France and Spain Launch New Campaign to Put Garnacha/Grenache in the Spotlight Across North America
“Pure Garnacha Grenache, Pure Europe. Quality Wines from France and Spain.”
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New York, Sept. 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — “Pure Garnacha Grenache, Pure Europe. Quality Wines from France and Spain” launches a three-year program of wine experiences, education, travel and retail activations across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
September 17th, 2026 – The Garnacha Origen Association in Spain and the Roussillon Wine Council in France have launched “Pure Garnacha Grenache, Pure Europe. Quality Wines from France and Spain”, a three-year campaign co-funded by the European Union bringing together the most representative Garnacha Grenache territories in Europe, to increase awareness and understanding of high-quality Garnacha/Grenache wines across the United States, Canada and Mexico. The campaign brings together some of Europe’s most representative Garnacha/Grenache territories: GI Roussillon in France and PDO Cariñena, PDO Calatayud, PDO Campo de Borja, PDO Montsant, PDO Terra Alta and DOQ Priorat in northeastern Spain.
Running from 2026 through 2029, the campaign will connect wine professionals, media and consumers with one of the Mediterranean’s most historic and versatile grape varieties through a wide-ranging program of trade and consumer events, masterclasses, tastings, wine-focused meals, festivals, retail promotions, educational initiatives, press and study trips, public relations and digital activations.
At the heart of the campaign is a grape with ancient roots and a remarkably contemporary story.
An Ancient Grape for Modern Times
Garnacha is generally considered to have originated in what is now Aragón in northeastern Spain, with its earliest known written reference dating to 1513. Its expansion was closely connected to the territories of the Crown of Aragón. From Catalonia, it crossed the Pyrenees into Roussillon in southeastern France, where Grenache became deeply rooted in the region’s vineyards, culture and winemaking traditions.
Today, approximately 93% of the world’s Garnacha/Grenache plantings are found in Europe, with Spain and France at the heart of its historic and contemporary production.
Spain and France also preserve an exceptional vineyard heritage that includes vines more than 120 years old. These old vineyards, with their naturally low yields, can produce wines of remarkable concentration, complexity and sense of place.
Yet Garnacha/Grenache is not simply a story about preserving the past.
Its natural ability to adapt to warm, dry conditions and its drought tolerance make it particularly relevant as wine regions confront the challenges of a changing climate.
At the same time, a new generation of winegrowers and winemakers is revealing another side of the grape. Historically, Garnacha/Grenache was frequently used in blends, contributing fruit, aromatic richness and generosity. Yet in its place of origin, there is also a long-standing tradition of producing wines made from 100% Garnacha, today, a growing number of producers are placing the grape at the center of their wines, demonstrating its ability to produce balanced, distinctive and terroir-driven expressions on its own. High-altitude vineyards, earlier harvest dates, temperature-controlled fermentation, gentler extraction and more restrained use of oak are among the approaches increasingly used to preserve freshness and natural acidity and allow fruit, varietal character and terroir to take center stage.
The result is a new generation of Garnacha/Grenache wines that can range from fresh, elegant and fruit-driven to structured, complex and age-worthy.
One Grape, Endless Expressions
One of Garnacha/Grenache’s greatest strengths is its extraordinary versatility.
Depending on climate, soils, altitude, grape color and winemaking choices, it can produce a remarkably diverse range of wines: crisp and mineral whites, richer textured whites, vibrant rosés, fresh fruit-driven reds, powerful and structured reds, sparkling wines and renowned fortified sweet wines.
That diversity also makes Garnacha/Grenache particularly suited to contemporary drinking occasions. Its different expressions can move easily from the aperitif to the dinner table, from casual gatherings to more gastronomic experiences, and across a broad spectrum of cuisines.
A chilled, fruit-driven red, a crisp white, an expressive rosé, a complex old-vine bottling or a fortified wine served with cheese or dessert can each tell a different side of the same grape.
One grape, endless expressions – across styles, seasons, cuisines and occasions.
“Garnacha has a unique ability to transport wine lovers to some of its finest historic European terroirs. Its distinctive personality and remarkable diversity mean there is a Garnacha for every palate. With a fascinating history behind it, Garnacha is now experiencing one of its most exciting moments yet.” — Carolina de Funes, Manager, Asociación Garnacha Origen and Campaign Coordinator
Bringing Garnacha/Grenache to North America
Over the next three years, the campaign will bring these wines and the people behind them directly to wine professionals, journalists and consumers throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Trade and media audiences will discover Garnacha/Grenache through masterclasses, tastings, dedicated meals, industry events and educational programs, while consumer-facing initiatives will include festivals, retail promotions, in-store tastings and digital activations.
Selected journalists and wine professionals will also have opportunities to travel to the participating European regions through dedicated press and study trips, meeting winegrowers and winemakers, visiting vineyards and experiencing firsthand the landscapes, terroirs and traditions behind Garnacha/Grenache.
The campaign will highlight not only the grape’s history, but also the evolution taking place across its historic European regions — from old-vine vineyards and long-established winemaking traditions to a new generation of producers exploring fresher styles and increasingly precise expressions of terroir.
“Garnacha/Grenache is one of the grape varieties particularly well suited to the challenges of a changing climate. Its remarkable versatility allows producers to craft a wide range of wine styles while maintaining a strong sense of quality and identity. From fresh and vibrant expressions to more structured wines, Grenache has an extraordinary diversity that deserves to be discovered by North American wine lovers.” — Eric Aracil, Deputy Director, Roussillon Wine Council
The U.S. Campaign Kicks into High Gear This Fall
One of the first major U.S. consumer activations will launch this fall with Wine.com, running from mid-October through mid-November 2026.
The national program will invite consumers to explore the remarkable range of authentic European Garnacha/Grenache wines available in the United States, from fresh and vibrant styles to richer and more structured expressions.
The activation will bring to life one of the campaign’s central messages: One grape, endless expressions.
Additional retail partnerships and in-store tasting programs will follow in key U.S. markets, alongside dedicated trade, media and consumer events throughout the campaign.
Members of the media interested in wine samples, interviews, upcoming events or press trip opportunities are invited to contact press@garnachagrenache.com.
About the Campaign
“Pure Garnacha Grenache, Pure Europe. Quality Wines from France and Spain” is a three-year promotional campaign running from 2026 to 2029 in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Promoted by the Garnacha Origen Association in Spain and the Roussillon Wine Council in France and co-funded by the European Union, the campaign aims to increase awareness and understanding of high-quality Garnacha/Grenache wines from France and Spain through trade and consumer events, education, tastings, press and study trips, retail promotions, public relations and digital communication.
About Garnacha Origen Association
The Garnacha Origen Association brings together leading Garnacha-producing appellations and territories in northeastern Spain, working collectively to promote the grape variety, its origins, diversity and quality. The campaign includes PDO Calatayud, PDO Campo de Borja, PDO Cariñena, PDO Somontano, PDO Terra Alta, PDO Montsant and PDO Priorat (Qualified Designation of Origin – DOQ). Together, these regions represent 4,900 winegrowers, 36,616 hectares of vineyards and 317 producers, as well as a remarkable diversity of soils, elevations, climates and old-vine Garnacha heritage.
About Wines of Roussillon
Located in southeastern France between the Mediterranean Sea, the Pyrenees and the Spanish border, Roussillon is one of France’s most diverse winegrowing regions. Its varied geology, Mediterranean climate and range of elevations create a remarkable mosaic of terroirs in which Grenache has become one of the region’s most emblematic grape varieties.
The region represented by the Roussillon Wine Council encompasses approximately 15,000 hectares of vineyards, 1,615 family-owned vineyards, nearly 307 private wine producers and 19 winegrowers’ cooperatives, producing a broad range of dry and fortified wines.
The campaign represents PDO Côtes du Roussillon, PDO Côtes du Roussillon Villages, PDO Côtes du Roussillon Villages Latour de France, PDO Côtes du Roussillon Villages Lesquerde, PDO Côtes du Roussillon Villages Caramany, PDO Côtes du Roussillon Villages Tautavel, PDO Côtes du Roussillon Villages Les Aspres, PDO Maury Sec, PDO Maury Doux, PDO Rivesaltes and PGI Côtes Catalanes.
Campaign promoted by the Garnacha Origen Association and the Roussillon Wine Council. Co-funded by the European Union.
Media Contact
Fanny Spironelli
L’Eau à la Bouche
press@garnachagrenache.com
Full press kit available HERE
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
Contact Info
Garnacha/Grenache
press@ealbmarketing.com
