Editing Grenache (section)

==Wine regions==
Grenache is one of the most widely planted red wine grape varieties in the world with France and Spain being its largest principal wine regions. In the late 20th century, total acreage of Grenache in Spain has been on the decline with the vineyards being uprooted in lieu of the more fashionable [[Tempranillo]], Cabernet Sauvignon and [[Merlot]]. Between the late 1980s and 2004, Spanish plantings dropped from {{convert|420,000|acre|ha}} to {{convert|203,370|acre|ha}} allowing France with its {{convert|236,500|acre|ha}} to assume the mantle as the world's largest source of Grenache. As of 2000, Grenache was the third most widely planted red wine grape variety in France, behind Merlot and [[Carignan]].<ref name="Oxford pp 297-298, 333-334"/> From French [[Plant nursery|nurseries]], Grenache has become the fourth most widely propagated vine with more than 23 million [[cuttings (plant)|cuttings]] sold since 1998 according to French ampelographer [[Pierre Galet]].<ref name="Clarke pp 91-100"/>

===France===
[[File:French Grenache.jpg|right|thumb|280px|While most French Grenaches are blends, varietal examples are also produced.]]
In France, Grenache is most widely associated with the wines of the Rhône and southern France <ref>{{cite web |last1=NICOLAS |first1=Pierre |title=Grenache |url=https://solevinum.com/grenache-the-generous-soul-of-provencal-wines/ |website=www.solevinum.com |publisher=P. Nicolas |access-date=14 May 2025}}</ref>. Its history in the Rhône can be traced to the influence of [[Burgundian wine]] merchants in the 17-18th centuries who sought a blending variety to add body and alcohol content to their light body wines. Grenache, with its propensity for high alcohol and high yields, fit those desires nicely and was widely planted in the [[Châteauneuf-du-Pape]] and [[Gigondas (AOC)|Gigondas]] and [[Vacqueyras (AOC)|Vacqueyras]] regions.<ref name="Clarke pp 91-100"/> Today Grenache is most widely planted in the [[Languedoc-Roussillon]] region, widely blended with Carignan, [[Cinsaut]], [[Syrah]] and [[Mourvèdre]]. The vine also has sizable plantings in the [[Drôme]] department. The vine's strong, hard wood and affinity for bush [[vine training]] allows it to thrive in the [[Mistral (wind)|Mistral]] influenced southern Rhone regions of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas.<ref name="Oxford pp 297-298, 333-334"/> In Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Grenache noir is the most common variety of the 13 permitted varieties, although some producers in recent years have been using a higher proportion of Mourvèdre. Grenache produces a sweet juice that can have almost a jam-like consistency when very ripe. Syrah is typically blended to provide color and spice, while Mourvèdre can add elegance and structure to the wine.<ref name="MacNeil pp 250">{{cite book |first=Karen |last=MacNeil |title=The Wine Bible |page=[https://archive.org/details/winebible00kare/page/250 250] |publisher=Workman Publishing |date=2000-02-01 |isbn=978-1-56305-434-1 |url=https://archive.org/details/winebible00kare |ref=MacNeil2000}}</ref>

The grape's thin skin and pale coloring makes it well-suited for the production of full bodied, fruit ''[[rosé]]'' wines. Grenache is the principal grape behind the rosés of [[Tavel (AOC)|Tavel]] and [[Lirac (AOC)|Lirac]] and plays an important role in the [[Provence (wine)|Provence]] region as well. In the Roussillon region, Grenache noir and its ''gris'' and ''blanc'' mutations are used in the production of the fortified ''vin doux naturels'' of [[Rivesaltes AOC|Rivesaltes]], [[Banyuls AOC|Banyuls]], and [[Maury AOC|Maury]].<ref name="Oxford pp 297-298, 333-334"/> The characteristic of French Grenache-based wines depends largely on the selection of its blending partners and can range from the spicy richness associated with Châteauneuf-du-Pape to the chewy fruitiness associated with basic [[Côtes du Rhône Villages (AOC)|Côtes du Rhône Villages]]. Other regions with sizable plantings of Grenache include the ''[[Appellation d'origine contrôlée]]'' (AOC) regions of [[Minervois (AOC)|Minervois]], [[Fitou (AOC)|Fitou]] and [[Corbières (AOC)|Corbières]].<ref name="Clarke pp 91-100"/>

===Spain===
In Spain, Grenache is known as '''Garnacha''' ('''Garnatxa''' in [[Basque language|Basque]] and [[Catalan language|Catalan]]) and given the likely history of the grape this is most likely the grape's original name (although the [[Royal Spanish Academy|RAE]] gives Italian ''[[:wikt:vernaccia|vernaccia]]'' as the etymology<ref>[http://dle.rae.es/?id=IvJWYop|IvM6zpT Entry in DRAE]</ref>). There are several clonal varieties of Garnacha with the thin-skinned, dark colored ''Garnacha Tinta'' (sometimes spelled ''Tinto'') being the most common. Another variety, known as ''Garnacha Peluda'' or "Hairy Grenache" due to the soft hairy texture on the underside of the vine's leaves is also found in Spain, mostly in Borja and Cariñena (Aragón). Compared to its more widely planted cousin, it produces wines lower in alcohol and higher in acidity that show spicy and savory notes more readily as they age.<ref name="Robinson, Jancis 2012. p 403"/> Widely planted in northeastern and central Spain, Garnacha was long considered a "workhorse" grape of low quality suitable for blending. In the late 20th century, the success of the Garnacha-based wines from [[Priorat (DOQ)|Priorat]] in [[Catalonia (wine)|Catalonia]] (as well as the emerging international attention given to the [[New World (wine)|New World]] [[Rhone Ranger]]s) sparked a re-evaluation of this "workhorse" variety. Today it is the third most widely planted red grape variety in Spain (behind [[Tempranillo]] and Bobal) with more than {{convert|57,907|ha|acre|0}} and is seen in both varietal wines and blends.

Garnacha plays a major role in the ''[[denominación de origen|denominación de origen protegida]]'' (DOP) wines in Aragon, Catalonia, and Navarre and the ''[[denominación de origen calificada]]'' (DOC/DOQ) wines of [[Rioja (wine)|Rioja]] and Priorat, plus the mountainous areas just southwest of [[Madrid]]: [[Méntrida (wine)|Méntrida]] and [[Cebreros]]. Other [[Spanish wine region]]s with sizable Garnacha plantings include [[Costers del Segre]], [[Empordà (DO)|Empordà]], [[La Mancha (DO)|La Mancha]], [[Madrid (wine)|Madrid]], [[Penedès]], [[Somontano]], [[Tarragona (DO)|Tarragona]] and [[Terra Alta (DO)|Terra Alta]].<ref name="Oxford pp 297-298, 333-334"/>

====Aragon====
Aragon, believed to be the probable origin of the grape, concentrates the largest surface of Grenache (or Garnacha as it is called locally) in Spain, with {{convert|40,034|acre|ha}} planted. Garnacha is the dominant variety in the region and is typically used to produce single variety wines. Even though in the mid-20th century Garnacha was considered a "workhorse" variety for large volume wines, in the last 20 years a new generation of winemakers have taken a new approach, by controlling yields, taking advantage of the old vines (from 30 to more than 100 years), and applying modern techniques in combination with old traditions to increase concentration. The [[Calatayud (DO)|DOP of Calatayud]] (91% of its production is Grenache) holds the highest altitude Garnacha vineyards and is the only DOP to legally define "old vines" (35 years minimum). In the [[Campo de Borja (DO)|Campo de Borja DOP]], 30+-years-old Garnacha bush trained vines and manual harvest are common; the grapes are typically slightly raisined, jammy fruit that generates alcohol of 14-14.5%. The [[Cariñena (DO)|Cariñena DOP]] has the largest surface of Garnacha vineyards in the region with {{convert|11,120|acre|ha}}, many of them old vines. Although many of [[Somontano]] DOP wines are now produced with international grape varieties, some of the oldest high altitude vineyards are still traditional Garnacha.

====Rioja====
In Rioja the grape is planted mostly in the warmer Rioja Baja region located in the eastern expanse of the wine region. Usually blended with Tempranillo, Garnacha provides juicy fruitiness and added body. In recent years, modern Rioja producers have been increasing the amount of Garnacha used in the blend in order to produce earlier maturing and more approachable Riojas in their youth. Garnacha is also used in the pale colored ''[[Rosado (wine)|rosado]]s'' of Rioja.<ref name="Oxford pp 297-298, 333-334"/> The vine has a long history in the Navarre region where it has been the dominant red grape variety with nearly 54% of the region's vineyard planted with Garnacha.

====Navarre====
Compared to neighboring Rioja, the Garnacha-based blends of Navarre are lighter and fruitier, meant for earlier consumption.<ref name="Clarke pp 91-100"/>

[[File:Priorat hillside.jpg|left|250px|thumb|The steep terraced hillside vineyards of Priorat are planted to nearly 40% Garnacha.]]

====Priorat====
Ampelographers believe Garnacha has had a presence in the [[Priorat]] region of Catalonia for several hundred years (possibly nearly 800 years) but since the 1990s the region's old Garnacha have garnered much attention. A wave of ambitious young winemakers rediscovered the low-yield, bush-vine trained Garnacha planted throughout the [[llicorella]] (brown schist) based soils of Priorat. This unique combination of extremely old vines (the average age in most vineyards is between 35 and 60 years) planted on steep terraces and soil produces very low yields (around 5-6 hectoliters per hectare) which makes Priorat a dense, rich concentrated and dark colored wine with noticeable tannins. The traditional Priorat wine would be almost black in color and require years of [[aging (wine)|aging]] before it would be approachable to drink. Nearly 40% of all the vineyard land in the Priorat region is planted to Garnacha, and most of the rest is [[Carignan]] but the acreage of [[Cabernet Sauvignon]], [[Syrah]] and [[Merlot]] increased before 2000 as modernist producers sought to blend those varieties to add complexity. Some of these new modern style Priorats tend to show softer, [[blackberry]] fruit in their youth and over time develop notes of [[ficus|fig]]s and [[tar]].<ref name="Clarke pp 91-100"/>

===Italy===
Grenache is most commonly found as {{lang|sc|Cannonau}} in the island of [[Sardinia]] where it is one of the principal grapes in the isle's deeply colored, full bodied red wines that routinely maintain alcohol levels around 15%. The Sardinian D.O.C. wine ''Cannonau di Sardegna'' is by law at least 90% local Grenache (''Cannonau'').

Grenache is also found in the regions of [[Sicily]], [[Umbria]] (specifically in [[Lake Trasimeno|Trasimeno lake]] area), [[Marche]] and [[Calabria (wine)|Calabria]]. Grenache is known under various name in Italy, like ''Alicante'', ''Tocai rosso'', ''Guarnaccia'', ''Bordò'', and ''Vernaccia Nera''.

===Other Old World regions===
Grenache has been grown in [[Israel (wine)|Israel]] since the 19th century and was once an important grape in the [[Algerian wine]] industry. Today there are still some producers in [[Morocco]] producing Grenache ''rosés''.<ref name="Oxford pp 297-298, 333-334"/> Sizable plantings of Grenache are also found in [[Cyprus (wine)|Cyprus]] and scattered among the [[Greek (wine)|Greek]] islands.<ref name="Clarke pp 91-100"/>

===Australia===
[[File:JamesBusbyNZ.jpg|right|thumb|Grenache was one of many grape varieties introduced to Australia by James Busby.]]
A clone from [[Perpignan]] arrived in Australia with [[James Busby]] in his 1832 collection. More significant was the introduction into [[South Australia (wine)|South Australia]] of new cuttings from the South of France, by Dr [[Christopher Rawson Penfold]] in 1844. Plantings in South Australia boomed, particularly in [[McLaren Vale]], the [[Barossa Valley (wine)|Barossa Valley]] and [[Clare Valley wine region|Clare Valley]].<ref name="SLSA">{{cite web |last=Radden |first=Rosemary |title=Grapes and Wines of the World |publisher=The State Library of South Australia, GPO Box 419, Adelaide SA 5001 |url=http://www.winelit.slsa.sa.gov.au/grapeswines.htm |access-date=2007-05-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070807005112/http://www.winelit.slsa.sa.gov.au/grapeswines.htm |archive-date=2007-08-07}}</ref> Until the mid 20th century, Grenache was Australia's most widely planted red wine grape variety with significant plantings in the vast [[Riverland wine region|Riverland]] region where it was vital component in the fortified "port-style" wines of the early Australian industry. As Australian winemakers started to focus more on premium still wines, Grenache gradually fell out of favor being supplanted by Shiraz and later Cabernet Sauvignon in Australian vineyards. The late 20th and early 21st centuries saw a revival of interest in Grenache with old vine plantings in South Australia being used to produce varietal Grenache as well as a "[[GSM (wine)|GSM]]"-Grenache, Syrah and Mouvedre-blends becoming popular.<ref name="Oxford pp 297-298, 333-334"/> Varietal Grenache from the McLaren Vale is characterized by luscious richness and spicy notes while Barossa Valley Grenache is characterized by jammy, intense fruitiness.<ref name="Clarke pp 91-100"/>

===United States===
[[File:Washington Rhone blend.jpg|left|thumb|upright|A "Rhone-style" Grenache based blend from Washington State]]

In the early California wine industry, Grenache's high yields and alcohol level made it an ideal blending component for jug wine production. Early plantings centered in the hot central San Joaquin Valley, where the grape benefitted from its tolerance to heat and drought. It was first used to produce sweet, pale colored "white Grenache" wines similar in quality and substance to [[White Zinfandel]]. The late 20th century saw a revival of interest in the variety spearheaded by the [[Rhone Ranger]]s movement. These producers imported new [[cuttings (plant)|cuttings]] from the Rhone valley for planting in the cooler [[Central Coast (AVA)|Central Coast]] region for use in the production of premium varietal Grenache and Rhone style blends. Some historic old vine plantings of Grenache in [[Mendocino County (wine)|Mendocino County]] has also garnered interest in recent years.<ref name="Oxford pp 297-298, 333-334"/> In the early 20th century, Grenache was one of the first ''[[Vitis vinifera]]'' grapes to be successfully vinified during the early development of the [[Washington wine]] industry with a 1966 [[Yakima Valley (AVA)|Yakima Valley]] ''rosé'' earning mention in wine historian [[Leon Adams]]'s treatise ''The Wines of America''. Despite its long history, Grenache has been a minor grape variety in Washington but has seen an increase in plantings in recent years due to the "Rhone Ranger" movement in the state. Older plantings in the [[Horse Heaven Hills (AVA)|Horse Heaven Hills]] and [[Columbia Gorge (AVA)|Columbia Gorge]] [[American Viticultural Area]]s (AVAs) have also begun to attract interest.<ref name="Gregutt pp 67-68"/>

=== South Africa ===
Grenache Noir came to the Cape in the 19th century but was only confirmed as such in the early 1900s by a Stellenbosch University professor. While there isn't a lot of Grenache Noir planted in South Africa at only 305 hectares in 2014, many of the 100+ Grenache based blends are proving to be very fashionable with winemakers due to South Africa's warm climate, dry land and granitic soils.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://exploresideways.com/higgo-jacobs-top-south-african-grenache-wines/ |title=Higgo Jacobs' Top 20 South African Grenache Noirs |date=2017-06-27 |work=Explore Sideways |access-date=2017-07-19}}</ref>

===Other New World wine regions===
Despite being one of the world's most widely planted red grape varieties, Grenache's colonization of the New World has been limited apart from strongholds in Australia and California. The rising popularity and success of the Rhone Ranger's movement has brought greater attention to the variety and more plantings of Grenache are popping up every year in places like [[Mexico (wine)|Mexico]], [[Chile (wine)|Chile]], [[Argentina (wine)|Argentina]], [[Uruguay (wine)|Uruguay]] and [[South Africa (wine)|South Africa]].<ref name="Clarke pp 91-100"/>