Grenache - the new trend in South Africa
Originally from Sardinia, the Grenache grape variety is one of the most widely cultivated red wine varieties in the world. It was already cultivated in the Middle Ages. Vines over a hundred years old grow today in Australia's Barossa Valley and are probably the oldest in the world. The Grenache vine is very gnarled and is often grown in bush form. High-quality wines with lots of fruit, silky tannins and low acidity are mainly produced in warm and dry climates and when the vines are more than 30 years old and no longer produce such a high yield. There is a completely new trend in South Africa to cultivate this speciality.
Grenache
- Thelema Mountain Vineyards
- Red wine - dry
- South Africa - Stellenbosch
- Grenache
- John Platter: 4.5 Sterne / 90 Punkte
- Tim Atkin 2024: 89 Punkte
Content: 0.75 Liter (€26.60* / 1 Liter)
Baboon Rock Grenache
- La Petite Ferme
- Red wine - dry
- South Africa - Franschhoek
- Mourvedre
- John Platter: 3.5 Stars / 84 Points
Content: 0.75 Liter (€15.33* / 1 Liter)
The Back Roads Grenache
- Black Elephant Vintners
- Red wine - dry
- South Africa - Franschhoek
- Grenache
- Jahrgang 2018 - John Platter: 4 Sterne
Content: 0.75 Liter (€43.93* / 1 Liter)
Family Wines Raaigras Grenache
- AA Badenhorst Family Wines
- Red wine - dry
- South Africa - Swartland
- Grenache
- John Platter: 4.5 stars / 94 points
- Tim Atkin 2021: 94 points
Content: 0.75 Liter (€53.27* / 1 Liter)
Vinum Grenache
- Radford Dale
- Red wine - dry
- South Africa - Stellenbosch
- Grenache
- John Platter: 3.5 stars / 87 points
Content: 0.75 Liter (€18.60* / 1 Liter)
Swartland Grenache
- Catherine Marshall Wines
- Red wine - dry
- South Africa - Swartland
- Grenache
- John Platter: 4.5 stars / 94 points
- Tim Atkin 2022: 91 points
Content: 0.75 Liter (€34.60* / 1 Liter)
Qvevri Red BIO
- Avondale
- Red wine - dry
- South Africa - Paarl
- Shiraz/Syrah
- Tim Atkin 2021: 91 points
Content: 0.75 Liter (€33.27* / 1 Liter)
Die Ouwingerdreeks Soldaat
- Sadie Family Wines
- Red wine - dry
- South Africa - Citrusdal Mountain
- Grenache
- John Platter: 5 stars
Content: 0.75 Liter (€84.00* / 1 Liter)
Naudé Grenache
- Naudé Wines
- Red wine - dry
- South Africa - Western Cape
- Grenache Noir
- John Platter: 4.5 Sterne / 93 Punkte
Content: 0.75 Liter (€45.27* / 1 Liter)
Grenache Rosé
- Piekenierskloof Wine Company
- rosé wine - dry
- South Africa - Piekenierskloof
- Grenache
- Jahrgang 2021 - John Platter: 3.5 Sterne
Content: 0.75 Liter (€17.27* / 1 Liter)
Swartland Grenache
- Catherine Marshall Wines
- Red wine - dry
- South Africa - Swartland
- Grenache
- John Platter: 4.5 stars / 94 points
- Tim Atkin 2022: 91 points
Content: 0.75 Liter (€37.27* / 1 Liter)
Profiles
The red Grenache produces light to very dark-coloured wines with silky tannins, complex berry aromas and typical notes of dried herbs and pepper. The juicy, fruity wines have little acidity, but can be very high in alcohol.
Flavours
Grenaches from different growing regions differ in flavour. Lighter wines have more herbal and tobacco notes, while higher-alcohol wines shine with fruity flavours. Grown in cool climates, Grenache is dominated by notes of dried strawberry and raspberry sauce, while in warm climates the flavours of fig and prune dominate.
Dominant notes:
- Dried strawberry
- Grilled plum
- Red grapefruit
- Leather
- Liquorice
Possible notes:
- Herbs/flowers: hibiscus, lavender, eucalyptus, liquorice, rosemary, juniper, clove, black pepper, black tea
- Citrus: pink grapefruit, orange peel
- Red fruit: Dried strawberry, maraschino cherry, raspberry sauce, pomegranate
- Dark fruit: roasted plum, blackberry, blueberry
- Dried fruit: prune, fig
- Earth/other: leather, clay pot, crushed gravel
- Aged in oak: vanilla, chocolate, cake base, black olives, coffee, honey, leather, pepper, roasted nuts
Harmonises with
Wines made from Grenache harmonise with many dishes. The summery rosé wines go perfectly with salad and grilled lamb. Heavy red wines made from Grenache are the ideal accompaniment to succulent meat from the casserole and the pan or to Spanish dishes such as tapas, chorizo and paella.
General information
The red Grenache is one of the most widely cultivated red wine varieties in the world. Thanks to its international distribution, the list of names for Grenache is very long. In France, for example, it is called Grenache Noire, in Spain the grape variety is called Garnacha, in Sardinia Cannonau and in Tuscany it is known as Alicante.
Grenache was initially thought to have originated in the northern Spanish province of Aragón. However, further research has shown that it originates from Sardinia, where it is cultivated as Cannonau. Grenache was first mentioned in the Middle Ages, where it was cultivated in Aragon and is said to have spread from there across the Pyrenees to the south of France.
Grenache is cultivated worldwide, but is most commonly found in France on the southern French Mediterranean coast, in Spain and in Sardinia. Grenache is also planted in Italy, South Africa, Algeria, the USA and Australia. In Australia, the vineyards are growing, as GSM - a cuvée based on the southern French model of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre - is becoming increasingly popular. In the Barossa Valley, there are vineyards with vines that are over a hundred years old. The grape variety covers a total area of 185,000 hectares worldwide, putting it in third place in the international grape variety index.
The gnarled and mostly bush-grown Grenache needs a warm and dry climate to produce high-quality wines. The best wines come from vines that are more than 30 years old, as the harvest is naturally reduced and the grapes are therefore highly concentrated.
Red Grenache is rarely produced as a single-varietal wine. Single-varietal vinification is mainly practised in parts of Spain and Australia. Grenache is usually processed into cuvées, such as in the famous Rioja wines or in Châteauneuf-du-Pape from the Rhône. The cuvée of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèder, known as the "Holy Trinity", is also famous.
Winegrowers like to blend Grenache wines because they usually have little tannin and colour, but are extremely fruity. Blended with more tannic, darker varieties such as Tempranillo or Shiraz, they produce excellent soft and fruity wines. High-quality Grenache can also be aged for 15 to 20 years and becomes increasingly complex.
Rosé wines made from Grenache are also very popular. They are intensely pink in colour and have delicate strawberry notes.