Flores explicitly asked about the results in terms of vine survival, production or activity generated, as well as the measures planned for the coming years. The councilor said controversy over the condition of some of the grapevines had grown in recent months, either because they had not produced fruit or because it had spoiled before it could be harvested. He also asked whether, after this amount of time, it was now appropriate to assess the initiative.
Fernández defended the project, saying it had been designed from the outset with different objectives. The vines, around half a century old, come from the province’s three designations of origin: Cariñena, Campo de Borja and Calatayud. The planting was carried out following the recommendations of agricultural engineers from the three areas. The project covers around 820 square meters and included, among other measures, an irrigation system and the addition of substrates characteristic of the areas where the vines originated.
A GARDEN THE CITY LINKS TO WINE PROMOTION
The councilor insisted that the Garnacha Garden should be understood as part of Zaragoza’s strategy as a wine tourism destination and as a showcase for Aragon’s winemaking tradition. Fernández also defended the image of the century-old vines beside the Ebro, with the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar in the background, as a promotional asset for the three designations of origin. She said the wine sector valued that exposure. In this regard, Zaragoza City Council established a system from the time of planting to monitor the vines and replace those that failed to thrive.
That strategy also includes the International Garnacha Fair, held precisely in the Macanaz Grove next to the garden. The second edition, held in June 2026, attracted nearly 70,000 people, compared with 40,000 at the first edition, and featured 22 wineries from the province’s three designations of origin.
Flores, however, maintained his doubts about the choice of location and the outcome of the planting. "I do not question the emotional value," the Vox councilor said, referring to the sentimental importance of vines from historic vineyards, before adding that, seeing the condition of some of them, he did not know "whether I would be moved or cry with sadness." In his view, he stressed, "the climate along the Ebro riverbank is not suitable."
