Back in 2007, when I started this website, I drank a lot of Spanish garnacha (or grenache). It tends to be an approachable, affordable, fruit-forward style of wine that’s easy to drink and easy to love. It’s often not a sophisticated wine (for lack of a better word) but tends to be just kind of a simple and fun wine.
I haven’t reviewed a ton of garnacha since the first year I launched the site, but I still get a chance to mix some in here and there.
This bottle showed up back in September when the PR folks behind this wine sent me a bottle for International Grenache Day — a manufactured holiday that creates publicity opportunities for wine producers. I had planned to play along and review it on Grenache Day, but I ended up with a horrible cold and wasn’t tasting any wines that week. And then, somehow, I overlooked the bottle for a while. But I’m finally getting around to it today.
This wine comes from Campo Viejo, a fairly big producer from Rioja, Spain. I reviewed some of their Rioja blends a couple years ago, which are the wines they are best known for. This garnacha is new to their portfolio as of last year.
Intense black cherry aromatics are the key feature on the nose of this wine, and it also shows some strawberry and raspberry aromas. The palate brings tart cherry, strawberry, cranberry and raspberry flavors. It’s very fruity, but not too sweet. The acidity is nice and bright. The finish is fairly long with tart cherry flavors that linger for a good bit. This is a nice garnacha.
Wine: Campo Viejo Garnacha
Varieties: Grenache
Vintage: 2012
Alcohol: 14%
Rating: 86
Average price: $12.00
Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.
Find Campo Viejo Garnacha with Snooth
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