The original great Grenache?

Cannonau is the Sardinian name for Grenache/Garnacha. Sards claim it is the grape’s true name because it originated on their island, and in this they are supported by a handful of Italian ampelographers.  But most experts disagree, saying that Garnacha originated in northern Spain and spread from there to Sardinia and France’s Roussillon when all were part of the medieval Aragon Empire.

 

Whatever the truth, hot and dry Sardinia certainly seems to suit it.  It’s one of the few places where the grape has traditionally been used unblended, in wines like this one from Giuseppe Gabbas, the master of Cannonau.  His ‘Dule’ Riserva has been awarded Tre Bicchieri every year for the past decade, and in 2015 Gambero Rosso named him Italy’s Winemaker of the Year.

 

Lillové is his entry-level wine, unoaked and designed for relatively early drinking.  Still this 2016 displays the floral perfume, spicy red fruits and intriguing earthy mineral complexity of great Cannonau, while being dangerously easy to drink today.

 

So, where is this grape’s true home?  In the end, what matters is that it works where it’s grown.  Let Paul Young explain…