Wines and typical products

The Grenache (Garnacha) Grape Variety and its Wines in Lugano

17 March 2025

Curated by Rocco Lettieri

On March 5th, a very interesting tasting was held at the Swiss Diamond Hotel in Morcote, organized by the ASSP of Ticino with wines produced from the Grenache (Garnacha) grape variety. Paolo Basso conducted the tasting.

Grenache (Noir) is a widely grown grape variety that produces rich red wines. Believed to originate in Spain, it was the most widely planted red grape variety in the world by the end of the 20th century. Today it ranks around the seventh order in the hierarchy.

Grenache is a vine a black berry cultivated extensively in France, his country of origin, but also in Spain, where it is known as Garnacha, in Australia and in United States. During its diffusion in the Mediterranean area, Grenache has adapted, giving rise to territorial varieties such asAlicante in the south of Spain, Cannonau in Sardinia and Red Tocai of the Iberian Hills Italians. In France Grenache is widespread in the Valle del Rhone southern, where together with the Syrah and at Mourvedre gives life to the Environment blend called GSM and it is the vine main wine of Châteauneuf-du-pape. Grenache is a very versatile grape variety that allows the production wines ranging from the rosés of the Côtes de Provence (together with cinsault and Mourvedre), up to wines desserts of Banyuls, produced on the border with Spain, where Garnacha is the second most popular grape variety black berry by extension, surpassed only by the Tempranillo.

(GSM It is an acronym that indicates a blend (or “cut”) of three grape varieties: Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre. This type of blend originates in the Rhone Valley region of France, but is now produced in many wine-growing areas around the world.)

Grenache is a grape variety that is particularly resistant to wind and drought and for this reason it has adapted well to the arid climates of the California and South Australia, where it is mainly used in the GSM blend. The skins of its grapes are thin and its ripening period è late. He has good vigor and it is a variety that is quite resistant to adversities. It lends itself to different types of breeding, including the traditional saplingGrenache wines generally have color red rather light and low levels of acidity and tannin. They are generally light and drinkable wines, but if the vine is grown in arid and stony areas, such as in the Priorat and in Provence in the Châteauneuf-du-pape area, they can have a very respectable concentration, accompanied by a good predisposition for aging.

Introducing Bodegas Aragonesas

Bodegas Aragonesas has more than 40 years of history and is one of the most emblematic wineries in Aragon. If there is one thing that defines this winery, located in Fuendejalón, it is the love, hard work and dedication to Garnacha. Seven million vines, 3.200 hectares of vineyards and the recognition of being the benchmark for Garnacha de Aragón worldwide. These are some of the achievements of Bodegas Aragonesas in its four decades of life.In this journey, we have been the main actors in the recognition of Grenache as one of the highest quality varieties in the world. From the beginning, we have been committed and decided to collect the legacy of centuries by cultivating vineyards in our area of influence. We are working to recover vineyards that today are considered authentic jewels, with a high potential and, after years, time has proven us right.“, revealed the president of Bodegas Aragonesas, Virginia Galvez. Currently, Aragonesas has multiplied its bottling sales by 30. Since its foundation, Bodegas Aragonesas has always had a vocation for export and, currently, markets its wines in more than 60 countries on five continents. The Garnacha variety has become, since its birth, the emblem of Aragonesas and the most iconic wines of the winery are the monovarietals: Fagus, Garnacha Centenaria, Aragonia, Nabulé terroir, Nabulé esencia and Galiano.

Paolo Basso's tasting: 4 series of three wines

1st series

Clos de Pinell white 2024 – Terra Alta – Cellers Uniò

Anayon Rosado 2023 – Carinena – Grandes Vinos

Baltasar Gracian 2023 – Calatayud – Bodegas San Alejandro

2st series

Coto de Hayas Garnacha Centenaria 2023 – Campo de Borja – Bodegas Aragonesas

Aragonia Select Special 2021 – Campo de Borja – Bodegas Aragonesas

Fagus 2022 – Campo de Borja – Bodegas Aragonesas

3st series

Perlat 2023 – Montsant – Cellers Uniò

Baltasar Graciàn Vinas Viejas 2023 – Bodegas San Alejandro

Clos Baltasar 2012 – Bodegas San Alejandro

4st series

Llicorella Classic 2020 – Priorat – Cellers Uniò

Anayon Garnacha 2020 – Carinena – Grandes Vinos

Anayon Parcela 81 2018 – Carinena – Grandes Vinos

Presentation of a wine for each series, the most significant (my scores)

Baltasar Gracian 2023 – Calatayud – Bodegas San Alejandro 91/100

Color: Intense ruby red with purple hues, great clarity and brightness.

Aroma: fruity hints of blackberry, strawberry, raspberry, currant, with toasted and spicy notes.

Palate: Soft start, then takes body, broad, harmonious and well structured. In

the spices return in the finish with a light astringency of youth.

Fagus 2022 – Campo de Borja – Bodegas Aragonesas 93/100

Colour: cherry red, intense and brilliant. Arches firmly fixed on the walls.

AROMA: powerful and elegant with very ripe red fruit (plums, blackberries, currants,) with spicy (cocoa) and vanilla notes of good French oak.

Palate: Perfectly balanced with a generous, harmonious, sumptuous taste, rich in red fruits with soft tannins and a long aftertaste on the woody notes already perceived on the nose.

Baltasar Graciàn Viñas Viejas 2023 – Bodegas San Alejandro 95/100

This Vinos ViñasViejas comes from vineyards over 60 years old grown on slate and quartzite soils in the hills of the Sierra SantaCruz.

Colour: intense and dark dark red. Bright and notes of aubergine color.
AROMA: nose that marks small berries, then varied spices, balsamic finish of laurel and cloves, anise and wild fennel. Great finesse.

Palate: to the taste it immediately has character, warmth, harmony, persuasiveness, minerality, with the right balance between alcohol and acidity that gives softness, elegance and balsamic freshness like eucalyptus. Great permanence in the back of the throat, even with a hint of chocolate.

Llicorella Classic 2020 – Priorat – Cellers Uniò 96/100

Color: dark cherry red with purple reflections, bright with narrow arches on the glass. AROMA: ripe black fruits and variously spiced with black pepper, cloves, vanilla and toasted notes, even coffee.

Palate: fleshy, warm attack, with good alcoholic power, smooth and persuasive tannins with a very long aftertaste, well balanced, with a lot of balsamic freshness, almost like an after eight chocolate.