Garnacha is one of the most important varieties in our country and also worldwide. It produces intense and round wines with a very attractive color.
Index
1- Red Garnacha
The Garnacha variety has been the most widely cultivated red variety in Spanish viticulture for a long time.
It is a vigorous strain, of Aragonese origin, very austere.
It is grown mainly in the provinces of Zaragoza, Toledo, Navarra, La Rioja, Madrid and Tarragona. It is planted throughout Spain, except in Galicia, Asturias and the Canary Islands.
There are several Garnachas: Garnacha peluda, which is a mutation of Garnacha Tinta, Garnacha Blanca, Garnacha Tintorera.
2- Some interesting facts about the variety:
These data were obtained from the MARM source and correspond to 2007:
- As of July 2007, the red garnacha is the third most planted red variety in Spain .
- There are 75,400 hectares planted in Spain, which represent 6.87% of the total vineyard planted in our country.
- Worldwide, in 2000 we planted 184,735 Ha of Garnacha Tinta, which represented 4% of the world’s vineyard. Worldwide, the red garnacha is the 5th most planted red variety and Spain is the first producer.
3- The red garnacha in the world
Some of the countries where we can find this variety planted are:
Spain, France, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Mexico, South Africa, California, Chile, Australia.
4- Synonymy of Garnacha Tinta
Garnacha Tinta, being one of the most widely planted varieties in world viticulture, is known by a lot of different names.
Here we mention some of the most used in our country:
Giró, Gironet, Lladoner, Grenache, Grenache, Vernassa, Lledoner, Grenache, Grenache, Girons, black Grenache.
5- Characteristics of the Garnacha Tinta grape:
Bunches:
Medium to large size, very compact and with fairly uniform berries, with a short peduncle.
Berries:
The Grenache grape is medium-sized, spherical in section, with dark purple-red epidermis, difficult to detach from its pedicel.
Fine skin very sensitive to friction and with a lot of bloom.
Pulp of a soft consistency, very juicy, without pigmentation.
Strains:
- Very vigorous.
- Upright postage.
- With high fertility.
- Good production.
- Garnacha strains are somewhat sensitive to bleeding.
6- Ink garnacha phenology
Flowering and mid-season maturation.
7- Adaptation to the wine-growing environment of the red garnacha
- The red garnacha is a variety very sensitive to downy mildew both in leaves and clusters, to black rot, excoriosis and tinder.
- Sensitive to cluster moths and leafhoppers.
- Resistant to powdery mildew , but quite sensitive to late powdery mildew.
- Sensitive to the barcterial necrosis and to the viurs of the yellow and banding of nerves.
- Not very sensitive to euthypia and mites.
- Medium sensitivity to botrytis and acid rot.
- Very sensitive to different types of shifts whether physiological, cold, or induced by certain partons such as Rupestris de Lot.
- Little tolerant to soil moisture and waterlogging.
- The red garnacha is resistant to wind and drought.
- Sensitive to drying of the spine and therefore with high magnesium requirements.
- It is also demanding in phosphorus and boron . Not very demanding in nitrogen.
- Very resistant as we have indicated to drought and adaptable to any type of soil.
- Well adapted to short pruning that produces well with quality in trellises, but if the production is excessive, the color is lost and its content in sugar and aromas is very low.
- Its pre-pruning and mechanical harvesting are more suitable, although there is a tendency for the wood to break.
8- Oenological potential. The wines of the red garnacha grape:
– Garnacha is a suitable variety for wines of high alcohol content and a very intense color, golden red.
– The color of the Garnacha grape berry varies with the production, climate and soil.
– With moderate to low acidity.
– It is very sensitive to oxidation and its wines age very quickly.
– Good rosés are obtained with this variety.
– Base for very aromatic , fresh and floral rosés reminiscent of raspberry.
9- Characteristics of the Garnacha Tinta wine
– garnacha wines young have aromas of freshly ground pepper while maintaining raspberry and blackberry aromas.
– With short aging the wines maintain their attractive color, have aromas of ripe fruit, apple and mineral touches, at least the most sought after from the Priory.
– It produces high-grade , fruity wines, although with little color in the case of high yields.
– They are round and friendly wines, with great aromatic intensity (very ripe black fruits, dried plums) and with good aging capacity.
World competition on Grenache wines:
There is a world competition on Grenache wines. We leave you the link in case anyone is encouraged Grenaches du Monde.
Other interesting red grape varieties :
- Meet the Cabernet Sauvignon variety
- More information about the grapes of the Merlot variety
- Read all about Syrah grapes
