{"id":435778,"date":"2025-09-19T09:52:14","date_gmt":"2025-09-19T09:52:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/435778\/"},"modified":"2025-09-19T09:52:14","modified_gmt":"2025-09-19T09:52:14","slug":"why-hometown-hero-garnacha-still-matters-in-northeast-spain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/435778\/","title":{"rendered":"Why hometown hero Garnacha still matters in northeast Spain"},"content":{"rendered":"

Despite its international fame, Garnacha is still proudly promoted as a native grape in northeast Spain. db discovers why Spanish winemakers have kept this variety in their vineyards \u2013 and the unique qualities it can show in these terroirs.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"The cellars at Grandes Vinos.<\/p>\n

With today \u2013 Friday 19 September \u2013 being international Garnacha Day, many wine drinkers will find their attention turning to Garnacha (known in some regions as Grenache). In particular, however, many producers and consumers are using this year\u2019s celebrations to highlight it as one of Spain\u2019s most emblematic grape varieties.<\/p>\n

In northeastern Spain, four Denominations of Origin (DOs) have joined together: Calatayud, Cari\u00f1ena, Campo de Borja, and Terra Alta. They proudly term themselves Garnachaland \u2013 the birthplace and global benchmark of the Garnacha grape. These regions are not only at the forefront of global Garnacha production, but they also have centuries of tradition and innovation that have helped to build its international reputation.<\/p>\n

Garnacha is deeply rooted there, where it developed before traders took it to the rest of the Mediterranean, and then the world. Generations of growers have preserved Garnacha as an expression of the culture and landscape, through safeguarding traditions and old vines.<\/p>\n

Distinct terroirs<\/p>\n

To illustrate this heritage, representatives of four emblematic wineries offered their perspectives on the grape. The result is a fascinating picture, shining light on the region\u2019s overarching character as well as the unique conditions of each DO.<\/p>\n

\"\"Yolanda Diaz with Bodegas San Alejandro wines.<\/p>\n

Bodegas San Alejandro has produced Garnacha in Calatayud since 1962. Today it is a reference for high-altitude Garnacha with balance and elegance. Indeed, for CEO Yolanda Diaz, the vines\u2019 position between 500 and 1,000 metres above sea level is central to the finesse and wild-herb aromas in her wines, alongside the stony soils and old, bush-trained vines.<\/p>\n

In nearby Cari\u00f1ena, Grandes Vinos emerged from the union of hundreds of winegrowing families. Its CEO, Jos\u00e9 Antonio Briz, sees similar conditions that bring concentration to the grapes. Indeed, he summarises the Garnacha of the region as \u201cwines born from stones\u201d, benefiting from the DO\u2019s complex geological make-up.<\/p>\n

Of the four DOs, Campo de Borja is the furthest inland. Bodegas Aragonesas is a quintessential winery of the area, preserving centuries of heritage and old vines in its vineyards, some of which date back to 1145. According to David Gimeno, its export manager, the continental climate \u2013 in tandem with the strong Cierzo wind \u2013 particularly highlights Garnacha\u2019s capacity for both freshness and concentration.<\/p>\n

Pere Mateo, meanwhile, knows Garnacha\u2019s versatility. In his work as sales manager at Cellers Uni\u00f3, which has become a key player in Catalan wine, he works in Terra Alta, much closer to the coast. The conditions, marked by Mediterranean breezes and limestone soils, are perfect for Garnacha Blanca.<\/p>\n

Why Garnacha?<\/p>\n

Of course Spain has no lack of grape varieties for winemakers to choose from. Even in its homeland, it has to stand on its merits.<\/p>\n

For Gimeno, it is the grape\u2019s balance that recommends it. \u201cThis Garnacha develops intense fruit concentration while maintaining freshness and balance. It\u2019s a grape that shows both power and finesse,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\"\"A bottle of Fagus, from Bodegas Aragonesas, nestled in an old Garnacha vine.<\/p>\n

That view is shared by Mateo, who also highlights its finesse even in a warmer region. He comments: \u201cWhat we value most in Garnacha is its elegance and delicacy which, despite the strength of the Mediterranean climate, always manage to shine through.\u201d<\/p>\n

That is not, however, the only facet to praise, as Briz emphasises. \u201cMy favourite quality of Garnacha is its versatility,\u201d he says, \u201cbeing able to craft such different and equally wonderful wines \u2013 whites, ros\u00e9s, reds, sparkling, with different alcohol levels, young wines or those with various types of ageing.\u201d<\/p>\n

There was, however, a message that came in unison from all the wineries. In this corner of Spain, Garnacha superbly articulates vineyard terroir.<\/p>\n

\u201cThose ancient vineyards, nestled on remarkable slate slopes, offer grapes of such exceptional quality that a single taste reveals their potential to produce truly distinctive wines,\u201d says Diaz.<\/p>\n

In fact, that means that the winery team still has more discoveries to make: \u201cWe still have many surprises to come in the cellar \u2013 with as yet unvinified grapes grown in very distinctive Garnacha plots that reveal a unique facet of Calatayud\u201d<\/p>\n

For Gimeno too, the grape\u2019s sensitivity to terroir stands out: \u201cOne of my favourite qualities of the Garnacha from Bodegas Aragonesas is its ability to express the terroir with both authenticity and elegance, even under extreme conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Excitingly, there was also a shared optimism among the winemakers that Garnacha \u2013 specifically from northeast Spain \u2013 can chart an upward trajectory.<\/p>\n

As more and more regions face climatic pressures, Garnacha stands out for its adaptability \u2013 able to handle heat and drought better than many of its peers. Briz describes it as \u201ca grape that adapts perfectly to climate change\u201d and Gimeno concurs that it should weather the storms (literal and metaphorical) of the coming decades. \u201cOver the next 20 years,\u201d he posits, \u201cwe expect more refined and complex wines thanks to sustainable viticulture, careful selection of old vines and innovative practices to handle climate change.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Four emblematic Garnacha wines from the region: Cop de Ma from Cellers Uni\u00f3; Anay\u00f2n from Grandes Vinos; Baltasar Graci\u00e1n Vi\u00f1as Viejas from Bodegas San Alejandro; and Fagus from Bodegas Aragonesas.
\nAdaptability to thrive
\n\"\"Garnacha ages in oak before being bottled at Cellers Unio.<\/p>\n

Moreover, Garnacha has the adaptability to thrive no matter what the market trend. Beyond the archetypal powerful reds, Garnacha Blanca has found a following for its textural whites, while rosado styles have benefitted from the global ros\u00e9 boom. Grandes Vinos now even produces Anay\u00f3n Garnacha Blanca, an orange wine aged for 39 months that taps into one of the most important trends of recent years.<\/p>\n

Taken together, the evidence suggests that Garnacha from northeast Spain will prove a resilient performer in years to come. \u201cGlobal trends in wine consumption are prompting renewed attention, but we believe that the Garnacha of our region will be consolidated as one of the most internationally recognised,\u201d says Diaz. \u201cThe combination of old vines, altitude and sustainability will make the wines increasingly elegant and unique.\u201d<\/p>\n

Related news<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n Why it\u2019s not over for wine just yet
\n <\/a>\n <\/p>\n

\n
\n db Asia: Summer in pictures
\n <\/a>\n <\/p>\n

\n
\n 25 brilliant Chilean red wines made from Bordeaux grapes
\n <\/a>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Despite its international fame, Garnacha is still proudly promoted as a native grape in northeast Spain. db discovers…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":435779,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5312],"tags":[147807,147808,147809,147810,7706,2000,299,147811,74627,104,147812,9917],"class_list":{"0":"post-435778","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-spain","8":"tag-blancdenoir-agency","9":"tag-calatayud","10":"tag-campo-de-borja","11":"tag-carinena","12":"tag-catalonia","13":"tag-eu","14":"tag-europe","15":"tag-garnacha","16":"tag-partner-content","17":"tag-spain","18":"tag-terra-alta","19":"tag-wine"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115230352929672270","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/435778","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=435778"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/435778\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/435779"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=435778"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=435778"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=435778"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}