Wine Tasting: Grenache

Grenache, also known as Garnacha, is a frequently overlooked varietal in the US, even though it is the core of many fine Spanish wines, as well as a critical part of the "GSM" (grenache - syrah - mourvedre) blends made so famous by the Southern Rhone in France. I think of it as a lighter, summer style red wine, but we had a pretty wide range of styles from our Spanish, French, Australian, and California bottles. Favorites in bold, as usual.

1. 2015 Pedro Martinez Alesanco Rosado Rioja ($10): Made from Garnacha and white Viura grapes, this was exactly what a summer rose should be -- cold and refreshing. Very different from some other surprising, massive rioja rose wines I've had. Very nice, good value. 
2. 2013 Herencia Altes Garnatxa Negra Terra Alta ($10): The consensus value favorite for the evening and a fantastic bargain at $10/bottle.
3. 2012 Bodegas Palacios Remondo "La Montesa" Crianza Rioja ($15): A blend of 80% Garnacha, 15% Tempranillo and 5% Mazuelo (Cariñena), this was very different from the pure grenache wines of the evening. Very nice, but for grenache, I'd rather have #2, and for traditional red rioja, I'd rather have something that is mostly tempranillo. In fact, we opened a  2004 La Rioja Alta "Viña Ardanza" Reserva Rioja for contrast, and I was reminded how much I love quality rioja (albeit for $30).
4. 2013 Chateau de la Font du Loup "Le Puy Rolland" Châteauneuf du Pape ($50): a 100% Grenache from a region far more famous for "GSM" blends, this was the most balanced, true to varietal, and sophisticated bottle of the evening. Inviting you to pay closer attention, rather than jumping out at you, this was tied with #6 for my favorite of the evening.
5. 2013 Mr. Riggs "The Magnet-Dogridge Vineyard" Old Vine Grenache McLaren Vale ($25): The 100 year old Grenache dry grown bush vines are located at Dogridge Vineyard in the McLaren Vale region. Quite good, not "too Australian." :-)
6. 2013 Bernabeleva "Viña Bonita" Garnacha Vinos de Madrid ($50): Wow. Pure Garnacha made from a 2.8 hectare 80-year-old single vineyard in the Gredos range in the vicinity of Madrid. In the Sierra de Gredos mountains, just to the south of Madrid, some pretty amazing Garnacha is being made around the village of San Martin de Valdeiglesias. This is a "return to terroir" style wine, delivering a wine that I kept coming back to over and over. Irresistible.
7. 2010 Villa Creek "Denner Vineyard" Paso Robles Garnacha ($45): Paso style! Huge. Alcoholic. Nothing like what most wine makers would think of as "grenache". Still, it was good!
8. 2013 Denner Vineyards Paso Robles Grenache ($65): Opened very late in the evening, just before the hot tub, long past when I had any palate left to evaluate it. Included here only if you were still here and wondered what it was.