Most of the time both Australian Grenache and Grenache from Southern Rhône tend to be quite big, ripe and heavy with high alcohol and low acidity. While some are successful in that style and some manage to make wines of true finesse, these places really aren’t places to be on the lookout if you don’t want your Grenache wines to be extracted and overblown.
On average, Spain tends to produce more successful and/or interesting takes on Grenache/Garnacha than France. Probably the greatest spots for fine, elegant Garnacha are Serra de Gredos (close to Madrid) and Terra Alta (in Catalonia). In both these regions they have very old Garnacha vines that grow in very high altitudes, helping the grapes retain good freshness and acidity, yet at the same time letting them get enough sun so the grapes enough warmth to ripen fully.