1/5
SweetnessDrySweet
The grape archive
Grenache
greh-NASH
A heat-loving Mediterranean grape with generous red fruit, alcohol and spice, used alone and in blends from Spain to the southern Rhône.
Typical flavour register
01Strawberry02Cherry03Plum04Liquorice05Dried herbs
In the glass
A visual taste profile.
These scales describe a representative dry expression. Climate, harvest date, yields and winemaking can move an individual wine in another direction.
3/5
AciditySoftFresh
3/5
TanninSilkyFirm
4/5
BodyLightFull
5/5
FruitSavouryFruit-led
Where it grows
From origin to the wider vineyard.
The first country is the grape’s principal reference point; the remaining countries show important established cultivation rather than a complete planting census.
Spain
Core countryPriorat · Campo de Borja
France
EstablishedChâteauneuf-du-Pape · Roussillon
Australia
EstablishedMcLaren Vale
United States
EstablishedSmaller but established plantings
South Africa
EstablishedSmaller but established plantings
Three useful expressions
Fresh & fruit-led
Juicy fruit, moderate extraction and little oak emphasise immediate pleasure.
Classic regional style
The grape’s familiar balance of fruit, structure, spice and place.
Structured & age-worthy
Lower yields, selected sites and careful ageing build concentration and longevity.
Handling
Serve15–18 °C
GlassLarge red-wine glass
Decant30–60 minutes
Cellar3–15+ years by style
At the table
Pair it by weight, freshness and aroma.
How we recognise this grape
Grenache usually gives us ripe strawberry and cherry, dried Mediterranean herbs and generous alcohol. The colour and tannin can remain surprisingly moderate for such a warm, full wine.
This is a practical tasting cue from our Wineflight experience, not a fixed recipe: origin, ripeness and winemaking can shift the profile.
Reference databases and further readingVIVC · Variety database ↗OIV · Vitivinicultural data ↗Wine Folly · Grape guide ↗