White Garnacha grape variety

In the world of the vine (Vitis vinifera), in the white grape varietal game, we find the Garnacha blanca, a Spanish variety of white vine that is widespread throughout Spain, being particularly abundant in Tarragona, Zaragoza and Teruel.

It is assumed that it may come from a mutation of Garnacha Tinta. In the world, 40,000 hectares are cultivated, of which 25,000 are located in Spain.

White Grenache and white Lladoner

It is known by many other names depending on the area. Some of them are Garnatxa Blanca, Blanca, Alicante Blanca, Garnacha Gris, Lledoner, Garnacho Blanco, Grenache Blanc, Lledoné, Silla Blanc, Sillina Blanc, Grenache, Belán, Rool Grenache, Feher Grenache, etc.

The Garnacha Blanca variety is the base of many varietal wines, such as the Foranell Pansa Blanca produced with the Vinos de Alella Denomination of Origin.

This is a variety grown mainly in the Denominations of Origin of Alella, Cariñena, Costers del Segre, Cigales, Empordà-Costa Brava, Navarra, Priorat, Rioja, Somontano, Tarragona and Terra Alta, although we can also find it in Bajo Aragón.

According to Order APA/1819/2007, the white Garnacha grape is a viniferous variety, recommended in the autonomous communities of Aragon and Catalonia, known in the latter as white Garnatxa and white Lladoner; is authorized in the Autonomous Community of Navarra, the Basque Country and La Rioja.

White Grenache Vine

As a plant, it is upright, quite productive, somewhat late and resistant to disease, although it shows some sensitivity to mildew and exconosis.

It adapts well to sandy soils or with stones and to slightly acid ones. In terms of climate, it likes warm and relatively dry ones.

It produces grapes that are not very large, although compact. The berries are medium, uniform, round and greenish-yellow.

The white Garnatxa grape variety, in certain areas, is vinified alone or mixed with Macabeo, Parellada, Moscatel or Pedro Ximénez for the production of mistelas.

In the case of producing monovarietal wines, they are usually alcoholic, fresh, full-bodied and elegant, of a certain pale-yellow color, with floral and ripe fruit aromas on the nose.