2002 Coto de Hayas Garnacha Centenaria

Grenache doesn’t have the high profile of, say, Pinot Noir or Syrah, but when it’s good it is very, very good. Think Chateau Rayas Chateauneuf-du-Pape, which, contrary to tradition, is all Grenache.

That’s why I first picked up this bottle of Coto de Hayas special Garnacha Centenaria cuvee. One hundred-year-old Grenache had to be something. And it is: a gorgeous inky wine with garnet highlights. Low yields and old vines give it concentration and heft. The taste is ripe blackberries, sun and smoke. This is a wine to stand up to the rich foods of the holiday table. Bring on the goose and foie gras, the crown rib roast and braised short ribs.

-- S. Irene Virbila

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Quick swirl

Region: Campo de Borja, Spain

Price: About $13

Style: Lush and concentrated

Food it goes with: All the rich foods of the holiday table, game, wild birds, roasted and braised meats

Where you find it: Available at fine wine shops and retailers