Sep 17: Celebrated on the 3rd Friday of September, the Grenache Day which falls on 17 September, was conceptualised at Grenache Symposium organised by Steven Spurrier and the French journalist and author, Michel Bettane in June 2010. It is also a day to remember Spurrier who passed away in March this year, writes Subhash Arora who believes this warm weather grape that has done so well on both sides of Spanish and French Pyrenees mountains, is a favourite of Indian palates and has good potential for India where The Source Grenache Rose by Sula has been a runaway success
When you think of Grenache (Garnacha, Garnaxta, Aragones, Cannonau) with its ability as a stand-alone velvety wine expressing its deep-rooted terroir and umami mouthfeel and a supreme blending capability to make excellent wines, you think of Rhone or Roussillon but it is an important grape in blends in making excellent wines of Châteauneuf du Pape. You could also think of Rioja, Aragón, Navarra or Priorat though the Spanish feel theirs is a better variety than the French and vice versa. You would perhaps also love the grape from Australia, US, South Africa, Italy or even Morocco and Israel where it has taken roots recently. An Indian producer would also find it exciting. In fact, Sula has produced an excellent Grenache Rose under The Source label.
Also Read: Grenache Day: Celebrating with Tres Picos 2017 from DO Campo de Borja
So celebrate Grenache Day on September 17 by sipping a glass or bottle of varieties of the Spanish or French variety and to a lesser extent in other countries. It is the fourth largest grown red grape variety in the world; some even insist it is the largest grown varietal. It shines as a blend or a varietal and can make dry and spicy wines as well as sweet wines. One can make excellent wines or cheap wines but they are generally great value-for-money wines-though the grape has not received the recognition it deserves.
The genesis of the Grenache Day is a Grenache Symposium organised by Late Steven Spurrier from UK and Michel Bettane from France who gathered 270 delegates from 23 countries including India in June 2010, at the Chemin de la Verrière in Mount Ventoux where the American Nicole Rolet produces the biodynamic wines Chene Bleu with her British husband with Grenache as the star.
Also Read: Renaissance of Garnacha de Aragón as Grenache in the World
To make such ‘Days’ popular, it is important for the retailers and restaurants to organise special events. A case in point is Indian Wine Day initiated on November 16, 2017 and observed in restaurants and some wineries serving 
Indian wines with dinners at a special price and sommeliers talking to guests about these Indian wines.
If you can lay your hands on a bottle or two of The Source Rose from Sula, go ahead and enjoy the nuances of the Indian Grenache. There are a fair number of imported Grenache wines also available- especially France, Spain (Garnacha) and Australia. Enjoy these varietal wines or blends like Chateauneuf-du-Pape or GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre) and let us know how you enjoyed Grenache Day.
Also Read: Symposium: Grenache Seeks its Rightful Place
Details about Grenache Day are available at http://www.grenache-association.com. It is celebrated on the 3rd Friday of September. Since the Late Steven Spurrier who is better known for Judgement at Paris, died this year, it would be in fitness of things to sip a Grenache on Friday, 17 September and raise a toast to him for his passion about Grenache grape and his efforts to put it on the world map.
Also visit http://www.grenache-association.com/grenacheday/
Subhash Arora
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