Grenache
gruh-NASH · Vitis vinifera ‘Garnacha’
Also answers to: Garnacha in Spain, where it started, and Cannonau in Sardinia. One of the most planted red grapes on Earth, the backbone of Châteauneuf-du-Pape — and the G in GSM.
/ What it tastes like /
Strawberry and raspberry with white pepper and dried herbs behind them, soft tannin, and a warmth that sneaks up on you — Grenache ripens to high sugar, and sugar becomes alcohol. The color usually runs paler than you expect. Pale doesn’t mean shy: the Grenache we took home from Michael Ros poured deep and rich, with a splash of Alicante Bouschet doing the tinting.
/ Why it works in Texas /
It was built for this. Grenache comes from Aragon in dry northern Spain, thrives on heat and drought, stands up to wind, and ripens late into a long warm season — the same résumé that made it the workhorse of the southern Rhône fits the Hill Country and High Plains. That’s why it anchors so many Texas GSM programs.
/ What to eat with it /
The most flexible red on this list: roast chicken, pork, sausage, pizza night, and it takes a slight chill better than most reds — which in a Texas summer is not a small thing.
/ From our visits /