José Ignacio Gracia, General Secretary of the Denomination of Origin Campo de Borja, has dedicated the last 35 years of his professional life to valuing the garnacha variety, a treasure, as he himself defines it, from our land. During the presentation of the 21st edition of the Garnacha Exhibition, we had the opportunity to speak with him, to rewind to the past to understand the challenges of the present, and to glance at a future in which the native Aragonese product shines on its own.
What role has wine played in your life beyond the professional realm?
I was born in a very small village in Aragon, in the Campo de Borja, called Agón. Since my earliest childhood, I wandered with my parents through the family vineyards, and I’ve always loved that world of nature and agriculture. Once I finished my studies in Engineering in La Almunia, an opportunity arose to return to Campo de Borja to work as an agricultural engineer at the Denomination of Origin, and that’s where I started, at a very young age. Since then, I have been linked to the vineyard and wine throughout my professional life.
From the beginning, did you know you wanted to dedicate yourself to the wine sector?
I was captivated just when we had to decide what university orientation we were going to pursue; I was clear that I wanted to study something related to agriculture. During one of the talks we had at the seminar in Tarazona, a fantastic engineer came to talk to us about the work an engineer could develop in the field, and I liked it very much. Now, 35 years later, I’m still studying, especially with a focus on international wines. It is a beautiful and infinite world.
After so many years dedicated to this sector, how do you think it has evolved?
What has been achieved at the regional, national, and international levels is an enormous improvement in the quality of wines. The techniques that are used, the meticulousness, cleanliness, finesse, and elegance with which wines are made now, not only in Spain but in any corner of the world, have made the quality improve substantially. Similarly, it is true that at certain times this has ended up homogenizing the product. But now there is a sort of reversion in the wine world, and there has been a renewed emphasis on the native, authentic, and genuine aspects of each place. So, in our case, in Aragon and in Campo de Borja, we believe we have an enological jewel, which is the Garnacha variety.
What impact does wine tourism have in Aragon?
Very positive. The truth is that the rural environment has a very unique charm. When people live in large cities like Zaragoza, they are unaware of the treasures we have in small villages. Discovering those special vineyards, those historic garnachas, those wineries that are lovingly cared for from generation to generation is very interesting. There is a return to rural flavors through wine tourism that is working very well in Aragon. The pioneers were Somontano, followed by Cariñena, and also the smaller ones like Calatayud and Campo de Borja, which are gradually offering different wine tourism experiences.
How do you perceive the relationship between a younger audience and the wine sector?
We need to be more open and dynamic, break down those traditional barriers, and listen to the market, especially the international one, where, for example, we see that countries like Australia, New Zealand, or the United Kingdom are more relaxed, with new formats. I am very open, and I believe that the first thing we professionals in the sector need to do is to open up, shed taboos, and enjoy a white wine with ice if we feel like it.
What is the identity of D.O.P. Campo de Borja that differentiates it from other D.O.P.s?
We were born in 1980. I joined the Denomination of Origin a little later, but all my predecessors were clear that the Garnacha variety was the queen variety. Our area is the one that best adapts to the climate and terroir. And this treasure we have is what identifies us both regionally and nationally and internationally.
