The grape variety group probably originates from Spain. The coloured varieties are cultivated under numerous names around the world. The best known of these are Garnacha or Garnatxa in Spain, Grenache in France, as well as Cannonau (Sardinia), Granaxia and Tai Rosso or formerly Tocai Rosso (Veneto) in Italy.
The variety was first mentioned in 1513 by the Spanish agronomist Gabriel Alonso de Herrera (1470-1539), who described a black-berried variety from Madrid under the name Aragones, which is still used today. In Sardinia, a variety called Canonat was mentioned in Cagliari in 1549. In France, it was first known under the name Roussillon. It was introduced in this region towards the end of the 18th century and then spread from here to Provence and other areas. In northern Italy, it only became known under the name Tocai Rosso (which is no longer authorised today) in the 1950s, meaning it only arrived there much later.
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Thorsten Rahn
Restaurantleiter, Sommelier, Weindozent und Autor; Dresden