Some people complain that ‘there is a holiday for everything’ nowadays – but I think a holiday and a celebration is a wonderful thing – any time at all. In this case, a group called the Grenache Symposium (their mission: promote grenache-based wines) has declared September 24 to be “International Grenache Day”. My response: Let’s Celebrate!
The Grenache grape has Spanish origins and is commonly referred to as Alicante, Cannonau, Garnacha, and Grenache noir. It is traditionally found in regions like Rioja, Priorat, Rhône, Sardinia, and in modern times some very successful Grenache wines have come from Australia and California. Grenache is a popular blending grape because of its big fruit and relatively low tannins – just grab a bottle of Chateaufeuf du Pape and you will no doubt enjoy the high Grenache content blended with smaller amounts of the other 12 legal grape varieties of that famous Southern Rhone region in France.
Tonight I hope to open a bottle of a Chateauneuf du Pape, or maybe a South Australian new world Grenache blend – when I do, I will toast all those who make these wonderful wines, and I will think of all the other people enjoying a Grenache at the same moment! Good Fun!
