Is Grenache sweet? This is a question that many people ask when they are considering picking up a bottle of wine.
Grenache is a variety of grape that is often used to make different types of red wine. You may have even had a blend that uses grenache grapes and didn’t know it.
Grenache is also its own wine with many variations, and each one has its own unique flavor profile.
In this blog post, we will explore the taste profile of Grenache and discuss whether it’s considered to be a sweet wine.
Grenache’s Flavor Profile
Most grenache wines are, in fact, dry, but this particular grape has a range. Grenache can be semi-sweet or sweet dessert wine.
Grenache is a type of red wine grape that is grown in many areas around the world.
It is a versatile grape that can be used to make many styles of wine, from light and fruity to full-bodied and complex.
Grenache is often blended with other grapes, such as Syrah and Mourvèdre, to create rich, flavorful wines.
The grape is also used to make fortified wines, such as Port and Sherry. Grenache is a relatively low-acid grape, which gives it a soft, round flavor.
The grape is usually medium-bodied with high alcohol levels.
Grenache wines can range in color from deep violet to dark red. The wines are often fruity, with aromas of strawberries, raspberries, and cherries.
Where Does Grenache Come From?
The grenache grape is a black grape that is native to Spain. The name “grenache” comes from the French word for pomegranate, Grenache.
The grenache grape is small and clack and it ripens late in the season. Coming from Spain, it had a lot of hot dry days to get ready for the wine vat.
The grenache grape is now grown around the world, but it still needs a hot, dry growing season.
For this reason, you see a lot of growers that have popped up in Australia, South Africa, and California.
Because the grape takes so long to ripen it ends up with a lot of sugar content.
Most wine makers create a dry wine out of the grape, so by the time all that sugar burns off in the fermentation process, the resulting wine is left with the higher alcohol content even than dry wines normally have.
But, because there is so much sugar in the grape, grenache can easily be fermented to a sweet wine. Sweet grenache just isn’t as common as a dry grenache.
How to Taste Grenache
When tasting grenache, pay attention to its color, aroma, and flavor.
Grenache wines can range in color from violet to dark red. Some can even be sparkling.
Most granche wines are fruity, with aromas of strawberries, raspberries, and cherries, but it also contains spicy notes to it as well.
These may include black pepper if it has been oak aged, and cinnamon with notes of tobacco or licorice.
When tasting the wine, take a small sip and hold it in your mouth for a moment before swallowing.
This will help you to experience all those fruity and spicy flavors that granache has to offer.
Pay attention to the way the wine feels in your mouth as well as the flavors that you taste.
After swallowing, pay attention to any aftertaste that is left behind.
A good grenache wine should have a smooth texture and a long aftertaste that is pleasant and lingering.
Other important facts about grenache
So now that you have the general idea of the wine, here are some other things that you should be aware of.
What is the Ideal Serving Temperature for Grenache?
You are probably familiar with the rule of thumb that red wines do not need to be chilled. They can do well at room temperature.
But grenache wine does better with a cool edge to it.
A good idea for serving grenache is to put it in your refrigerator for about a half hour, then take it out, open it, and let it sit for about 10 minutes or so.
So all in all, you’ll want about 40 minutes to prepare to serve grenache. Then you’re ready to go.
What Food Does Grenache Pair Well With?
Since most grenache wines are dry, they go well with main courses, usually hearty ones, like beef or pork roasts.
It could even go well with less elegant dishes like chili because of the wine’s spicy nature.
You could also pair it with pasta dishes that involve cheese or some of the richer cheeses on their own. Heck, you could even pair this wine with mom’s meatloaf.
Of course, if you come across a sweet grenache, you could always open it with dessert or a bar of dark chocolate.
Conclusion
Is grenache sweet? Grenache is mostly a dry wine, but there are sweet varieties.
Grenache is an under appreciated red wine, but the grape has had a presence in red wine blends around the world for a while.
So it is high time that grenache wine get its due!