*Disclaimer: I received these wines as samples to participate in a live virtual tasting to celebrate Garnacha Day.
How do you celebrate Garnacha Day? With 5 bottles of Garnacha, of course. Better yet if you have a nice mix of red Garnacha and Garnacha Blanca. At least, that’s how I spent Garnacha Day, along with tasting online with some of my favorite winos.
Now, I’ve loved Grenache Blanc for quite some time, since the fabulous Jill of DomaineLA introduced me to the an absolutely lovely one from Curran Vineyards. So when I opened the box of wine for Garnacha Day I was excited to see two bottles of Garnacha Blanca included. The two bottles were immediately distinguishable since one was oaked and one wasn’t. Our tasters for the evening preferred the unoaked version at first taste, but the oaked version had swayed half of us by the time we finished the tasting.
First up was the 2015 clos Dalian Garnacha Blanca, with a screw cap and sporting 12.5% alcohol by volume. On the nose I got lemon, white pepper, and slight stone fruit. Overall the nose was very delicate and light. In the mouth I found citrus, lemon, lemon curd, white pepper, and mineral notes. I thought it was fresh and zesty and very refreshing.
Our second wine was the 2013 La Miranda Secastilla Garnacha Blanca, an oaked version with a real cork and 13.5% alcohol by volume. On the nose I got lemon custard, lemon pie, and vanilla. The nose seemed heavier immediately. In the mouth I found lemon custard, lemon zest, and pie crust. Overall the feel on the palate was creamy.
Next up, we moved into the reds, starting with 2014 Castillo de Monseran Garnacha Carinena which had a screw cap and clocked in at 13% alcohol by volume. On the nose I got blueberry, pie, leather, and cranberry. In the mouth I found blueberry, tea, dark strawberry and blackberry on the finish. Overall I found the wine to be quite dark.
Our second red was the 2015 Evodia Garnacha with a cork and 15% alcohol by volume. On the nose I got tart fruit, sour cherry, and blueberries. In the mouth the wine was dark and tight with blue fruit. I had trouble getting it to give up anything on the palate.
The final wine for the evening was the 2014 Garnacha Centenaria which had a real cork and clocked in at 14% alcohol by volume. It also sported the heaviest bottle of the bunch. You could definitely take someone out with it! On the nose I got black fruit, chocolate, berries and spice. In the mouth I found primarily raspberry and blueberry with spice. This wine was lovely with plush fruit. Overall this bottle won the tasting for two of our four tasters.
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