Varietal: Â 100% Calatayud Garnacha
Region: Â Calatyud, Spain
Cost: $13 (SRP)
Winemaker’s Notes:  The Show Garnacha is an extravagant Spanish beauty with tempting aromas of spice, intense black cherries, and mocha. It has relatively high alcohol content yet is soft on the palate, with layered flavors of black raspberry, liquorice, and black pepper with hints of earth and oak.
My Review: Â I’m a fan of Spanish wines, thanks in large part to the Rioja region being my introduction to it. Because of that, when I’m offered Spanish wines to try, I typically jump at the opportunity to try something new from an area that continues to produce wines that I enjoy, which is why I was eager to try the 2010 The Show Granacha when it showed up on my door step.
Making a variety of munchies for dinner, my wife and I decided to open The Show. The wine was very dark, almost inky, not letting any light through when held up. On the nose I got mostly alcohol, which wasn’t surprising given that the wine has nearly 15% alcohol/volume. When the wine had some time to open up it started to show signs of spice and black cherry, but if you’re looking for nose, decant and let it open or get ready for some alcohol on the nose.
In the mouth the wine was dry, with flavors of pepper, oak, and dark red fruit, notably raspberry and cherry. With our smattering of munchies all wrapped in puff pastry the wine actually showed fairly well, especially when the price was considered. I was looking for a middling to good wine for the value, and this wine certainly fit the bill.
While I wouldn’t say that this is the best Granacha that I’ve had, it’s certainly worth the money you’ll pay for it, making it a good wine to have around this time of year with holiday parties in full swing as a good alternative to the typical bottle of California Cabernet. It’s not revolutionary, but it’s a good alternative to your usual sub-$20 wine.
Editor’s Note: I received this bottle of wine as a free sample.
