Wine Education : Garnacha Grape

Wine Tasting at all FOUR locations

Taste IA Garnacha at all four of our locations this Saturday, June 22 from 11am-4pm.

(each store will also have other wines out to taste)

A little more education: We are going to try to feature either a grape or a wine region each week at our stores. We will give you some background information on the grape or region and feature a wine that highlights what we are featuring. We will taste that wine on Saturday at all four of our locations. We will post it here in our blog and send it out in our emails - click here to sign up for our emails

WeI have started a new label "Education" that you can hit to read all the education articles (see the right column under the heading "labels".

Grape: Garnacha

image from Wikipedia

Garnacha:

Garnacha is the name for Grenache Spain.    Grenache is one of the most widely planted red wine grapes in the world.   If you have had Southern Rhone wines such Cotes du Rhone or Chateauneuf du Pape, you have had Grenache before.  In the Southern Part of Rhone Grenache usually is the dominant grape in the blend.   But, we are featuring the Spanish version this week - Garnacha.  In fact, Garnacha (Grenache) is believed to have originated in Northern Spain in a an area called Aragon.   It eventually spread to others areas of Spain and also into Southern France and the Rhone Region.   Grenache needs warm weather and a long growing season to fully ripen, it is one of the last grapes to be picked.    Garnacha can take on many faces from light and fruity to big,brawny, and alcoholic.  A big key for Garnacha for complexity and character is old vines.  Old vines and low yields really make this grape shine in Spain.    The wine we are featuring this week is one of our favorite Garnachas from Spain - IA from Carinena.  It is made from old vines, 50 years old, giving it the big fruit and complexity that you want in this amazing value at only $6.99 right now.  IA made from 100% Garnacha.  In other weeks, we will feature Grenache from France and Grenache from Italy (which is called Cannonau)
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