What is Alicante Bouschet?
Alicante Bouschet is a red wine which is also called Garnacha Tintorera in Spain. Born from a cross between Petit Bouschet and Grenache in the late 19 th Century in the South of France by Henri Bouschet. One of the most unusual of Alicante Bouschet characteristics is the color of the fruit.
What is Petit Bouschet?
Petit Bouschet was a grape created by his father, Louis Bouschet. The result was to produce a grape with an intense Alicante Bouschet wine color and a higher quality than the teinturier du Cher. Some varieties of Alicante Bouschet history were produced of varying quality.
Where are Alicante Bouschet grapes grown?
Other areas with notable Alicante Bouschet plantings include Algeria, Israel and parts of central and southern Italy. In Spain Alicante Bouschet is called garnacha tintorera or negral and it is the fifth most planted red grape variety in with 22,572 ha (55,776 acres) grown in 2015.
What is the difference between Alicante Bouschet and Zinfandel?
Zinfandel is a thin-skinned variety that does not make as dark wine as Alicante Bouschet color but has a similar taste spectrum. Zinfandel has white flesh whereas Alicante Bouschet has red flesh. Therefore, though they both have a fruity taste, they have some differences.
Alicante Bouschet is a teinturier grape. (The name comes from the French word for “dye.”) It’s a bit of a rarity in the wine world. Digital Products ship in time for Christmas! Unlike other varieties, Alicante Bouschet came into existence by careful breeding.
Where to grow Alicante Bouschet grapes?
Just under 1,000 acres of Alicante Bouschet grow in California, particularly in the warm, central valley regions of Lodi and Madera. Perhaps American producers will champion this grape once again!
What is the difference between Alicante Bouschet and Nebbiolo?
While Alicante Bouschet tends to be higher in body, alcohol, and tannins, its structure varies based on climate. In cooler regions, the acidity can be sharp (like Nebbiolo – and age-worthy too!), but in hotter areas, it’s more like mellow, ready-to-drink black gold.