Grenache

The Grenache is a red grape variety and the fourth most cultivated in the world, with an estimated 240,000 hectares of vineyards of at least. In France it is called Grenache noire, Garnacha in Spain, in Catalonia, Garnacha and Sardinia cannonau. Other growing areas are the Italian regions of Tuscany ( under the name of Alicante ), Sicily, Calabria and the island of Ischia ( where the variety Guarnaccia called ). Furthermore, Grenache is (2011 acres, 2007), Argentina and California grown in Australia.

Properties

The wine from the Grenache grape is low in tannins and color. Therefore, it can provide good fruity wines and wine is made (eg, in California ) as a white or rosé.

Under extreme climatic conditions ( drought, heat, wind) and at very low yields Grenache also provides focused, highly storable reds.

Often, the Grenache is (especially in Rioja ) blended with varieties such as Tempranillo tanninhaltigeren with Syrah and Mourvèdre or ( on the southern Rhône). The simple reason for this are the properties of the Vine: Your wine is usually rich in alcohol, yet soft.

Cannonau is the most important in Sardinia and red second most planted variety with over 100 sq km of vineyards. The Sardinian DOC red wine Cannonau di Sardegna is made ​​of her.

There is a white variety, Grenache Blanc and Grenache blanca means and in France and Spain for blended wines ( such as the white Châteauneuf -du -Pape and Rioja variants ) is employed. Furthermore, even the Grenache Gris, but with strongly decreasing importance as well as the very hairy version, the Lledoner Pelut. Exists

Dissemination

Spain

See also the main article viticulture in Spain.

With around 86,600 hectares is under the name Garnacha Tempranillo and Bobal by the third most important Spanish red wine. It is used mainly in the east and the north of Spain in many growing regions such as Empordà -Costa Brava, Bierzo, Calatayud, Campo de Borja, Carintilde, Coster del Segre, La Mancha, Navarra, Penedès, Priorat, Ribera del Duero, Rioja, Somontano, Tarragona, Terra Alta, Utiel -Requena and Vinos de Madrid grown. See also the article Viticulture in Spain.

France

See also the main article viticulture in France.

In France, Grenache has a total of over 97 171 hectares (as of 2008 ). The largest vineyard is located in the department of Vaucluse and Drôme in the Rhône wine region. An example of this are the wines of Châteauneuf -du -Pape and the Costières de Nîmes, which are pressed predominantly and sometimes exclusively from Grenache. Frequently Grenache is blended with Syrah, which is particularly rich blends results.

Grenache is also an important part of the sweet fortified Vin Doux Naturel as Banyuls, Beaumes -de- Venise, Maury, Rasteau and Rivesaltes. See also the article viticulture in France.

Other growing regions

The variety is also in Italy ( cannonau called ), cultivated in Greece, Israel, South Africa and Chile. See also the article viticulture in Australia (2011 hectares as of 2006), viticulture and winemaking in Argentina in the United States. Alone in California (→ Viticulture in California ) in 2008 6,962 acres = 2,784 hectares of vineyards were collected in the year.

Ampelographic varietal characteristics

In the ampelography the habit is described as follows:

• The shoot tip is open. She is strong whitish pubescent with very light reddish approach. The green, light bronze colored young leaves are slightly hairy.
• The medium-sized leaves ( see also the article sheet form) are usually five-lobed and only medium strong sinuate. They are light green in color and very shiny. The petiole open U-shaped. The leaf margin is finely serrated. The teeth are small compared to the varieties. The leaf surface (also called leaf blade ) is smooth.
• The cone- shaped bunch is medium to large in size and dichtbeerig. The roundish or slightly oval berries are medium in size and black in color. The shell of the berry is thick. The berries are juicy; the juice is colorless.

The vine cast out relatively early. In damp weather during the bloom of Grenache tends to coulure.

Grenache is usually brought up with the goblet method. He is quite resistant to powdery mildew. Susceptible he is against downy mildew, the Eutypiose and the raw rot. Therefore, the income between 20 hectoliters / hectare and 80 hectoliters / hectare may vary.

In France the previous 20 clones were selected and recognized. The most common are the clones n ° 70 (very profitable ) n ° 362 (makes rich wines, suitable for the Vin Doux Naturel ), n ° 224 ( profitable ), n ° 134 ( yield strong, very light color), n ° 135 (weak yield, good quality) and n ° 136 ( also good quality in low income).

The Grenache is aged about 30 days after Chasselas and is resistant to drought, it also provides high must weights and relatively low yield of anthocyanins ( pigments) and tannins.

New breeds

From Grenache x Cabernet Sauvignon an interesting new breed has emerged: the Marselan. The crossing was made in 1961 by the French ampelographers Paul Truel at the Domaine de Vassal, a branch of the Institut National de la Recherche en Agronomy of the University of Montpellier, which tried to combine with the heat resistance of a Grenache the finesse of Cabernet Sauvignon. In particular, in the region of Costières de Nîmes, the Marselan had established itself as a balanced and fruity red wine with an emphasis on the tannins very popular.

In Montpellier emerged also the varieties Caladoc, Chenanson and Portan. Already in the middle of the 19th century originated with the variety Alicante Bouschet, a dyer grape, which is one of the oldest consciously carried out new varieties.

In the United States Harold Olmo took the Grenache grape varieties for the preparation of Carnelian and Centurian.

Synonyms

Due to its widespread use the list of synonyms is long. Grenache is also known under the following names: Alicante, Alicante de Pays, Alicante Grenache, Alicantina, Aragonais, Aragonés, Bois Jaune, Cannonaddu, Connanatu, cannonau, Cannonao, Cannono, Carignane Rousse, Gironet, Granacha, Granacha del País, Granacha Negra, Granacha Tinta, Granacho, Granaxa or Granaxo, Grenache, Grenache noir, Guarnaccia, Lladoner, Mencida, Navarre, Navarre de la Dordogne, Ranconnat, Redondal, Retagliadu Nieddu, Rivesaltes, Rivos Altos, Roussillon, Roussillon Tinto, Rouvaillard, Sans Pareil, Santa Maria de Alcantara, Tinta Tinta Menuda, Tinto, Tinto de Navalcarnero, Tintore di Spagna, Tocai Rosso.