Spanish Wines
By Amy Lambert
A glass of wine is the perfect accompaniment to Spanish tapas and therefore is an important part of Spanish gastronomic culture. Spain is actually the country with the largest expansion of wine producing areas, viñedos (vineyards) in the world, although excessively dry climates and infertile soils in some parts of the country mean that production is not quite as high, making it the 3rd biggest wine producer in the world. However, for the most part, Spain offers favourable conditions for wine production: it is dry, receives a lot of sunlight, has long summers and not too cold winters. The diverse landscapes and climates of Spain mean that the different regions offer many different types of grapes used to make the wines, some of which are famous throughout the world.
Perhaps the most reputable Spanish wines are the red wines of Rioja, a small region in the North of Spain. These wines are of excellent quality and are usually made from the tempranillo grape, which also has other names in different parts of the country and which matures well in the oak barrels used in wine production. Other quality red wines include those from the Ribera del Duero and Priorat, which, along with Rioja, have earned the label DOCa, the highest classification of Spanish wines.
In Spain wines are divided into several categories, the standard ones being Denominación de Origen (DO) and Vino de Mesa (VDM). The DO label notes a good quality wine that meets the requirements of the wine’s region, whereas VDM means a standard table wine, that is unclassified and usually a blend of several grape varieties. There are also other categories including the Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOCa), the highest category, which signifies a wine from a region of consistently good quality.
Some Spanish wines are meant to be consumed “young”, having not being matured, although others improve in quality if they are stored for a while. Three labels that you may see are:
Crianza – Stored for 12 – 18 months in oak barrels, then a year in the bottle.
Reserva – Stored for 2 years in oak barrels, then a year in the bottle.
Gran Reserva – Stored for 2 years in oak barrels, then 3 years in the bottle.
From the selection of Spanish white wines, one of the best is from the Rias Baixas area of Galicia. It is made from the albariño grape variety and is ideal for accompanying fish and seafood dishes, like the ones that are also popular in the coastal region of Galicia. There are many other white varieties too, although it is undeniable that Spanish red wines are more popular internationally.
The South of Spain, particularly around the town of Jerez in Andalusia, is known for the production of fortified wines, made from white grapes, such as Sherry. The scorching climate and chalky soils of the area have made it ideal for producing Sherry for thousands of years and nowadays there are also specific production methods which help improve its quality.
Another of Spain’s well known wines is the sparkling white wine, Cava. Penedès, near Barcelona, produces a range of quality wines, but is recognised as being the centre of the Spanish Cava industry. The native grape varieties of the area, such as the Macabea, Xare.lo and Parellada, have been used in wine production since before the Roman period, but their use for Cava particularly developed in the 1870’s, after some of the red grape varieties were affected by the plague. Nowadays, this sparkling wine, often falsely referred to as Champagne, is traditionally enjoyed at special occasions. Penedès is also the home of one of Spain’s internationally known wine brand Torres, run by the Torres family, who have been producing wine for over 300 years.
From sparkling whites to fruity reds, Spain has a wide variety of wines on offer. So much so that choosing one can be quite a daunting experience! Don’t forget to look on the label to find out about a wine’s classification, grape variety and production method in order to find the perfect Spanish wine to accompany your dish.
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