A Calatayud, Spain Garnacha
From a popular but often unenchanting Spanish red grape...Las Rocas Garnacha
One of Spain’s major, but pedestrian grapes, is the red Garnacha. Elsewhere it is known as Grenache, arguably the world’s mostly widely planted red grape. I think that tells us something about its quality. The San Alejandro co-operative winery was founded in 1862. They englobe 350 associates and 1100 hectares (that’s over 2700 acres) of vineyards at an elevation of 750-1100 meters (2.5 to 3.6 miles). The area enjoys low rainfall and an extreme variation between daytime and nighttime temperatures, which is good for wine grapes. The Calatayud area of Aragon of northeastern Spain has grown wine grapes for some 2 thousand years. Today’s companion wine is another red Garnacha from nearby Cariñena, also in Aragon at about two-thirds the price.
OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.
Wine Reviewed
Las Rocas Garnacha Calatayud DO 2009 15% alcohol about $14
Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. “Description: This beauty shows notes of smoke, black fruits, and spice box, with an emerging cherry character. This is a smoothly textured wine that will have you double-checking the price in wonderment at every sip. Enjoy with a mushroom risotto.” And now for my review.
Calatayud Spain
At the first sips this wine was deep with a pleasant touch of oak. The initial meal started with bean, lentil, and onion soup. In response this Garnacha showed great length with plums in the fore. With the accompanying Japanese rice crackers it was round and mouth filling. When it met the meal’s centerpiece of slow cooked beef the wine tasted of chocolate and presented light tannins. There wasn’t much change when it accompanied the side of potatoes that were cooked with the meat. The other side dish of zucchini, chickpeas, and onions rendered this libation chewy with a chocolate taste. I added Louisiana chili and lime sauce to the meat and the wine opened.
My next meal was fairly light. The chicken wings baked with vinegar, tomato paste, garlic, and paprika gave the Garnacha the taste of dark plums. There was a good balance between its acidity and tannins, and the wine was pleasantly sweet. When paired with baked, breaded eggplant sticks this wine responded as before, with some tobacco. But the spices in a zesty guacamole trumped this Spanish drink.
My final meal centered on a box of baked Ziti Siciliano that I doused with Romano cheese. This Garnacha replied with round acidity, light tannins, dark fruit, and a tinge of tobacco. Fresh strawberries rendered this wine absent. The second dessert, chocolate truffles, caused the Garnacha to become a only shadow or perhaps a shadow of a shadow of itself.
The tastings ended with two cheeses. But first, and it has been a while, I tried the wine with some Matjes herring. The wine was deep and dark. Marbled cheddar cheese rendered it long, with the taste of cherries. When paired with goat’s milk cheese containing figs, this libation was very light and now the cherries were black.
Final verdict. This was a close call but I would buy this wine again. I promise to be careful with the pairings.
Access the companion wine A Wine Lover's Weekly Review Of $10 Wine - A Cariñena, Spain Garnacha
About the Author
Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would
rather just drink fine Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario
French-language community college. His wine websites include
www.theworldwidewine.com
and http://www.wineinyourdiet.com
Visit his website devoted to Italian travel
www.travelitalytravel.com
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