Grenache: What to Know and 6 Bottles to Try

If you love red wine, grenache has likely found its way into your glass. Cultivated worldwide and bottled in both varietal and blend format, this hearty grape is known for its tangy fruit-driven flavors of red berries, white pepper and spice. However, grenache has quite a few identities, and not all of them are what you may think. 

What Is Grenache?

Grenache is a popular red grape variety cultivated all over the world. The grape is characterized by medium levels of tannin and acid, and wines produced from it are known for their spicy fruit-driven flavors. 

In the vineyard, grenache is late ripening and rather high yielding, so it often requires a hefty amount of TLC. Overall, grenache has a good tolerance for windy regions and performs best in hot well-draining soils. Grenache has a long growing season, with early budding and late ripening, so when left extensively on the vine in warmer areas, it can produce wines with alcohol levels of 15% and higher.

Where Does Grenache Come From?

Grenache is believed to have originated in Spain, though today the grape is cultivated all over the worldy, notably in Australia, California, France (southern Rhône), Sardinia (where the grape is called cannonau) and Spain. 

How Is Grenache Made?

Grenache is made in a variety of styles, although the biggest factor is whether it's produced varietally or in a blend. GSM (grenache, syrah, mourvèdre) blends are very common in Australia and the south of France, as the characteristics of each of these grapes work well together as a trio. In South America and Spain, grenache (garnacha) is often vinified with carignan (cariñena) to produce regional blends. 

In the south of France, notably in in the southern Rhône, and particularly in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, grenache often makes up about 80% or more of the traditional regional blend, which is usually rounded out with carignan, cinsault, mourvèdre, syrah and more. The grape is also commonly used to produce rosé, notably in Tavel, the Rhône and Navarra in Spain. In Australia as well as in France’s Languedoc region, grenache is frequently used to make sticky-sweet vin doux naturel wines. These wines are produced with the addition of neutral distillate, meaning that its sugar and alcohol levels are high. 

As with all wines, grenache’s flavor profiles are heavily dependent on the vinification techniques used on the juice, as well as the vessels (steel, cement or oak) in which it’s aged. 

What’s the Difference Between Grenache and Garnacha?

Nothing! Garnacha is simply the Spanish name for grenache. However, a handful of variants of the grape exist. For example, garnacha peluda (“hairy grenache”) is an evolved version of the grape that has fuzzier leaves, which protect the fruit from burning in scorching temperatures. According to winemakers who cultivate this variation of the grape, the wines are generally higher in alcohol and lower in acidity than those produced from regular grenache.

Grenache also goes by the names garnatxa, garnatxa negra, cannonau, grenache noir, garnacha tinta and alicante (which is a cross of grenache and petit bouschet). The French grape marselan, first created in 1961, is a cross between grenache and cabernet sauvignon. 

What Does Grenache Taste Like?

Grenache’s flavor profile is highly dependent on where the fruit is grown, how it’s vinified and whether it’s being produced varietally or in a blend. Generally speaking, grenache is known for its flavors of spicy red fruit, berries and white pepper. As grenache ages, the wine tends to take on a brick hue and show flavors of used leather and tar. 

Which Foods Should I Pair with Grenache?

When choosing which dish to enjoy alongside grenache, consider the acid, tannin and fruit levels in the particular bottle you have. Because these characteristics vary so widely for this grape and its blends, food pairings for grenache-based wines are a bit all over the place. Generally speaking, however, grenache tends to always pair well with grilled meats and veggies, game, charcuterie boards and hearty stews (think cassoulet, goulash and beyond). 

These are six bottles to try.