In the era of global warming, garnacha (or grenache/garnatxa) is discovering a place in the increasingly hot regions struggling with grapes that tend toward over-ripeness in the rising temperatures. Would you dare to think that one-day pinot noir might lose ground to some heat-resistant varieties in Burgundy? In the meantime, garnacha ripens nicely and stops short of the unwanted jammy qualities that some other varieties are showing in a warming climate, despite its high alcohol.

We have previously covered Australian grenache with a top selection of $15 bottles in this series. We revisit it again here in its Spanish manifestation, where it is widely considered to be something of a local hero.

It is the second most-planted red variety in Spain after tempranillo, common in vineyards from Rioja to Navarra as well as the garnacha-dedicated Aragon, where you will find some hidden gems in Campo de Borja, Calatayud, and Carinena. Garnacha can also be found in Priorat and in the less prestigious but high-quality and more wallet-friendly Montsant. Garnacha is similar to Spain’s star grape, tempranillo, in that they both are able to interpret the country’s diverse terroirs through the hands of generations of winemakers.

The prominence of Spain’s gnarled Cepas Viejas (old vines) that excel in coping with heat and water stress, as with South Australia, means yields are often smaller but more concentrated, giving winemakers a chance to treat their wines a little more generously. This often translates as the use of a fair amount of new oak that, when done right, should be in equilibrium with the fruit concentration and structure. The best wines are warm, generous, and attentive, and avoid any sign of being manipulated with prickly alcohol, overripe fruit, and redundant oak cosmetics. Other styles of garnacha usually surround the Mediterranean attributes of the variety. The best are spearheaded by a spicy yet decadent allure etched into the vibrant but delicate red fruit, and are framed in a statuesque texture whose precision, focus, and freshness rise on a crescendo that eventually spreads like a peacock tail on the palate, sometimes reminiscent of a richer and spicier pinot noir.

Despite the great value Spanish garnachas often deliver, we can sometimes be too preoccupied with the high alcohol on the label to notice how balanced the wine tastes without the warmth, viscosity and sweetness that usually comes with that quality. But, alas, some garnachas are overdone with too much alcohol, too much wood and too much everything and we don’t rate those 90 points or more.

So here are eight bottles from five different terrains in Spain that only retail around $15 a bottle, but that all received 92 points or above. No-brainer wines for great value!

– Zekun Shuai, associate editor in Beijing