The original European strain, until recently, had been lost, thus the grapes' being named "Mission grapes" since they were generally grown in  Spanish missions. Prior to 1522, wine was made from grapes native to the area around Mexico City. However, finding the wine produced lacking, it was decreed by Hernán Cortés that sacramental wine was to be made using grapes grown from cuttings from the Old World, and that the grape was to be planted in every Spanish settlement in the New World.
The original European strain of grapes used for making wine had been lost, and this led to the use of "Mission grapes" which were cultivated in Spanish missions. Before 1522, wine made from native Mexican grapes was not considered high quality, prompting Hernán Cortés to decree that the Old World grape be planted in every Spanish settlement in the New World to produce sacramental wine.