Certain wine grapes get all the attention.
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon – they’re the Justin Bieber and Leonardo Dicaprios of the wine world.
But if you dig a little deeper, there are many other wonderful wines out there.
Malbec and Carmenere come to mind when you think of great, lesser-known red wine grapes.
Gewurztraminer and Gruner Veltliner are great examples when it comes to under-the-radar white wine grapes.
You can another one to the list – Grenache Blanc.
I recently had an outstanding one from California’s Napa Valley.
And for fans of dry, understated white wines, you’re in for a real treat if don’t already know about this white wine grape that tastes like the love child of a Sauvignon Blanc and a Pinot Grigio.
You can read more about this grape and the wine that sparked this column below. Hope you enjoy.
WINE RECOMMENDED THIS WEEK
2019 Priest Ranch Grenache Blanc (Suggested Retail Price $22, available for sale directly from the winery)
MORE ABOUT GRENACHE BLANC
Grenache Blanc is the white wine version of the wildly popular Grenache grape. Blanc means “white” in French. And to make things even slightly more confusing, Grenache is called Garnacha in Spain, but it’s the exact same grape. Winemakers have been making wine using Grenache, or rather Garnacha grapes in this particular case, in Spain for hundreds of years. Nowadays, you can find Grenache Blanc wines made throughout the world.
In many cases, many winemakers blend Grenache Blanc with other grapes to make a wide range of wines. However, this versatile grape tastes great all on its own, judging from this week’s outstanding white wine.
GRENACHE BLANC WINE GROWING REGIONS
The two most common places where you will find wines made with Grenache Blanc grapes are Spain and France. In particular, these white wine grapes are often found in France’s Roussillion region (more than 12,000 acres of Grenache Blanc grapes grow there) along with the Southern Rhone region, where Grenache Blanc grapes are often blended to make white Chateauneuf-Du-Pape wines.
In Spain, the most popular Grenache Blanc growing areas include Catalunya and Aragon, along with Priorat, Rioja and several other wine growing regions in Spain. Other countries where you can find Grenache Blanc wines include the United States (especially in California’s Santa Ynez Valley), Croatia (where the wine is called Belan) and the Republic of Macedonia, according to the outstanding book, “Wine Grapes,” by Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding and Jose Vouillamoz.
WINE TASTING NOTES
2019 Priest Ranch Grenache Blanc
Region – Napa Valley, California
Tasting Notes – One of the great joys of drinking wine from around the world is discovering something different and exciting. But it’s rare to find something new from one of the most recognizable wine growing regions in the world. That’s why I was so pleased to taste this delightful Grenache Blanc from California’s Napa Valley.
As I explained above, this dry, refreshing wine tastes like the perfect blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio grapes. There’s a slight tartness to the wine along with a dash of crisp, grassy undertones. The wine also has a subtle green apple and mineral-like taste and aroma, but nothing overpowering, nothing in your face. Just a welcome, inviting change to California’s wonderful white wines. It’s also a great introduction to the amazing possibilities for this versatile, lesser-known grape.
Cheers!
Wine Press by Ken Ross appears on Masslive.com every Monday and in The Republican’s weekend section every Thursday.
(Older “Wine Press” articles can be found here.)
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The Link LonkJune 29, 2021 at 01:03AM
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