300 grape varieties are referenced in the Southwest, including 130 native varieties. These are the legacy of the particular geography of this wine region, centuries of selection carried out by people and migratory flows on the route to Santiago de Compostela.
The Southwest is both the birthplace of world-famous grape varieties and home to native grapes that are not found anywhere else.

The Southwest is known to be both the birthplace of the world’s oceanic grapes and home to native varieties that are not found anywhere else. Migration and trade have contributed to the movement and spread of grape varieties. Among the most illustrious parent grapes of the Southwest is Prunelard which resulted in the Malbec grape, among others. But the honor goes to Cabernet Franc, native to the Pyrenees, which has spawned Carmenère, Chile’s emblematic grape variety, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. With over 250,000 hectares planted, they represent the second and third commonest grape varieties in the world.