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Celebrating European organic wines on Earth Day 2019!

Currently, there is no doubt why organic wines have been on the rise these past years: fewer chemicals, kinder to the environment and less powerful consequences. This fever is due in part to an increase in the number of young talented winemakers actively seeking out for organically grown grapes, which now can have their own space in farmer markets, small wine bars and in the mouths of interested wine lovers.

But what most of these don’t know, it’s that organic has its birthplace in the Europe. Originally, European winemaking and terroir have allowed grapes to be treated with no sulfates nor aggressive irrigation. In this scenario, Garnacha (a.k.a. Grenache) has come out be one of the main grapes producing organic wines, due to its versatility and adaptation to extreme climate conditions and terroirs of its birthplace (In Spain in the PDOs Campo de Borja, Calatayud, Cariñena, Somontano and Terra Alta and in France in the AOPs Vins de Roussillon).

   

If you are not convinced yet, at least you’ll consider including Garnacha to your next wine purchase after you finish reading this article:

  • The most eco-friendly grape in the world?

Well, in the vineyard, Garnacha/Grenache Old vines drought resistant, adaptable and self-sustaining. In fact, we could say it’s a survivor that auto-regulates its needs in poor soils in extreme temperature climates and adapts its production, giving extraordinary concentration. Also, its strong roots delve deep into soil’s natural resources, being a water-stress variety. The varietal is perfectly adapted to the natural conditions of dry healthy winds that prevent diseases such as mildium and oidium, and consequently the use of sulfur treatments during the year.  Moreover, altitude old vines vineyards have proven to resist the effects of climate changes on its production.

  • Encouraged by local winemakers

European producers have understood that Garnacha/Grenache needs to be challenged, forced to sink deep into the soil to look for humidity and nutrients in order to produce high-quality grapes – they thus limit water waste (avoiding irrigation), making wine more sustainably. Some producers, are even successfully experimenting with Garnacha/Grenache without sulfites.

For instance, some PDOs lying in the land of Garnacha such as Cariñena have already used sexual confusion for grape moths, to eliminate the use of insecticides and their consequent contamination to the environment – and, in parallel, to obtain healthy vineyards without any pests or diseases. In fact, they’re even developing a non-invasive ultrasound system for field studies of the water status of the vines for optimized irrigation, which aims at checking the water stress of the vines so that irrigation is only used when necessary, thus improving the quality of  wine and reducing water consumption.

  • EU organic logo

Under the EU organic farming logo, the European Union has developed a regulatory framework that provides conditions under which the organic sector can progress in the line with production and market developments, thus improving and reinforcing the EU organic farming standards and import and inspection requirements.

The main objective of the European logo is to make organic products easier to be identified by the consumers. Next to the new EU organic farming logo, consumers are informed about the place where the agricultural raw material used in this product have been farmed and a code number of the control authorities is also displayed.

Healthy cheers, folks!

Pebble Beach Food and Wine

Event consumers: Pebble Beach Food & Wine is the premier epicurean lifestyle event on the West Coast, matching 250 acclaimed wineries and 100 celebrity chefs to create a hedonistic four-day destination on one of the most picturesque strips of coastline in the world. Throughout the weekend you’ll enjoy intimate access to the pinnacle of culinary and wine talent at wine tastings, cooking demos, and some of the most exclusive, unique dining opportunities available in the world.

Wine Seminar: GARNACHA – GRENACHE – EXPLORING ONE OF THE WORLDS MOST POPULAR GRAPES – SATURDAY 4/13 10:00-11:15AM

Vinexpo

Vinexpo New York, the largest trade event focused on the North American wine and spirits market wich will feature producers from around the world.

 

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Year-End Holiday Wine Pairings from Europe

by Christy Canterbury MW

It’s December. The holiday pressure is upon us. One of the best parts of the holidays is sharing some terrific wines with our favorite people, so it’s a shame that wine buying feels so stressful to so many of us. This pairing guide should help deflate the pressure chamber of holiday stress!

Garnacha/Grenache is the perfect variety to lean on for your holiday occasions – from casual gatherings to elaborated meals. This is because there are three versions of Garnacha: black, white and grey.

    • Garnacha Tinta/Grenache Noir (black) produces round and smooth wines with red fruit scents in its lighter, brighter styles and black-toned fruits in its richer, meatier styles.
    • Garnacha Blanca/Grenache Blanc (white) offers an array of styles, from distinctly minerally wines with licorice and floral aromas to fleshier versions full of tree fruits and occasional toasty notes from oak influence.
    • Garnacha/Grenache Gris (grey) gives powerful wines that are supple yet elegant with mineral and citrus notes.

These different versions of Garnacha/Grenache multiply in their diversity of flavor profiles based on their environment. Garnacha/Grenache loves a combination of schist and clay soils but it also grows well on limestone and on other poor soils. Garnacha/Grenache exponentially increases its sipping styles in different climates, too. Garnacha/Grenache loves sunshine and warmth and doesn’t mind wind. With these qualities consistent, it will nonetheless produce a more fruit-generous wine at balmier, ower altitudes and a more minerally wine at cool, higher altitudes.

Wait! Don’t be intimidated by all of this diversity in a single grape! (I haven’t even mentioned that Garnacha/Grenache is frequently blended with other grapes either. That creates an even larger array of styles!) Here is your sure-fire guide to enjoying Garnacha/Grenache across your many different holiday gatherings.

  • Dry Rancio (fortified and heat-aged) wines are great for tapas-like nibbles, such as stuffed mushrooms, cured ham, smoked or salted fish and aged cheeses. Amber or ambré styles, which have been aged at least two years and have begun to take on nutty, toasty, caramelized flavors, are often the best for these occasions.
  • Unoaked blanco/blanc and gris as well as rosado/rosé styles are great for aperitifs and for light starter courses like leafy salads with fall fruits, salmon dishes and poultry. If you’re looking for alternative holiday food options like spicy Asian dishes, these three options offer the perfect pairings.
  • If your menu will start with more decadent dishes like foie gras or duck (whether magret de canard or Peking duck), an oxidized white or amber Garnacha/Grenache will be a lovely accompaniment. In the same vein, terrines with onion marmalade or phyllo pastries with blue cheese and roasted figs work beautifully with a fruitier, red tawny style of Garnacha/Grenache.
  • Moving into the main courses, poultry, pork and oilier fish work well with oak-aged whites or with light- or medium-bodied reds. Red meat, game and grilled meat need a wine that is equally robust in flavor. Look for fuller-bodied reds. If your meal includes grilled dishes, wines that were aged in new oak will show a nice smokiness to complement the food’s charred flavors. Anything spicy or gamey, like lamb or dishes generously seasoned with exotic spices would be well-paired with a Garnacha/Grenache blended with Syrah, a grape that has clear black pepper tones.
  • If you wrap up your meal with a cheese course, still white wines, lighter and less tannic reds or fruity white or red fortified styles will all be delightful. However, if your last course is dessert, opt for a dry wine with cheese so as to not tire out your companions’ palates. Then move into the sweet and fortified wines with your dessert.

Garnacha/Grenache is your ultimate holiday grape! If you’re hesitant in choosing between a few Garnacha/Grenache bottlings, you can always buy a few and have your guests do their own pairing experiments at the table! Garnacha/Grenache is so wallet-friendly that this is easy to do and doing so will make you look like an even more generous host!

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Grateful for European Garnacha/Grenache

by Christy Canterbury MW

Prepping for the Thanksgiving holiday? Got a Garnacha or three to cover your holiday needs? I hope so! It’s a long holiday weekend!

Garnacha (the grape’s birth name, if you will, as it hails from Spain) and Grenache (it’s adopted name in neighboring France, where its now more widely planted than in its home territory) offer a mightily diverse range of wine styles. They also offer a yoga-like flexibility in their price ranges, too. Whatever your holiday desires and budgets, there’s a great European Garnacha or Grenache ready to meet your holiday needs.

The style breadth of Garnacha/Grenache is due to its genetics. Garnacha is an old grape variety than has changed over time. Its earliest known mention in writing is from 1513. Clearly, it is a hardy vine and has performed well in the Darwinian nature of the world!

Garnacha/Grenache is one of two mainstream varieties with three color variants: red, grey and white. Pinot Noir is the other. These two grapes share a generally pale color and softer tannins. However, they differ in where they like to be grown. Pinot Noir likes cool climates and Garnacha likes warm ones. Garnacha has been called the Pinot Noir of the south, but we could also say that Pinot Noir is the Garnacha of the north!

The color variants of Garnacha/Grenache and its affinity to different soils and climates allows it to produce dry red, white and rosado/rosé wines as well as sparkling and sweet wines. Start off your festive Thanksgiving moments with a sparkler or a sweet wine. The vast majority of Garnacha/Grenache sparkling wines are focused on fresh fruit tones, so I would serve them in a flute rather than a glass. Besides, watching those streams of bubbles rise up a flute is far more festive! As for the “stickies”, they work nicely in a small white wine glass with a touch of chill in the winter. (And, yes, do serve sweet wines at the beginning of your Thanksgiving gathering! Fewer people will decline them then than after an indulgent meal, especially when served in small portions.) Of course, if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere and picking up a Garnacha/Grenache for the holidays, why not serve it as a refreshing cocktail “on the rocks”?

For the Thanksgiving table, scout out Garnacha/Grenache wines with more decisively fruit-driven tones. These will blend better with the many sweet notes of Thanksgiving staples like cranberry compote, sweet potatoes and yams, creamy pumpkin soups and the like. Save the more firmly mineral wines for the December holiday celebrations, from Hanukkah to Christmas. Besides, as turkey is usually the focal point of the Thanksgiving table, it tends to work best with whites and light- to mid-weight reds.

Naturally, there’s nothing like pumpkin pie with a mouthcoating vin doux naturel, or a fortified sweet wine. These are specialties of France’s Rousillon. It’s also an excellent “liquid dessert” when a chunk of pie seems too ambitious after a large meal. My favorite styles for Thanksgiving desserts tend to be “ambré”, whose caramel and nutty flavors tend to work well with almost any pie: pumpkin, apple, pecan or chocolate.

Add some Garnacha/Grenache to your holiday festivities. Every bottle is a unique experience. The cornucopia of Garnacha/Grenache’s wine styles is a perfect link to all of your holiday moments and will fit any absolutely any budget, regardless how small or large.

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Old vines in Europe: How long can a Grenache vine live?

Once you introduce yourself within the complex –but fascinating- world of wine, you start to realize there are many indications of quality on wine labels. However, there is one quality indicator used all around the globe and not required by law anywhere, being also a source of pride: it is the term Old Vines.

An old vine is generally considered old at the age of fourty years, when the vine is already 10 years over the hill and produces less and less fruit. The vigor, which is the amount of a vine’s vegetative growth, has stopped growing 20 years ago and now it declines dramatically, resulting on extremelly low yields (1.000 – 2.000 kg/Hectare, which basically means you need 1-2 plants to produce a bottle).

Consequently, old vine wines are proven high in quality because they produce less grape bunches and therefore the flavor becomes more concentrated. The exposure of sunlight also influences the old sage’s canopies, eaves, fruit and trunk, which are thinner and allow more daytime sun soaks, and have a food deliver system that gets the nutrients to the grapes more easily. The result are wines with concentrated fruit and tannin, where acidity has a lot of presence. A vine with a past of elegant wines, has now a present of regal ones.

In this context, Garnacha has a lot to say, or rather, a lot to show. The varying landscapes, elevations and soil types where Garnacha is planted prove the versatility and extreme adaptability of the grape, with late harvests that resist to adverse climate conditions and diseases and therefore, the passing of time. Concretely in Aragon, its native land, it is believed to find 110-year-old vineyards! Having its origin in Souther Europe, some of the regions with the greatest plantations of Garnacha old vines – particularly in red- are Aragon (Spain) and Roussillon (South France). In the region of Terra Alta (Catalonia), we can find great Garnacha Old Vines in its white variety.

This is one of the major reasons why in these places old vines are considered a treasure among winemakers, who firmly try to transmit the old terroir to the senses of the consumer. A glass of Garnacha is able to take you, wherever you are, to the lying spot of old vineyards.

It even sounds easier than it really is… but hard work pays well when you have such a good “gift” in your hands.

More info at: 

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The new Pinot Noir? 

Well, although this very particular grape is not new at all, it’s been getting broader worldwide recognition during the last two decades, with a new generation of  Garnacha winemakers in Europe are taking a new approach on the variety. In the recent times, it has also become a trend, and one way for better explain its characteristics to wine drinkers is by looking at an old(er) friend: Pinot Noir.

Like Pinot Noir, Grenache is highly sensitive to soil and winemaking techniques, as well as climate and altitude. Both grapes planted on sandy soils give fresher, lighter wines with more aromas, while red clay ones have longer flavors and more structure. In case of older vines, reds get more intense in flavor.

In the winery, Grenache also requires a lot of attention, Fermentation and maceration are often long, slow and cool; so during the wait, some Garnacha winemakers have borrowed Pinot Noir’s technique of throwing whole clusters of grapes, even stems, into the fermentation tank to add complexity and spiciness to the wine. Additionally, they share skin thins and low yields.

Therefore, we could introduce Garnacha/Grenache the way Bloomberg did: the hot weather cousin of Pinot Noir, due to it tends to prefer hotter, dryer climates with cool nights, and rocky well-drained soils like schist and granite. Another key difference is its capacity to make exquisite fortified and dessert wines, thanks to a late ripening, which makes sweeter wines, such as the Vins Doux Naturels of France’s Roussillon.

Moreover, although Garnacha can –and does fantastically- fly solo; it is often blended with Syrah and Mourvèrdre (better known as GSM blends).

As Christy Canterbury MW recently shared, Garnacha/Grenache is one of two mainstream varieties with three color variants: red, grey and white. Pinot Noir is the other. These two grapes share a generally pale color and softer tannins. However, they differ in where they like to be grown. Pinot Noir likes cool climates and Garnacha likes warm ones. Garnacha has been called the Pinot Noir of the south, but we could also say that Pinot Noir is the Garnacha of the north!

Once introductions are made … Let’s make a toast for this new friend of us!

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BBQ’s perfect choice for this summer

Summertime is here… It is time to fire up the grill! And Garnacha/Grenache is not missing this party at all. In fact, it could perfectly turn into the star of yours, impressing your guests with delicious pairing choices.

Grenache is so versatile that can create a wine style for almost every wine consumer out there, and you can trust it will also play along in your favorite BBQ parties, having an innate affinity with grilled meats.  It specially works best with roasted meats, lamb, good beef or steaks and all types of stews and casseroles, game, and even flavorful fish stews.

Here we recommend you a bunch of Garnacha pairings and BBQ occasions so you can enjoy you summermeet ups to the fullest:

Weeknight grilling: Outdoor cooking, bonfire and good conversation. Everything from BBQ classics like burgers, steaks and chops to less typical BBQ fare like pizzas can pair with fleshy, flavorful Grenache based-reds. You can add vegetables and it will be a perfect match, for a casual weeknight meal.

  • Pairing tip: a full-bodied Garnacha with aromas of dark, ripe berries finishing with a good minerality, is greatly paired with spicier grilled dishes such as ribs covered with rich barbecue sauce.

Weekend lunch: slow cooking. While boneless cuts grill more quickly, whole chickens do it easier and come off the grill juicy. Make your rich and full-flavored whites the best partner for any poultry. In this case, white Grenache not only pairs perfectly with summer salads or cheeses like fetta and halloumi, but also with pork chops with apples and spicy-rubbed grilled chicken.

  • Pairing tip: Your funkiest Garnacha Blanca (white) will make the perfect match with a poultry, or anything served with (or marinated in) an herb sauce.

The sweetest point: However, do not worry, because if you go straight for the grilled chicken choice but you are not a white wine fan, Grenache rosés are your thing! Garnacha rosé may be fuller-bodied and sweeter for your juicy choices.

  • Pairing tip: In case of having rosé at the party, bring a bowl of a sweet mango sauce to it!

More ideas from/at:

Chelsea Wine Drinks Project

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