Catalonia – Where Food is Culture
“The World Region of Gastronomy, 2025” is only the latest nod to the Catalonia region’s dedication to wine and food. For those who enjoy pomp and white tablecloths, the region boasts 62 Michelin-starred restaurants, including Barcelona’s Disfrutar, considered the best restaurant in the world. For those who enjoy rubbing elbows with farmers and fellow foodies, Catalonia is home to 157 markets, including Barcelona’s la Boqueria, established in 1840. The region’s sea and air ports, highways and railroads carry international ingredients to Catalonia’s already burgeoning selection of meats and seafood, grains and of course, wine!
Shhh!
Over 35% of Catalonia’s residents speak only Catalan, the region’s official language along with Spanish. One notable pronunciation is “x”, pronounced sh, as in ship. So, the name Xavier is SHA-vee-AY, the foodstuff xocolata is SHO-co-LA-ta and the grape Garnatxa is gar-NA-cha.
You Say Grenache, I Say Garnacha
The 50+ names for this Spanish grape – most prominent being Grenache (France), Garnacha (Spain) and Cannonau (Italy) – is a hint to its international footprint. It’s the world’s fifth top-planted red grape, but don’t worry if you’ve never heard of it. Garnacha has traditionally been a nameless component grape blends created to withstand extreme heat in regions including France’s Rhone Valley (in wines like Cotes-du-Rhone), Australia (GSM meaning Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre) and California (great-value jug wines).
In the 1980’s, the Rhone Ranger movement highlighted the grape’s quality, bringing its name front and center on labels, in California and around the world.
Garnacha offers a fruit bowl of red fruit flavors, often accented with dark spices such as pepper and clove. Various production methods can yield bright rosès, easy-drinking quaffs and complex, sturdy wine meant for long-aging.
Catalonia is home to two of the world’s most respected Garnacha (Garnatxa) regions: Priorat and Terra Alta. We have recently added a Garnacha to The Chopping Block's wine list:
Garnacha, Ludovicus, 2020, Terra Alta, Spain, $27: Juicy berry fruit with oaky accents and pleasing tannin. Due to high elevation and limestone soil, Terra Alta Garnacha is considered Spain’s finest. Serve this chewy, medium-bodied red with meats, rich poultry and seafood and the richest tapas.
The World’s Top Wine Grapes Uncorked
While Garnatxa isn’t featured, please join us for The World's Top Wine Grapes Uncorked this Friday, April 18 at 6:30pm and discuss eight hand-craft wines to uncork your understanding of wine’s most important factor - the grape!
Tasting includes two examples each of Chardonnay, the Empress of Grapes; the only grape with its own Academy Award-winning movie, Pinot Noir, including a Grand Cru Champagne; Malbec, wine’s Comeback Kid; and Cabernet Sauvignon, the Emperor of Grapes. We’ll learn how soil, climate and human culture create wine’s rainbow of flavor Wine-friendly noshes including Baked Brie en Croute will be served to test the “rules” of wine and food.