The Wine Pair Podcast

WTF is Graciano?

• The Wine Pair • Season 1 • Episode 193

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You say you love Spanish wine, but you’ve never heard of Graciano?!? Then we have got a treat for you! Hailing from the Rioja region of Spain (as well as the Navarra region), Graciano has long been used as a blending grape to round out Rioja red wines, but now is being made into a single varietal that we think is worth seeking out. Sometimes called the third grape of Rioja, Graciano makes a red wine with robust tannins and acidity that some may find similar to Syrah or Petit Verdot. We think it’s kind of the punk rock grape of Spain. This is one of those red wines that is great with food, and we also think is a good “tweener” red for those dinner parties where some people want a bold wine and others want a more food friendly wine. This can be both, which is fun. Plus, it’s also a “wow your friends” wine because most people will never have heard of it, and we think they will be surprised how much they like it. Join us to learn more! Wines reviewed in this episode: 2021 Viña Zorzal Graciano, 2022 Viña Ijalba Graciano.

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Show Notes

Episode #193: WTF is Graciano?  00:00

Hello fellow Glass Mates! And welcome to The Wine Pair Podcast. I’m Joe, your sommelier of reasonably priced wine, and this is my wife and my wine pairing partner in crime, Carmela. And we are The Wine Pair!

If you are new to our podcast, here is what you can expect. If you love wine and want to find great wines at affordable prices, and you want to expand your wine horizons, and you want to have some laughs and fun while doing it - then you are in the right place! Each week we explore a different wine varietal, style, brand, or region of the winemaking world, and learn about what makes them worth knowing about. And then we taste 2-3 of those wines that are reasonably priced to let you know if they are worth your hard earned money. If that feels like your vibe, then we are super happy you are here. And, we are proud to say that Decanter Magazine calls us fun, irreverent, chatty, and entertaining.

So, we don’t have an interview with a listener this week because, well, frankly we are all off schedule and have been out of town and doing all sorts of things, so we just didn’t have time to get to it, but we do have a source for the name of the tribe this week, and it comes from long-time listener and friend of the podcast Janyne who gave us the name Glass Mates which I think is really cute. Remember, if you have a clever or funny or silly or brilliant name for our tribe, send us a note via DM or email at joe@thewinepairpodcast.com and we’ll ask if you want to be interviewed to share your name with the world and we’ll even let you plug something if you want to. And we really love doing those interviews because we get the chance to spend some quality time with our listeners and we do have a few more coming up.

Ok, Carmela, this week we are exploring a wine that is new for us called Graciano, and yes, that is the correct way to pronounce the wine so get used to it, and we assume it is new for many of you out there in listening land. Graciano is a Spanish red wine that comes from the grape of the same name that is most famously from the Spanish wine region of Rioja. But it ain’t Tempranillo which is the most famous red wine grape from Rioja. Graciano is known as, as we said in the intro, Rioja’s third grape, and it is traditionally used as a blending grape and is considered by many to make a pretty bold wine when it is produced as a single varietal, and so we are here to uncover what this wine is all about and if it is a new red wine that you should seek out. When we do our tasting, we’ll also try and make it clear what kind of wine drinkers would like this wine.

But before we get to that, Carmela, we need to get to our important, award-winning podcast segment . . .

WIne in the news this week: Aussie fights back against ‘fakes’ ripping $70Bn from wine industry 03:53


Ok, I made up the whole award-winning part, but we would like to know from you all if you like this segment. We think it’s fun, but you can tell us the real real. 

The inspiration for this week’s news segment comes to us all the way from Australia in a news article from author Eleanor Wicklund entitled: Aussie fights back against ‘fakes’ ripping $70Bn from wine industry and we have links to that article and several others in our show notes which you can find by going to our website and looking for this episode. 

Here’s the story, Carmela. Evidently the Australian wine industry is dealing with a serious and growing problem of counterfeit wine. Articles I was able to find on the interwebs say that fake wine may account for up to 20 percent of the global wine market and could be costing wine makers as much as $70 billion a year. That is not a small number. So, this isn’t just Rudy in his mom’s house making fake Burgundy, this is a big global problem and is especially tricky for Australian winemakers.

So, to manage it, a Perth start-up called Cellr began working with Australian wine producers and the government to tackle this problem by making the bottle itself harder to fake. Their solution is a smart bottle cap embedded with a tiny NFC and RFID chip, which means they are basically creating a digital fingerprint, like chipping your dog or cat, I guess. When a winery seals a bottle, the cap is assigned a unique digital ID. If someone later scans the bottle, that ID gets checked against a secure database to confirm whether the bottle is genuine and where it came from.

Importers, distributors, and customs officers can scan pallets and verify that bottles are what they say they are and are going where they’re supposed to go. 

But, this technology brings some controversy with it, of course, and the first is cost. NFC and RFID tags add costs to wine closures themselves, and then there are the added costs around all the software, systems integrations, data systems, and other stuff that goes along with it. So, it is an additional burden on winemakers and wine brands who are trying to manage costs, and it will also impact wine drinkers who may have to pay more for their wine.

And then there are privacy and data concerns. RFID tags can be scanned, sometimes from a distance, and so there can be concerns about who can read the data and what they are going to do with it. For example, I don’t need people to know what I am buying or how much I am spending. So, there’s that. 

Finally, there is the classic arms-race problem when you introduce a new measure, and the bad guys always figure out a way to adapt. If the bad guys figure out how to push the system, and they will, then that just increases the costs and challenges for the winemakers to keep them at bay.

So, Carmela, I am curious to hear what you think. 

  • First, does this story make you worry that counterfeit wine may be a bigger problem than we think?
  • Second, to you worry about tracking technology in products like this from both a privacy and cost perspective?


Well, Carmela, here’s the real story. We are not here to talk about technology in our wine bottles or trying to outsmart wine counterfeiters. Uh-uh. We are here to talk about the Spanish wine Graciano, and we have two Graciano wines all the way from Spain to taste and review to see if they are worth your hard earned money . . .

But first . . . we have to do our shameless plug.

Thank you for listening to us and for supporting our show, and remember, we buy all of our own wine so that we can give you real and honest reviews, and we do all of the writing and recording and editing to  bring you a show every week because we love you all, and all we ask you for in return is that you please follow or subscribe to our podcast and also please leave us a nice rating and review  to help us grow our listeners - and a huge thank you to all of you who have done so already! 

You can also follow us on Instagram at thewinepairpodcast, and on Bluesky. You can contact us on our website thewinepairpodcast.com, and you can sign up for our email newsletter there and you can also visit our “Shop Wine” section where you can find links to buy the wines that we rate as buys in each episode. 

And we want to make content you care about and you like, so send us a note or DM us and give us some feedback or let us know if there are wines you want us to try or wine making areas of the world you are curious about - and we’ll take care of it! joe@thewinepairpodcast.com

It’s been a little while since we have recorded, so a few more shoutouts this week

  • East Idaho Foodies who let us know they listened to a podcast where they interviewed Raj Parr who we love, and they love the Sandhi Chardonnays and we recently got some of their Pinots
  • Oregon Mobile Esthetics who is going to share their wine with us that they are making when it is ready!
  • Justice and winerocks on instagram who left us some nice comments
  • Ted G who sent us a really nice long note about our Barolo episode and shared some recent Costco wines he’s picked up. And, he has a potential funny name for the tribe, too, so we’ll get him in the not too distant future
  • Timmy and Hasini and Tips2Liveby several others who think the idea of us doing a Wine Pair Podcast tribe wine tasting over Zoom is a good idea, and that idea came from listener Ryan, so if you want to join us for that, send me a note at joe@thewinepairpodcast.com and we will tell you how we are going to do it.
  • Adrienne reached out to share a show called The Wine Show on Amazon Prime that she is hooked on so we need to check it out
  • Frank Racioppi of Ear Worthy who just featured our podcast this week and said the nicest things. Please look for his website and sign up so you can get great recommendations on podcasts, and we’ll see if we can get him on the show, too. 

And, as we do every week, we’ll tell you someone we think you should recommend The Wine Pair Podcast to - because the best way for us to grow listeners is when you tell your family and friends about us - and this week, we want you to recommend us to anyone who is looking for a new bold red wine and maybe also has a thing for Spain or Spanish wines. 

RESEARCH ARTICLES AND LINKS FOR THIS EPISODE

 
Topic: WTF is Graciano? 13:34

Alright, Carmela, it’s time to find out just what the eff Graciano wine is. 

As we mentioned earlier, Graciano is a red wine grape from the Rioja region of Spain and is considered to be native to this northern part of Spain. It is also made in the Navarra area of Spain which neighbors Rioja. And, as we also mentioned earlier, it has also traditionally been used primarily as a blending grape and was rarely made into a wine of its own. And, in the last century, Graciano faced the danger of disappearing and was nearly extinct in Spain, in part because it is a low-yielding grape variety that also buds late and ripens very late, which made it unpopular among winemakers and vineyard managers because they want to get as much as they can out of each acre of land, and Graciano is just not the most cooperative grape. 

In recent years, however, Graciano has been making a comeback as winemakers are recognizing its potential as a single-varietal wine. And, its revival has been helped by improved vineyard management and a warming climate, which help the late-ripening grape achieve full maturity
The grape is known by many different names depending on the region it is from:

  • Portugal: Tinta Miuda (meaning "tiny/small berry," referring to the grape's small size).
  • France: Morrastel. (This name is often confused with Monastrell, the Spanish name for Mourvèdre, which led to significant mislabeling in California).
  • Italy (mostly in Sardinia): Cagnulari or Bovale Sardo.
  • Andalusia (Spain): Tintilla de Rota
  • California (USA): Sometimes known as Xeres

Historically, Graciano was known as a fantastic grape variety for "rounding out blends," adding "grace" (gracia - hence the name) and structure to mixtures, especially in Rioja. It is known for producing deeply colored, intensely aromatic wines, sometimes called perfumed, and its key characteristics are high acidity and strong tannins. Because of its robust tannins and high acidity, Graciano is said to have excellent aging potential. A well-made Graciano can age for 10–15 years or longer.

As producers have moved to making single-varietal wines for this grape, some are receiving high ratings internationally. However, it is still considered to be a relatively minor grape in the wine world. Most Graciano is still produced in Spain, but even in Rioja it only makes up about 2% of the acreage. Outside of Spain it is being made in places like Argentina, California particularly Paso Robles as well as Arizona, Texas, Oregon, and Washington, along with Portugal, France, and Sardinia Italy. 

Graciano is, as we mentioned, a late ripening grape, in fact is often the latest grape to mature in a vineyard, and it also likes hot weather, and so some are keeping an eye on it as the world continues to get warmer and wine regions need to adjust to the changing climate because it may be a grape that they can be successful with as it gets hotter. 

Because it has such strong tannins, it is very common to age the wine in oak to soften it a bit for a while, often from between 12 and 20 months. That being said, Graciano does need to be handled carefully once inside the winery because it can be prone to oxidizing. 

Also, because Graciano produces a wine with so much acidity it often undergoes malolactic fermentation to tame that acidity. Because of the tannins and acid, it is recommended as a wine that should be decanted 30 to 60 minutes before serving especially when it is young, something we also should have done with those young Barolos last week. 

To get a sense of what it is like, we can do some compare and contrast to more familiar wines. Graciano sits in among the bold, aromatic, high-acid reds. The comparison you’ll hear most often from winemakers is Petit Verdot. Both grapes have deep color, are very tannic, and are used in small amounts in red blends. Petit Verdot is darker and some would say more muscular, compared to Graciano’s perfumey aromas and bright acidity. From there, Graciano overlaps stylistically a bit with Syrah, especially the Northern Rhône kind, because of its aromas and flavors of dark fruit and spiciness and what some call savoryness if that is a word. It also gets compared to Mourvèdre for its intensity, though Mourvèdre usually runs heavier, while Graciano stays a bit fresher and more aromatic.

You can also put Graciano in the same conversation as Cabernet Franc, which shares its high acidity, firm tannins, and floral and herbal notes. Cab Franc, though, tends to be more herbal or what some may call green and more spicy Graciano. So, if you like Petit Verdot, Syrah, Mourvèdre, or Cabernet Franc, you may also like Graciano. And we will see what we think about that.
But that’s enough information. I think it’s time to learn a little more about the specific wines we are drinking today. Whaddya say?


Graciano Wines We Chose for This Episode 21:06

As usual, the wines we have chosen for this episode are under $25, and they should be relatively easy to find because I bought them both at wine.com. Overall, Graciano is not going to be the easiest wine to find as a single varietal, but if you go to a wine shop with a good European or Spanish wine selection, you should be able to find it, and maybe look for it from Paso Robles in California where it may be called Xeres, or from Australia. And, as always, if you ask your friendly neighborhood wine merchant to find you some, they will happily do so. 

The first wine we are going to drink today is the 2021 Viña Zorzal Graciano which is from Navarra, Spain, which again borders the Rioja Baja AKA Rioja Oriental region. It is a semi-autonomous area that also borders Basque country, and in the region of Navarra is the famous city of Pamplona where they do the running of the bulls. Would you do the running of the bulls?

I was able to find a tech sheet for this wine, and this may be one of the Graciano wines you can actually find. The winery says that their vineyards are located in higher altitude hills and the region has a continental climate and stony soil. Continental is very similar to what we have in Eastern Washington - hot summers and cold winters. They also say they use organic production techniques. They also noted that the harvest that year was tricky because it was nearly perfect until the very end when they faced torrential rains, so they had to very carefully select their grapes and toss the bad ones away.

In terms of winemaking, they hand-harvest and then use light maceration. They fermented the wine in large stainless-steel vats, and then used soft pump-over. Which is nice.  They used malolatic fermentation and put 25% of the wine in new French tight-grain oak barrels and then the remainder in. steel. Then they aged the wine for 9 months on its lees in French oak barrels (toasted medium-plus). Then they say they gently clarified and lightly filtered the wine. So, they are using what some might call low intervention. They also say they use spontaneous fermentation.

We should also point out that the winery, Viña Zorzal, is a family run winery, and has been for a couple of generations. 

This wine also got a 91 rating from Robert Parker, who, as we have mentioned, I am not crazy about because he’s the guy because of his ratings that made all the winemakers think they need to make super oaky, very extracted wines so they could get good ratings from him. So, we’ll see what we think. 

The second wine we are going to drink is the 2022 Viña Ijalba Graciano, and this winery is in Rioja, specifically the Alta Rioja sub-region. I was also able to find a tech sheet for this wine, but it didn’t give me a ton of information. They say that during the destemming process the grapes are crushed and the must with the grapes are fermented in french oak vats at 28ºC. Malolactic fermentation occurs in classic 225 L french oak barrels. The wine evolves for 10 months in these barrels before bottling.

The winery is also family owned. The vines were first planted by Dionisio Ruiz Ijalba in 1975, but the winery was not founded until 1991. They claim they are one of the first  Rioja wineries to commit to fully organic and sustainable viticulture, and they are recognized for being forward thinking in their ecological approach. They also say they use minimal-intervention winemaking, and are focused on reviving native Rioja grapes like Graciano, Maturana, and Tempranillo Blanco. 

But, I think that is enough information - let’s get to drinking! We’ll take a quick break and be right back. And, if you have these wines or similar wines, drink along with us to get some participation points, which you can trade-in for free stickers. You just need to send me an email with your mailing address, and I will get those “I drink with The Wine Pair Podcast” stickers over to you!


LINKS TO SOURCES FOR THESE SPECIFIC WINES


2021 Viña Zorzal Graciano, 2022 Viña Ijalba Graciano Wine Tasting, Pairing, and Review 26:14

Wine: Viña Zorzal Graciano (Click here to find this wine on wine.com. We may be compensated if you purchase)
Region: Spain, Navarra
Year: 2021
Price: $18.99
Retailer: wine.com
Alcohol: 13.3%
Grapes: Graciano
Professional Rating: RP 91 Vivino 3.6

What we tasted and smelled in this Viña Zorzal Graciano: 

  • Color: Translucent purple or deep red, like a black cherry
  • On the nose: Dark fruits, dark cherry, a bit of rubber tire at first or tar or asphalt, spicy, black pepper or cayenne, baking spices like all spice or nutmeg, plum, rose, aromatic complexity
  • In the mouth: A little thin, a lot of acid, underripe crunchy cherry, fresh not oaky, probably could be chilled, clean at the end. Not as bold as expected. A good party wine. Very easy to drink and may appeal to a lot of drinkers


Food to pair with this Viña Zorzal Graciano: Good with food, charcuterie, salty meats, sausages, barbecue, pork, jamon, grilled meats
 
As a reminder on our rating scale, we rate on a scale of 1-10, with no half points, where 7 and above means that we would buy it, and 4 and below means that we are likely to pour it down the sink, and a 5 or 6 means we are likely to drink it and finish it, but we are probably not going to buy it. 

Viña Zorzal Graciano Wine Rating: 

  • Joe: 7/10
  • Carmela: 6/10


Wine: Viña Ijalba Graciano (Click here to find this wine on wine.com. We may be compensated if you purchase)
Region: Spain, Rioja
Year: 2022
Price: $24.97
Retailer: wine.com
Alcohol: 14.1%
Grapes: Graciano
Professional Rating: Vivino: 3.9

What we tasted and smelled in this Viña Ijalba Graciano: 

  • Color: Dark and opaque purple
  • On the nose: A little bit of raw meat, cranberry, pomegranate, savory, umami, herb notes when you swirl, dark cherry, plum, spice, baking spices
  • In the mouth: Grapey, juicy, Petit Verdot like, big mouthfeel, a bit of a savory wine, umami, plum, a bit like Syrah, red pepper spice, Mexican hot chocolate with cayenne, salt


Food to pair with this Viña Ijalba Graciano: Steakhouse wine, souvlaki, gyro, seared meats, tri tip, burnt ends, a bit of a winter wine for richer foods.  
 
Viña Ijalba Graciano Wine Rating: 

  • Joe: 7/10
  • Carmela: 7/10


Which one of these are you finishing tonight?

  • Carmela: Viña Ijalba Graciano
  • Joe: Viña Zorzal Graciano


Taste profiles expected from Graciano  40:39

  • General 
    • A full-bodied red wine with a rich flavor profile featuring black fruits like blackberry, plum, and blueberry, along with notes of black pepper, tobacco, and earthiness. It has a characteristic spicy, sometimes floral, and long finish with a creamy or velvety texture. It is also known for its high acidity and smooth tannins.
  • Viña Zorzal Graciano
    • Winery: Clear, medium intensity, ruby colored wine. Clean, high intensity fresh aromas of black fruit such us blackberry, blackcurrant, also black pepper, cedar and earthy notes. Dry and fresh, soft tannins and medium body. Black fruit flavors, mineral hints and a long finish.
    • RP: Very good acidity, an expressive nose of beeswax and honey intermixed with berry fruit and lots of aromatic herbs (vermouth!) and a lively palate with pungent acidity in the finish.
  • Viña Ijalba Graciano
    • Winery: Attractive cherry red. Complex aromas of "pacharan" (blackthorn berries), wet grass, green pepper, cherry liqueur and licorice. Fleshy with a balanced acidity abundant in fruit.
    • WineStyleOnline: The wine's fruity aroma combines notes of cherry liqueur and sloe with tones of nuts and licorice. A full-bodied wine with a rich, balanced taste, pronounced fruitiness and a silky tannin structure. More: https://winestyleonline.com

What is your verdict on Graciano? 42:29
It’s a great wine. And fun because it’s off the beaten path. Like having wines that are new and different. Fun to bring something new and different to bring to a dinner party

Wines coming up in future episodes in case you want to drink along with us 43:55


Outro and how to find The Wine Pair Podcast 44:43

Ok, so, Carmela, it’s time for us to go, but before we do, we want to thank you very much for listening to us - and if you haven’t done so yet, now would be the perfect time to follow or subscribe to our podcast and also a fantastic time to leave us a nice rating and review on our website or Apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts - and it is an awesome and free way to support us and help us grow listeners.

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