The Revival of Garnacha in Spain Double Issue

No. 85

JUNE 2021

AVAILABLE ONLINE ONLY PRICE $25

Old Vines Native to Aragón New Producers

1 developed new styles, all of which are contributing to a revival of interest and respect for the grape. Our tastings for this report reveal there are many superb Table of Contents premium wines of Garnacha on the market today that should generate considerable enthusiasm among wine Introduction aficionados. Consumers have become more open to a Acknowledgements variety of wine styles. A wine no long needs to be dark Garnacha in Spain and highly extracted to be appreciated. As we discovered A Brief History of Garnacha in our tasting, there are a variety of styles of premium Growing Garnacha Garnacha and Garnacha blends that are both enjoyable Vinifying Garnacha to drink and very reasonably priced. Styles of Spanish Garnacha Garnacha Regions, Noteworthy Producers and their After presenting a map of where Garnacha is grown in Wines: Spain, we present a brief history of Garnacha beginning Sierra de Gredos with reign of the Crown of Aragon in the 12-13th centuries Vinos de Aragon when Garnacha spread throughout the Iberian peninsula Rioja as well as southern France where it was renamed Navarra Grenache. After phylloxera it became Spain’s dominant Priorat grape, although by the middle of the last century it had Catalonia become a work horse variety with cooperatives producing Jumilla low value wine sold in bulk. Garnacha began to be uprooted in Navarra and elsewhere in favor of Tempranillo and international varieties. The emergence of outstanding wines made of Garnacha and Carignan in Priorat helped stimulate a renewed interest in the variety by winemakers, Introduction many of them young. Today, outstanding Garnacha wines are being made, especially from the remaining old vines. In this, our third report on Grenache, the focus is on the Garnacha (Garnaxta in Catalan) of Spain. Until recently, In the sections that follow, we examine the Garnacha Garnacha was Spain’s dominant red grape variety with grape and the unique challenges facing winemakers some 70 percent of total plantings. However, since in crafting high quality premium wine from the variety. the middle of the last century, Garnacha has lost favor Among the issues are: acquiring good plant material, in Spain. Changing consumer tastes favoring darker developing good color, fermentation temperatures, and more age worthy wines have given preference to macerations and the use of clusters, tendency towards Tempranillo, which has been highly successful in both oxidation, and managing alcohol. We also discuss the the domestic and international markets. Meanwhile, different styles of Garnacha resulting from both terroir and Garnacha has become a work horse grape for wines of winemaking. low value sold in bulk. In the final section we provide readers an in-depth look As shown in the graph, Garnacha plantings in Spain at all the major regions where Garnacha is grown, the have continued to decline since 2000. Whereas noteworthy producers of Garnacha, and tasting notes and Spain was historically the world’s largest producer of ratings of over 150 wines, both single varietals and blends. Garnacha, today it is France. Notwithstanding the decline The number of outstanding wines is impressive. Our in Garnacha plantings, many growers and winemakers profiles and tastings of Garnacha begin with the Sierra throughout Spain have remained loyal to Garnacha de Gredos, a mountainous region southwest of Madrid and have improved the quality of their wines, as well as where many small growers left a priceless heritage of old Garnacha vines. Here a new generation of winemakers passionate about Garnacha are crafting wines that in Grenache Plantings, 2000-2016 some respects are comparable to Pinot Noir. We next 250000 focus on Aragon and the DOs of Calatayud, Campo 200000 de Borja, Cariñena and Somotano. Large cooperatives 150000 produce a considerable amount of wine in these DOs, 100000 but there are also many independent wineries producing first-class modern Garnacha. This section also explores the 50000 Garnachas of Rioja and Navarra where there are a small 0 2000 2010 2016 number of top quality producers. In addition, we examine World 216349 181553 150096 many of the producers in Priorat, Monsant and elsewhere Spain 98131 70202 54606 in Catalonia.

World Spain Garnacha is undergoing a revival in Spain with many ﬁne wines in a variety of styles being produced throughout the Source: University of Adelaide, Wine Economics Research Centre

2 country. Especially noteworthy is that these Garnachas offer outstanding quality to price ratios rarely found in Garnacha in Spain our experience tasting wines around the world. Even the wines made from relatively scarce old vine Garnacha are offered at bargain basement prices in Spain and the US. We call readers’ attention to these wines in our tasting notes.

Acknowledgements. The preparation of this report was in every sense a collaborative effort. First and foremost, we would like to thank the many importers, distributors, and winemakers who submitted samples of Garnachas for the report. Since our travel to Spain was Many growers and winemakers throughout Spain are prohibited because of the pandemic, this report would crafting outstanding single varietal Garnacha and not have been possible had we not received samples Garnacha blends reflecting respect for old vines and for tasting. We would like to extend a special thanks to improvements in viticulture and winemaking that have Fran Kysela and Jens Riis for their help in transporting occurred in recent years. Garnacha in Spain, as in France’s Rhone Valley and Languedoc-Roussillon, often wine samples directly from Spain, as well as Eric yields its best results in blends where its wonderful plush Solomon and Steven Spanbauer. We also wish to thank red fruit softness can be tempered and given form by several producers, especially Norrel Robertson MW combining it with other grapes. Grapes, with higher acidity and the team at Borsao, for sharing their knowledge and firmer fine-grained tannins, can lift Garnacha to a and experience with Garnacha. Likewise, we are higher level, as well as age-worthiness that we’ve seen in indebted to several wine writers whose research, writing our tastings for this report. and tastings were very useful to us in preparing this Garnacha on its own needs truly fine terroirs and less report. They include: Luis Guttierez, Amaya Cebrian, ferociously warm areas, with attendant lower yields Jancis Robinson, Ferram Centelles, Natasha Hughes, (usually from older vines), denser, non-baked fruit, firmer Josh Reynolds, Fernando Mora MW and Victor de acidity and consonant tannins to produce high quality, la Serna. We also wish to acknowledge with deep complex wines. Perhaps that is why most, but by no means appreciation, the contributions to the report made by all, of the best Garnachas in Spain today come from the Contributing Editor, Joel Butler MW. Cover photo: Old more northerly DO’s or those at higher altitudes like the vine Garnacha in Gredos. Sierra de Gredos and Calatayud.

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