Whether you call it Grenache, Grenache Noir, Garnacha, or one of the many other names this grape variety goes by, Grenache is a wine grape worth knowing. Traditionally grown in northern Spain where it is still known as Garnacha, the variety spread to southern France centuries ago and is now grown throughout the world. Grenache wines come in a wide variety of styles, but most of them are easy to drink, showing a full body and mouth-filling texture. Grenache can offer bright red fruits of raspberry and strawberry and notes of herbs, white pepper and leather. In warmer growing regions it shows more concentration and a deeper color, but is generally lighter in tannin and sometimes lighter in color than the varieties with which it often blended, including Syrah and Mourvèdre. Grenache is the signature grape in the Southern Rhône Valley of France, especially in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, where it can be paired with several other approved grape varieties. International regions, including Australia, have adopted a blending approach with Grenache, too, producing G.S.M. wines that include Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. You will also see it as a single varietal in the Central Coast of California and most notably in Priorat, Spain, where the wines from old vines are inky dark and powerful. In honor of International Grenache Day, here are 8 Grenache-based wines that come highly recommended by Wine Enthusiast reviewers based on our blind tastings. Domaine Pierre Usseglio et Fils 2019 Cuvée de mon Aïeul Grenache (Châteauneuf-du-Pape) Kaena 2019 Ali'i Grenache (Santa Ynez Valley) Ignacio Marín 2020 Magnifico Garnacha (Cariñena) D'Arenberg 2018 The Stump Jump Grenache-Shiraz-Mourvèdre G-S-M (McLaren Vale) Perinet 2017 Vinya Mas del Xes Garnatxa (Priorat) Binzamanna 2020 Rentiles (Cannonau di Sardegna) Horsepower 2019 Sur Echalas Vineyard Grenache (Walla Walla Valley (OR)) Domaine de la Présidente 2020 Red (Châteauneuf-du-Pape)