Grenache Wine: One of the Most Planted Red Wines in the World

Find out more about Grenache wine, one of the most planted red wine types in the world.

Learn more about this type of red wine including its history, an overview of the wine, the wine regions where the Grenache grape is grown and some serving and food pairing tips.

Even though this red wine is one of the most planted red wines in the world, its name is not as well known as Cabernet Sauvignon wine or Merlot wine. The reason for this is that this wine is typically used as a blending grape.

I thought it was a good wine to review in detail, since Grenache wine is starting to make the news again. In the coming year, watch out for more and more information about this often planted red wine.

History of This Red Wine

Early Spanish wine information shows that this wine was first grown in Spain. It was one of the most popular and planted grapes around the world until the late 1800s, when it was surpassed by Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot plantings.

This wine was also one of the most popular and grown red wines in Australia for a number of years. In the 1960s, Shiraz wine became more popular and overtook the plantings of this wine in Australian vineyards.

Popular Wine Regions for This Varietal

Grenache is one of the most grown red wines in Spain. It is also one of the four red varieties that are grown in the popular Rioja wine region. In this region, they frequently use it as a blending grape to soften Tempranillo wine.

However, France is the country with the most Grenache grapes growing. Here it is more commonly blended with Syrah wine and Mourvedre wine. The French version of this wine is usually high in alcohol content. Quite a bit of it is grown in the Languedoc wine region in the southern part of the country.

Since this wine grows well in hot, dry climates, it is found in a number of countries along the Mediterranean. Spain and France are listed above. It's also grown in Italy, some parts of Greece and Israel.

Recently, it has also grown in popularity in the central valley in California. The California version is usually a lighter wine that is simple and fruity.

Overview of This Fruity, Spicy Wine

In Spain, this wine is known as Garnacha. In Italy, it's also known as Cannonau and Granaccia. These are its most popular synonyms but it has several different names throughout the world.

This wine is very versatile. It has hints of red berry fruits including cherries, strawberries and raspberries. This makes it very sweet tasting at times. You will also taste hints of spices, black pepper, coffee, honey and leather.

You can find it as either a lighter bodied or a fuller bodied wine. It typically is low in acidity and tannins.