France has the world's largest Grenache presence, with more hectares planted than any variety other than Merlot. The majority of Grenache is planted in the southern Rhône valley.
The grapes are large with thin skins, high sugar levels and low acidity and produce very fruity, rich, sweet-tasting wine with strawberry and raspberry characters and notes of white pepper and liquorice which evolve into toffee and leather with age. Grenache needs a hot climate to ripen and is often blended with other grape varieties. The wine produced is paler than most reds.
Many southern Rhône wines include several grape varieties as well as Grenache; the hotter and drier conditions here are ideal. The most famous appellation is Châteauneuf-du-Pape and its wines are typically full bodied, with medium tannins, low acidity and a character that includes strawberry, pepper, liquorice and leather notes. Increasing numbers of premium Grenache based wines are being made in Minervois.
It is easy to make fruity rosé from Grenache, which tends to be strawberry flavoured. Grenache is used widely for rosé in southern France.
Elegant with tannins that are perfect for ageing. Young, they are fleshy, soft and generous, turning towards fruit and spice notes, particularly scrubland and evolving towards notes of leather and orchard fruits.
A very brilliant red with violet glints. Typical regional berries on the nose with distinct aromas of blackcurrant and raspberry. A rounded, well-balanced wine with quite a long, fruity finish. Soft body without excess tannins.
Very freshly aromas of blackcurrant, fresh cherry, married with rare spices and tobacco. Fat mouth with amplitude, large body, deepness with fine tannins and long finish. Very well balanced and elegant.
This deeply coloured barrel aged Languedoc blend is perfumed with
dark cherries, black pepper and vanilla spice. Hints of wild herbs and
minerals add to a rich palate of dense dark fruits and subtle oak. It is
medium bodied yet well structured with a good backbone of fine
tannins and restrained acidity providing an excellent, long finish.
Made from Grenache, Carignan and Syrah, this lush,
oak-aged red offers intense forest fruits with notes of black pepper
and spice. Serve with rare roast beef, lamb, a game casserole or duck.
Notes of red fruit dominate the nose. The palate is greedy and round, with crunchy fruit. A slight sweetness tempers its liveliness. An introduction to the expression of Provence rosé!
Bright deep crimson shot through with mauve. Animally, ripe fruit, caramel. Soft attack, good structure, aftertaste of liquorices, notes of toast at the end.
Deep, dark red in colour. Fresh fruit aromas with red and black berries.
The palate is full, powerful and racy with rounded and smooth tannins.
A full bodied, rich and intensely aromatic wine. Full with a soft finish and
plenty of elegance and finesse due to the well balanced tannins and fruit.
Goes well with cold meats, meat, game bird and cheese.
A nice pink robe with bright glints and a thin cordon of bubbles. Warm fruity nose (red fruits: strawberry, blackcurrant) with a good vinosity. Subtle marriage of effervescence with colouring materials. Nice persistence in mouth. Harmonious sensation of sugar and acidity.
Nice pink robe of great limpidity and brilliance. Delicious aromas of small red fruits (strawberry, raspberry) on the nose, and a fresh, fruity palate, delightfully smooth and suave.
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Registered office: Ramsey Business Park, Stocking Fen Road, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire, PE26 2UR.
