full of flavor and texture.  A blend of 80% Grenache, 14% Mourvedre and 6% Syrah.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The  nose has black cherries, black raspberries, dark chocolate and spice.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Great

This is a blend of 76% Grenache, 13% Mourvèdre, and 11% Syrah from the central Coast (although carries a California AVA designation).  This is a very impressive full throttle, ripe California Grenache.  Purple in color, opaque and shimmering bright.  The nose is deep with black raspberries, black cherries, leather, floral notes, spice, leather and coffee.  Full bodied.  Plush texture.  Great energy.  On the palate, this is deep but accessible.  Lots going on.  Delicious.  Black raspberries, black cherries, black pepper, with a bit of gravel and slight earthiness.  Long finish.  Great on its

This is a blend of 76% Grenache, 15% Graciano, and 9% Syrah.  It is a ripe styled Grenache that is very impressive.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, blueberries, black raspberries, spice and roasted herbs.  Full bodied.  Light to medium tannins.  Great texture.  On the palate, flavors of black cherries and black raspberries with some minerality and char.  Long finish.  Delicious.  Great on its own, this will be a difficult food match until it ages more.  For now, ribs off the grill would work.  Drink over the next eight to twelve years.  

There are very few great California Grenache's, but this is one.  This is a blend of 79% Grenache, 11% Mourvedre, 6% Syrah and 4% Graciano.  Purple in color, garnet at the rim, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, Black raspberries, plums, char, roasted herbs and meats.  Full bodied.  Light to medium tannins.  On the palate, this has juicy acidity.  Flavors of black raspberries, black cherries, spice and char.  Long finish.  This is very young, of course, and will improve, but its quite good today.  It would be a nice match for Cajun Roasted Chicken.  

This is 100% old vine (averaging 65 years old) Grenache from southeast France.  The nose has raspberries and sour cherries along with a slight floral note.  Medium bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, the wine is concentrated with raspberries and cherries.  Good acidity.  Nice texture.  The wine is  nice on its own, but paired with a Chocolate Pots de Creme, it worked quite well.  Drink over the next five to seven years.  

This is an 80/20 blend of Grenache and Syrah from the Rhone region of France on the border with Provence.  Deep garnet in color with some ruby swirls, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is very nice with black cherries, black raspberries, black pepper, spice and slight lavender notes.  Full bodied.  Light tannins.  Good balance.  On the palate, black cherries and black raspberries with some minerality.  Nice finish.  This drinks well on its own and is food friendly.  It will work well with stew or cold cuts.  Drink over the next five years.  Great value.

SQN's Grenache are some of the most unique expressions of the varietal anywhere.  They are big and fruit forward, but they have depth and energy as well.  And, they can age better than most.

This is a big wine!  100% Grenache.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.

Purchased at the winery back in 2017.  Gredos is in the mountains just west of Madrid, Spain.  It is 100% Garnacha grown at  high altitude.  Deep ruby in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is interesting with black cherries, cherries, some pomegranate, but also thyme and char.  Full bodied.  Light to medium tannins.  On the palate, this is very concentrated.  Not a blowsy wine but very persistent.  Black raspberries, black cherries, and cherries with underlying char and slight herbal note.  Complex and deep.  Long finish.  A unique Grenache that seems to exude its terroir.  It went

From Mendocino County, Saracina’s Rosé of Grenache is grown on sustainably farmed vineyards that are home to 140-year-old olive trees, vegetable gardens, beehives, and local birds and wildlife. This offers black cherry, strawberry, blood orange and rhubarb notes, with both red and green apple in the mix. Interestingly there is a light sweetness that is counterbalanced by a light tartness. The bright acidity allows this to work well with a variety of different foods. ORIGIN: Mendocino County. ALCOHOL: 12.5%