Beverage

Garnacha

Garnacha is Spain’s name for Grenache—ripe red-berry and strawberry fruit, white pepper, and often high alcohol with soft-to-medium tannin when from warm sites, or tighter and more mineral from old bush vines in Priorat, Gredos, and Aragón. It dominates many Spanish reds alone or with Tempranillo, Cariñena, and Syrah. The glass can be pale yet potent, or dark and dense from low-yield old vines. Kitchen use favours juicy braises of lamb, chorizo, and roast vegetables; Garnacha’s fruit sweetness balances spice and smoke without harsh tannin if the bottle is ripe and sound. Reduce carefully—high-alcohol styles concentrate heat; a splash near the end of cooking preserves berry aroma better than hard boiling.

Also known as: Garnacha, Grenache, Grenache