Today (Friday) is National #GarnachaDay.
But don’t worry if you haven’t heard of it because you actually have.
I know it sounds like a trendy new brand of granola but it’s actually the Spanish name for a grape varietal known in the rest of the world by its French nom de vin , Grenache, the grape of the increasingly fashionable Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
But as Garnacha, despite garnering high praise from wine professionals, when it comes to name recognition, it ranks right down there with those Republican Presidential aspirants whose poll numbers are recorded as an asterisk.
This irked the biz development folks of Aragón, the region in north-east Spain where it originated, and from whence most of it still comes. So, according to Ignacio Martínez de Albornoz, Managing Director of Aragón Exterior: “In late 2013, after many meetings and negotiations” – this is Spain, remember, and one can only imagine the wrangling that took place over innumerable three hour lunches – “four Aragonese PDOs (Calatayud, Campo de Borja, Cariñena and Somontano) and one Catalan PDO (Terra Alta) together with 30 individual wineries created Garnacha Origen, a not-for-profit association for the promotion of Garnacha wines.”
Their aim was to raise awareness of Garnacha in North America and to that end they are in New York this week showing off their wines under the banner of Wines of Garnacha.
And what wines they have to show! And what a spokesperson they have hired for the task: Pilar Cavero, until recently sommelier at award-winning El Celler de Can Roca restaurant in Catalonia.
The first thing to note about these remarkable wines is what value they are – that’s the advantage of drinking wines with a little-known name on the label - they are cheap.
The other is these aren’t inoffensive cocktail wines, but wines packed with food-friendly personality.
This all became obvious as the charming Pilar presented a range of Garnachas on Tuesday night at NY’s Spanish restaurant, Andanada, where the tapas are outstanding and make perfect companions for the vibrant Wines of Garnacha.
Here are my five standout favorites.
Val Major, Celler Batea, 2014 (wt) Garnacha Blanca, Terra Alta ($8)
An impossibly pretty wine, think Goldie Hawn at her irresistible Smothers’ Brothers best. When I recall all the anemic Pinot Grigio and oaky Chardonnay I’ve suffered through at cocktail parties and receptions, the clean purity of this wine gleams even more brightly. And look at the price!
closDalian Garnacha Blanca, Unio Corporacio 2014 (wt) Terra Alta ($9)
A little more aggressive than the Val Major above, it shows a spicy, barky edginess that makes it more friendly to spicy. aggressive Spanish foods like chorizo.
Bodegas Aragonesas, Coto de Hayas Garnacha Centenaria 2013, Campo de Borja ($15)
100 year old vines, 3 months in new oak, which is obvious, now, and unintegrated. But give it a couple of years……
Bodegas Grandes Vinos y Vinedos, Anayon Garnacha 2012 Carinena ($29)
Disorganized, at the moment, but an intriguing combination of deep, earthy potential and zingy acidity.
Covinca, Terrai OVG 2014, Garnacha, Carinena (11)
Old vines, and astounding for the price. Bright red cherries with soft, dark chocolate undertones.
