GARNACHA DAY
GARNACHA DAY
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GARNACHA DAY
Originating from the sun-drenched vineyards of Spain, the Grenache grape—known locally as Garnacha—is one of the world’s most widely planted red wine varieties. Celebrated for its rich, fruity flavors and versatility, it forms the backbone of many Spanish wines and has spread to vineyards across the globe. Each year, wine enthusiasts honor this remarkable grape on International Garnacha Day, a global tribute to its enduring legacy.
A Visit To
Aragon is thought to be the birthplace of the Garnacha grape. To this day, Garnacha is planted in this region, which produces powerful and concentrated Garnachas from old vines.
The vineyards at Breca sit above the high plain of Aragon. At 1800 ft, these slopes see bright, warm sun during the day, and cold mountain nights.
This vineyard has 60-80 year old vines. Old vines means low yields, which brings great concentration to the fruit.
The vineyards are on decomposed (and partially solid) slate and schist, mixed with some clay. This creates lean growing conditions, nutrient stress, and yields powerful flavors in the fruit.
Of course it helps to have a sip of this in the vineyard under a bright fall sun. However, if you don't have that luck, this wine puts the Aragon sun in the bottle for you and transports you to the hills. It's fresh, perfectly balanced, and while it starts with fresh forest strawberry and maybe a touch of raspberry, it finishes with nice herbal dryness and an almost savory quality. It sports a nice, almost chalky dry finish that complements the fruit and makes this wine both a party sipper and an elegant dinner companion.
This wine is part of what we would label a new generation of Garnacha from this part of Spain. Stylistically, Garnacha from Aragon (when not made by large co-ops) has had amazing potential but often was styled into thick, jammy, and a bit overbearing wines. The "El Nacido" is the opposite. It's simply gorgeous, with plum and cherry flavors on the nose, then plum and tobacco on the palate, with piny or minty undertones that support and ground the fresh fruit. The wine is a blend of 65% Grenache and 35% white grapes, which gives it an appealing levity. 60% stainless steel and 40% large french oak foudres give it the perfect balance between fresh and elegant.
Wine made with love by the team at Bodegas Breca, near Munebreca in Spain's Calataytud region, in the hear of Aragon. In this part of Aragon the vineyards sits high above the high plateau on hillsides streaked with solid slate and schist. The vines are old and gnarled, producing a few gorgeous clusters of fruit. The wine is fermented in open top fermenters with gentle macerations and pumpovers without much agitation. The result is a wine full of bright red fruit, concentration of flavors, yet drinkable levity that we love. This and newer vintages of Breca drink very well. Not as thick and fruity as previous appearances, full of freshness and terroir. An absolute steal at this price.
Bolder Garnacha wines are nicely complemented by simple but rich Spanish charcuterie like Chorizo (try a softer variety) or Salchichon.
Garnacha pairs well with both pork and lamb. In this recipe, the traditional gets some fresh energy. Mark Bittman's (of the New York Times) recipe from way back in 2010 is a creative twist on a Spanish Classic.
Delicious wine consumed on a Friday end of Summer evening. I don’t have the lexicon to truly do it justice so simply try it. Nicest Portuguese wine in a while!
I've enjoyed the Pimenton varieties from Rey Da La Vera for probably a dozen years (but we don't use it all that frequently, I just finished a pair of 2.6 oz tins (Picante and Dulce) after that length of time), and found The Spanish Table as a source for both Dulce and Picante, also Agrodulce (which I hadn't been able to find way back then). As far as smoked paprika goes, I'd rate this very highly.
A beautiful piece! I’m so happy that I now own one. ¡Y olé!
Damn they are good.
These are the best white anchovies I’ve ever had.