Garnacha? Grenache? Cannonau? Celebrating with AmByth’s 2014 Grenache Noir Paired with Tapas

2014 Ambyth Estate Grenache Noir, Paso Robles

What’s one of the most widely planted and well loved but not well known grapes in the world? Known as Garnacha in Spain, Grenache in France, and Cannonau in Italy, this versatile grape plays well with others and produces everything from blends to easy going rosés to nuanced red wines in styles from lighter and fruity to richer and fuller bodied. Thriving in hot, dry climates, this grape becomes the backbone of many red blends around the world, most famously in the Rhône Valley, Spain, and Australia. Typically enjoyed young and fresh with spicy, citrus, and raspberry notes, it has the potential to age and develop deeper notes of leather, tobacco, and chocolate while maintaining its medium acidity and deceptively light appearance.

While there is some debate about where the grape originated, most consider Spain its country of origin where garnacha is grown and known in Priorat, Calatayud, and Rioja. In France, Grenache is a key component in many Southern Rhône Valley blends, most notably Châteauneuf-du-Pape plus rosés from Tavel and Lirac as well as Provence as its thin skin makes it an ideal grape for producing fresh, fruity rosés; in France’s Roussillon region, Grenache makes sweet fortified wines called vin doux naturels. Old vine Grenache from South Australia’s Barossa and McLaren Vale regions produce vibrant and complex wines and GSM blends while in the US it’s prominent single-varietal Grenache and blends in California’s Central Coast and Washington State. The warm island of Sardinia off Italy’s coast produces rich red, often high alcohol Cannonau. 

Steep slopes: head trained vines are dry farmed and biodynamically grown at AmByth Estate in Paso Robles

To celebrate Grenache Day and California Wine Month, we opened a Grenache Noir from Paso Robles biodynamic Ambyth. To honor this grapes Spanish roots, we paired it with three cheese and Jamon brought directly from Spain to me at Burning Man from a new friend! While this year’s Burning Man presented many challenges, it always brings blessings like new friends in far flung places.

2014 Ambyth Estate Grenache Noir, Paso Robles with Tapas from Spain

Menu

Spanish Cheese Plate

  • 3 Ovejita Blanca cheeses of different ages and styles
  • Jamon de Cebo de Iberico

2014 Ambyth Estate Grenache Noir, Paso Robles— a biodynamic beauty

2014 Ambyth Estate Grenache Noir, Paso Robles

ABV: 12.7%
SRP: $54 2018 current vintage
Grapes: Biodynamic Grenache Noir
Only 47 cases were produced using a combination of Amphora and Neutral Oak.
sample for my review 

“AmByth is the Welsh word meaning ‘forever’. We view it as our legacy,” states AmByth Estates founder Phillip Hart.

“ALL OUR WINES ARE VEGAN, PALEOLITHIC, UNFILTERED, RAW AND ALIVE. ZERO ADDITIONS OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING SULFITES.”

Read more about our visit to AmByth during harvest and about foot stomping the sangiovese we picked. 

Go to the AmByth website here.

Appearance:  Pale garnet almost as light as the color of grilled Salmon, almost  translucent

Aroma: Spice, cinnamon spice, cloves, cardamon, allspice, cigar box, cherry pipe tobacco, cedar, cherry, menthol. A bit or stream side funk when we first opened it for Sue but it blew off quickly. So lovely, intriguing, fascinating.

Palate: Tart cherry fruit, nice bright acidity, surprising tannins and tenacity with earthy clay, slickness after the acidity and tannins recede. This wine has not faded at all in over 10 years since harvest.

Pairing: This light bright grenache went well with everything on our cheese plate. It loved the rich salty nibbles that made the wine bright fruity and wonderful. Especially the cheeses. I paired it subsequently with several meals from steak to chicken to seared ahi tuna and it was a winner every time. I was also surprised that it was so enjoyable over several nights— I had suspected it would fade fasted but biodynamic wines like this one are so alive that they stay spunky for a long time.

foot stomping at AmByth

Happy Grenache Day!! What’s in your glass?

We often write about Grenache and I always want to celebrate Grenache Day!

2024 — Also from Paso Robles, StaySail Grenache Noir and Grenache Blanc paired with lamb curry 

2024— Dave Phinney’s Grenache from Cotes Catalanes, France   

2023 — Horsepowered Grenache from Washington

2022— Grenache from Australia’s Yalumba

2021—Grenache from McKay in Lodi

2020 — Grenache from Ventura County wineries The Ojai Vineyard and Clos des Amis  

2019— Go Grenache, Go Rasteau 

We also have more Grenache based wines from Paso Robles upcoming to celebrate California Wine Month!

2 thoughts on “Garnacha? Grenache? Cannonau? Celebrating with AmByth’s 2014 Grenache Noir Paired with Tapas”

  1. Nice article, with interesting timing. I haven’t been drinking wine much of late, but just yesterday I was thinking about Grenache and Tempranillo. Along with that, I thought about getting some Spanish and Basque cheeses and meats to have with it. Your article is a sign to me to precede with that idea. I look to the rich bouquets these wines can offer.

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