The Garnacha grape, more commonly known by its French name, Grenache, has traditionally failed to pop up on the average enthusiast's wine-dar. Thankfully, 100% Garnacha releases are becoming more common, and some of them are absolute show stoppers!

Garnacha originated in Spain in the northeastern kingdom of Aragon, though some believe it was imported to Spain from the island of Sardegna off the coast of Italy in the 14th century. The extensive colonization of the Aragonians brought the grape north of the Pyrenees, and by the 19th century it was well established in the southern Rhone valley. These French vines became popular in the New World for their ability to withstand drought, but were never really given the respect and care they deserved during cultivation. As a result, New World Grenache wines were fairly unimpressive, and lost favor among producers as more notable varietals came into fashion. Even in Australia, Grenache was the region's most planted grape until the mid 1960's, now eclipsed by Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. With the resurgence of popularity in Rhone valley reds, Grenache is showing up more and more in the traditional blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre--or "GSMs", as they're commonly called.

Despite this renewed interest, Spanish Garnachas remain an undiscovered gem. They can range from light, delicate, almost sweet wines to deep, complex, spicy reds worthy of a grilled steak. The Priorat zone in the Cataluna region produces first-class 100% Garnacha releases worthy of cellaring. Navarra and Rioja also produce a significant amount of Garnacha-influenced releases.

Two of my all-time favorite values come from the Calatayud region, about 120 miles northeast of Madrid. Las Rocas Vinas Viejas seems dauntingly burly when first uncorked, but after sitting for about ten minutes, it mellows out and takes on an intriguing tone of ripe strawberries, rich blackberries and peppery spice. Bodegas Zabrin's Atteca is nothing short of sex in a glass! Right from the start, this light to medium-bodied beauty seduces the senses with smooth raspberry and chocolate flavors, complimented by only the slightest hints of jam and spice to round out the wine and provide an alluring structure. Both of these releases are made from 100% old vine Garnacha, and both are wines you simply must try!

To experience the full range of this amazing grape, check out the Grenache/Garnacha 4-pack. You can also use the search box on the upper left of this page to search for all bottles containing either Grenache or Garnacha. Enjoy!

Posted by Trevor Mead at 03:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ask the staff, and you'll get a resounding "all of them!" But this blog is going to focus on chardonnays, and "naked" will unfortunately refer only to a wine being unwooded or unoaked.

For decades, the American standard for a good chardonnay was a wine that had spent an extended amount of time fermenting in an oak barrel. Oak barrels naturally impart their characteristics into the wine, resulting in tones that range from vanilla to cinnamon. When combined with a secondary malolactic fermentation--the process of converting malic acid into lactic acid, thereby reducing the overall acidic taste of the wine--the result is a round, buttery, toasty taste profile. When taken to the extreme (as Americans tend to do), a chardonnay can taste like the barrel it was fermented in, and little else; or it can taste "flabby", meaning it lacks a desirable amount of acidity and structure.

While many will continue to drink and praise heavily oaked chards, there's a new trend in wineries towards removing the oak element altogether. Instead of fermenting a wine in oak barrels, stainless steel barrels are used. This allows for the chardonnay grape to speak for itself, revealing all sorts of subtle fruit aromas that were previously overpowered by the oak influences. Imagine a chardonnay that is crisp, acidic and refreshing, with notes of apple, or peach, or lemon zest, or even a faint hint of pineapple! The cooler the climate the grape is grown in, the crisper and fruitier the flavors will be. Warmer climate chards can still produce the notes of butterscotch, honey, and nutty tones that so many love, but even these shine through more brilliantly when unoaked.

If you've categorically given up on chardonnays, now is the time to give them a second chance. Try a bottle of the Four Vines Naked chardonnay, or my personal favorite, the Allan Scott Unwooded chardonnay out of New Zealand. The Yalumba "Y" Series Unwooded chardonnay is also a winner, if you prefer a bit of Aussie flair in your glass. Whichever you choose, we hope you find this new trend refreshingly different, and discover the joys of drinking wine naked!

Cheers!

Posted by Trevor Mead at 12:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)