red grape · regional specialty
Grolleau
Touraine, Loire Valley, France
Say it
groh·loh
Final -eau is a pure 'oh' sound; French uvular r approximated as English r for American speakers.
On the palate
Body
light medium
Acidity
high
Tannin
low
Aromatics
medium
strawberryraspberryred cherrywatermelonrose
How you spot it blind: nearly tanninless, tangy grape defined by pale strawberry rosé and high acid
The story
First written down · late 18th century, Touraine, France
A Gouais Blanc (Heunisch Weiss) offspring first surveyed at scale in Indre-et-Loire in 1808, Grolleau peaked at roughly 11,500 ha in the late 1950s before a sharp decline as growers shifted to Gamay and Cabernet Franc.
Family tree: HEUNISCH WEISS × ?
Where it lives
Anjou, Loire Valley · Touraine, Loire Valley · Saumur, Loire Valley
Shows up as
rosésparklingstill redRosé d'AnjouCrémant de Loire
If you like this, try
Gamay →Pineau d'Aunis