For the next 30 days, we’ve got Spain on the brain as we bring you the most comprehensive look at the regions and varietals responsible for some of the most beloved wines in the world today and for many centuries in the past.  At the invitation of the Asociación Garnacha Spain, we took our microphones and unrelenting curiosity to the northeastern part of the country where Garnacha wines were not only born in a remote Priorat monastery but continue to thrive.  It often comes as quite a surprise to wine enthusiasts to learn that Garnacha, aka Grenache, holds the distinction of being one of the most widely planted and revered varietals in the world. Long heralded as the ultimate blending grape, today, Garnacha has taken on a whole new identity as a single-variety wine that can hold its own against the most epic wines on the planet, like Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir. Around the globe, people are rediscovering Garnacha. Thanks in large part to the power and influence of Spanish wine co-ops that go to great lengths to assure exceptional quality fruit and provide a means for thousands of fiercely dedicated growers to see their grapes transformed into some of the most desirable wines on the planet, there’s no doubt that Garnacha is the wine to watch. For the next three weeks, you’ll meet some of the most influential individuals and organizations that are managing Garnacha’s swiftly growing rebirth and popularity. Now, to be clear, this is a grape that has always been wildly popular; however, thanks to organizations like Asociación Garnacha Spain, these exceptional wines are finding fantastic favor with audiences that are not overly familiar with the wine's historic roots and versatility, In the final analysis, Garnacha’s distinct and delicious characteristics make it the perfect choice for those seeking something different than their standby favorites. On today’s show, we will begin our journey by visiting Scala Dei, which was a fully functional monastery until 1835.  For seven centuries, the monks there pioneered and taught farming techniques that were largely responsible for the fame earned by the wines of the Priorat. From the monastery, Grape Encounters Host David Wilson and his guide for the day, Victor Huguet, Export Area Manager for Cellers Unió, one of the region’s leading wine co-ops, will wind their way through the breathtaking, rocky landscape, to the producer’s discrete but formidable winemaking facility.  That’s where the magic happens at the hands of winemaking Guru Jordi Puxeu, whose ruggedly dashing, mysterious demeanor and bottomless barrel of winemaking lore will ensure that you never see wine, especially Garnacha, the same way again.  More importantly, you’ll most assuredly be seeing a lot more Garnacha on your table in the days to come! We’re packing a lot into the next three episodes of Grape Encounters because we believe with great confidence that once you discover today’s Garnacha, as well as some of the other remarkable varietals of northern Spain, you’ll want to join this exciting revolution in the world of wine. For millions of wine enthusiasts, today’s generation of Garnacha wines may seem like something new, but make no mistake; their historical roots run very deep indeed!