US Edition It’s all about the red fruit – ripe, juicy, slightly sweet, fresh red fruit. Grenache noir (to the French), aka garnacha tinta (Spain), can be soft and easy-going or relatively grippy and tannic, with white pepper, vanilla, even a hint of thyme, but you can always count on lively red berries at its heart: strawberries, cherries, raspberries and red plums.
I love it. Not the unbalanced, overstrong, even jammy examples, obviously – grenache thrives in hot climates and there’s a danger it can become too big, blousy and alcoholic – but the best examples from the southern Rhône and Languedoc-Roussillon, north-east and central Spain, and Australia’s hot-spots are rumbustious, life-affirming, glass-clinking reds.
But grenache rarely stands alone under the spotlight. It’s often used in blends (it plays a large part in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape cocktail of grapes and in trendy GSM – grenache, syrah, mourvèdre – mixes). In southern France, syrah takes centre stage, while tempranillo is the A-lister of the Spanish wine regions. Grenache/garnacha, usually in the form of old, low-yielding bush vines, is too often considered something of a workhorse, except in Priorat, north-east Spain, where it is revered for making especially big, burly (and pricey) wines.
That said, there are plenty of good, affordable grenaches on our shop shelves – this grape deserves more attention. Three high-street buys are below, but do also look at the Spanish garnacha range from Great Western Wine (greatwesternwine.co.uk). Partner grenaches with red meat, especially lamb, or a hearty board of full-flavoured cheeses.
TRY THESE...
El Guia Tinto Garnacha 2012 Campo de Borja, Spain (Waitrose, £4.49)
The Campo de Borja region, north-east Spain, provides much good-value garnacha. Here’s an example with a medium-firm structure and bags of ripe red-berried fruit. Drink with a lamb-chop supper
Yalumba Old Bush Vine Grenache 2012 South Australia (Morrisons, £12.99, down to £11.49 until 1 December)
Highly fruity, ripe and juicy, soft and mellow, with raspberries and Victoria plums, and a milk-chocolate layer. One for duck
Domaine Durieu 2011 Côtes du Rhône Villages Plan de Dieu, France (Majestic, £11.24 or £8.99 each for two or more until 3 February)
At 15 per cent alcohol this grenache-based blend is a bruiser, but its strength is tempered with soft spiced plum and juicy loganberries. Great with a peppered steak
Tipple Tip... Juicy gossip
Sainsbury’s has new, gently spiced fruit juices in its chilled cabinets, including: pear and cardamom; apple, pineapple and lemon-grass; and (our choice) a fresh and lovely ginger lemonade with hints of ginger purée, clove and cinnamon. Refreshingly different. £1.75 for 1 litre