Although it is by far the most abundant grape in Spain, with some 240,000 hectares dedicated to its cultivation, Garnacha rarely steps out into the limelight on its own. However, following an upsurge of interest in this grape in the wake of its recent success in Priorat, we tasted some of the finest Garnachas in Spain before coming to a clear and unequivocal conclusion: the best wines from this grape are to be found in the Kingdom of Aragón.

Whether it is in Campo de Borja, in somewhere so rarely associated with national varieties as Somontano, or in vineyards so far off the beaten track that they don’t even come under a Denominación de Origen, one thing is certain: the best Spanish Garnacha reds, with the honourable exception of Álvaro Palacios’ renowned L’Ermita, are right now being made in Aragón.

The Garnacha “map”
Priorat made Garnacha fashionable and reminded us that this “secondary” grape (a grape that is flavourful but not excessively tannic, with a great fruity character but prone to oxidizing – or, at best, “sensitive”) could put some great red wines to shame – provided it was cultivated in the right soil, output was considerably limited and only the best old vines were selected.

Previously, the only great red wine to have been produced from Garnacha grapes was the Châteauneuf-du-Pape from the Rhone valley in France (although, needless to say, no mention was made of the grape on their labels, in line with the European tradition).

In Rioja, however, they have been using this grape for years as one of the main ingredients in their blending process, to the point where its presence would be indicated by a Burgundy bottle in order to differentiate it from the other reds, which were presented in a Bordeaux bottle. And the pioneering Martínez Bujanda family even went as far as to produce a monovarietal Reserva that challenges the grape’s reputation for oxidizing.

The new red wines from Priorat have also opted to blend Garnacha with other varieties. In fact, it is virtually impossible to find a wine from this D.O. that is made from 100% Garnacha. In Priorat, Garnacha is supported by Cariñena, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. One of the highest percentages of Garnacha can be found in the legendary L’Ermita, at 80%; a Clos Mogador, for instance, included 37% Garnacha in its 2002 vintage and the same year’s Clos Martinet had 40%.

But the fact remains that, even in the Châteauneuf-du-Papes, the amount of Garnacha present rarely exceeds 60 or 70%, with the glorious – and widely sought after – exception of the Château Rayas. In difficult years, Garnacha needs the support of other grapes; to stand alone, it has to come from a particularly singular and privileged vineyard (of which, sadly, there seem to be but a few). We must resign ourselves to the fact that monovarietal Garnachas are simply not all that common, even in the New World. In Australia, Syrah or Monastrell (Mourvèdre) have traditionally been added, while in California, the grape owes its renaissance to the so-called “Rhône rangers”, a group of enthusiastic producers of Mediterranean varieties led by Bob Lindquist from the winery Qupé (whose Purísima Mountain Vineyard is 85% Garnacha) and Randall Graham of Boony Doon.

All of this Garnacha was diluted in different blends or used to make everyday wines. The people of Navarra, who had an abundance of Garnacha, used it to make a name for themselves with rosé wines, but when it came to their reds, they began to replace it with noble varieties from abroad. Only a few producers have so far dared to start recovering the old vines that make up their heritage.

In Aragón, however, grapes from abroad didn’t make quite the same impact and Garnacha was able to consolidate its position as the ideal basis for producing opulent, flavourful wines at a very low cost which immediately attracted the attention of buyers from England. The D.O. that has led the way in this respect is Campo de Borja, favoured by the advantageous locations of its vineyards on hillsides that allow for a combination of a lot of fruit, alcohol and freshness. Following on from this lead, beginning the recovery of the region’s centuries-old Garnacha stock was a logical next step.

What’s so special about Garnacha?
Garnacha is a grape that is very easy to look after. On the vine, it is particularly hardy, capable of withstanding the most adverse climatic conditions, from the beating sun to winds as harsh as the Cierzo in Aragón or the Mistral in the Rhône Valley. It needs little water and grows without difficulty in even the poorest of soils.

In the glass, it successfully embodies the ripeness of the fruit and can add a pleasant floral note reminiscent of violets. But if we had to highlight just one key characteristic of the grape, it would undoubtedly be its “tastiness” on the palate. When carefully handled, the Garnacha delights us with a velvety texture and some well-rounded, fruity tannins. The wines produced from this grape tend to be full and pleasant on the palate, ready to be enjoyed now. This fits perfectly with what today’s consumer wants from a wine and makes Garnacha every inch the quintessential Mediterranean grape: a title only the Monastrell or the Syrah might contest.

But is that enough to produce an excellent wine? If we want this rich, pleasant and fruity red to reach new heights, we need to enlist the help of singular terroirs (of which Priorat and the slopes of the Moncayo are prime examples), an understanding of the importance of limiting output and, of course, the inimitable personality of the old vines. And such a combination is hard to come by.

Nonetheless, it is this recipe that helps to produce the level of concentration that is characteristic of a Priorat or can be seen in some of the best red wines we tasted in the session reported below.

Before we continue, let us just say that the overall quality of the red wines we sampled was quite high, with even some of the more modest examples demonstrating most of the typical characteristics of the variety. We sought out monovarietal Garnachas and red wines in which it was the predominant grape (only the Secastilla from Somontano and the Montazo from San Martín de Valdeiglesias included other varieties) and, in the end, since the presence of Garnacha wasn’t so high in Priorat wines, we did not select any wines from this D.O.

THE TASTING SESSION

Our top three, in order of preference: Aquilón 2002 Red, Bodegas Alto Moncayo (Campo de Borja)

A new winery whose private shareholders include Jorge Ordóñez (a key importer of Spanish wines into the United States), José Miguel San Martín (Borsao) and other, foreign shareholders including Don Philips (a major importer of quality Australian wines to the USA) and his winemaker, the Australian Chris Ringland (creator of several wines that have earned 100 “Parker points”). This wine went on sale in March this year, although we’ve been warned that there won’t be many bottles available in Spain.

This is our number one choice. Deep cherry red. A complex and modern nose: caramel, minerals, jam, coffee and toffee. An incredible palate: powerful, generous, meaty, fresh and lively, with great concentration and excellent balance, and high quality tannins that are surprisingly sweet and seem to wrap around the mouth. When you drink this wine, you can be sure that you are sampling the true essence of Garnacha.

Mancuso 2002 Red, Viñedo de Mancuso (VT Valdejalón)

A joint effort between Carlos San Pedro (from Bodegas Pujanza in La Rioja) and the Navascués (father and son), who know all about Aragón and its Garnachas, this wine comes from a vineyard that is lost in the foothills of the Moncayo and was on the verge of going out of business.

Dense, uniform cherry red. Fine, intense aromas of elegant, ripe fruit (that almost seems to have been bathed in chocolate) and black olives, a liqueur background, harmonious wood, and a faithful reflection of its soil. A sweet, generous and well-balanced palate that wraps around the mouth; fresh, balsamic and fruity, with mature tannins and an aromatic finish characteristic of the grape.

(As an aside, let’s just say that our “perfect” Garnacha would have the nose of the Mancuso and the palate of the Aquilón. So, when will we see a “Manquilón”?)

Secastilla 2002 Red, Viñas del Vero (Somontano)

This is an unusual offering from a D.O. more renowned for the warm welcome it has given to foreign varieties. The enterprising Pedro Aibar has gone against the tide and triumphed thanks to the excellence of this vineyard, which is located on a stony hillside in the highlands at more than 700 metres above sea level.

The best value-for-money of our top three. Dense, uniform cherry red. A rather closed but complex nose (very ripe black berries, coffee and crême brulée, with notes of minerals, eucalyptus and noble wood). A fine structure to the palate, flavourful, well-balanced and fresh, with great concentration and tannins that make their presence felt (in a pleasant way). This is an individual wine that really needs to be left to breathe.

Highly recommended: Fagus de Coto de Hayas 2002 Red, Bodegas Aragonesas (Campo de Borja)

A textbook example of the variety, with a pleasant coolness. Deep cherry red. Potent aromas of ripe fruit in liqueur, balsam, cocoa, pleasant wood (cinnamon and sweet spices) and red liquorice. A sweet palate, attractive, meaty and fresh, generous and full-bodied, with velvety tannins. Very aromatic and excellently balanced, with a pleasing finish. Elegant, with silky finesse.

Santa Cruz de Artazu 2002 Red, Bodegas y Viñedos Artazu (Navarra)

Artadi went to Navarra not to seek out well-rounded, modern and spectacular wines, but rather to rediscover some old enthusiasm for the Garnacha grape. Its 2000 vintage was one of our wines of the month in April 2003 and proved to be very popular. Dark, shiny cherry red; dense and uniform. Aromas of crystallized fruits, eucalyptus and violets (floral), and liquorice. A fresh and flavourful palate that wraps around your mouth, well-balanced and sweet, with a particularly fluid texture and a persistent caramel finish.

Other wines tasted: Alto Moncayo, Bodegas Alto Moncayo (Campo de Borja)

Dense, uniform cherry red. A certain complexity to the nose – black berries, balsams, pleasant toasted notes and a certain rustic nature. A good structure to the palate, flavourful, with noble, slightly bitter tannins and good wood.

Tres Picos 2003, Bodegas Borsao (Campo de Borja)

Dense, uniform cherry red. Highly balsamic aromas (with a hint of the chemist’s shop, resin, broom and eucalyptus) and ripe red berries. A flavourful, well-balanced and meaty palate offering a good, full-bodied structure and displaying all the typical characteristics of the variety. Very fresh and aromatic, with tannins that need to be softened in bottle. True to the grape.

Hisenda Miret 2003 Tinto, Parés Baltà (Penedés)

Deep cherry red. Aromas of scrubland, broom, cocoa, crystallized fruit, fruit cake, liquorice and lactic notes. A sweet, flavourful palate of medium structure, balsamic and typical of the variety, with sweet tannins. Very aromatic, with a long, suggestive finish.

Pagos del Camino 2001, Bodegas Bretón (Rioja)

Deep cherry red. Very ripe in the nose (crystallized and slightly over-ripe fruits in liqueur) with a balsamic background. Livelier in the palate: fresh, flavourful, with notes of ripe fruit and slightly bitter tannins, and an agreeable hint of chocolates and biscuits.

Cabrida 2000 Red, Celler de Capçanes (Montsant)

Dark red with flecks of orange. Aromas of ripe fruit in jam, toasted wood, coffee, and mineral touches. A flavourful palate, with a certain structure, but dominated in the finish by the tannins from the wood. Toasted notes and crême brulée.

Pegaso 2001 Red, Cía. de Vinos Telmo Rodríguez (VT Cebreros)

Deep cherry red. A complex aroma with mineral touches, cocoa, balsams and fruit in liqueur. A palate somewhat dominated by fine wood and sweet tannins. Individual.

Montazo 2002, Viñedos de Sanmartín (Madrid)

Deep cherry red. Delicate in the nose. Aromas of caramel and liquorice, red berries and a hint of cinnamon. A light palate that is flavourful and balsamic, with good, harmonious wood and red berries in the finish.

Coto de Hayas Garnacha Centenaria 2003 Red, Bodegas Aragonesas (Campo de Borja)

Deep cherry red. Fresh in the nose, with vegetables and unripe fruit in the background, and a hint of violet. A fresh palate, slightly sharp and with balsamic sensations.

Paisajes VII 2001 Red, Paisajes y Viñedos (Rioja)

Dark cherry red with purple tones. The aroma has certain lingering notes from the reduction process (leather), with spices, black berries and a spot of ink. A medium-bodied palate, with a hint of vegetable in the tannins. Slightly lacking in character.

El Chaparral de Vega Sindoa 2001 Red, Bodegas Nekeas (Navarra)

Dark ruby. Aroma with notes of ripe fruit and sweet spices, and a hint of resin. A light, aromatic palate of fine acidity, with a slightly bitter finish coming from the tannins of the wood.