Grenache Blanc

This classic beauty is Catherine of Aragon (1485–1536)  the first wife of Henry VIII and Queen of England and whose divorce caused quite the kerfuffle with the Catholic Church, but she did keep her head and lived in relative comfort for the remainder of her life.

So to the Grenache Blanc or Blanca

A natural white mutation of Garnacha Tinta ( red Grenache), that originates from the Kingdom of Aragon in North East Spain, where for centuries it has thrived in the warm and arid conditions and could well have been served, possibly fortified, to the Tudor Courts under the name ‘sack’ - the broad term for Spanish wines at the time.

The plot thickens…. 

Catherine’s parents, Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile’s marriage in 1469 united the Iberian kingdoms and lay the foundation of what is today the country of Spain.

They are widely regarded as the architects of the Spanish Inquisition and more importantly, for this story, the primary sponsors of the Voyages of Christopher Columbus in 1492. 

These voyages may have triggered Grenache vinifera vines to be among the first vines to reach the Americas as Spanish colonial expansion unfolded in the 15th century.

Such was the success of the grape’s ability to thrive in arid conditions that, during the Middle Ages, it found its way to Roussillon in southern France, and farther afield to the Rhône Valley, where today it is well known for producing exceptional wines such as Châteauneuf du Pape Blanc.

Modern day Grenache Blanc wines vary immensely, but when grown in dry, rugged environments, they can produce wonderfully textured yet refreshing, mineral driven wines, often displaying orchard fruit with dried herb accents that make them particularly food friendly.

An absolute stunner comes from Tablas Creek in Paso Robles, perhaps the benchmark for Grenache Blanc in the new world plantings. 

So the next time you have a White Grenache in your glass, savor the moment and breathe in the history and the journey that made all of this possible.