Spain is a world class producer of quality wine. The better known varieties are the red Rioja , the sparkling white wine known as Cava and probably the most well known is Sherry (Vino de Jerez).
Almost every village in Spain produces its own wine depending on the variety of grapes produced in the area. The name of the various wines usually originates from the area where the wine is produced and with over 50 regions in Spain there is a vast selection to choose from.
Until approximately 25 years ago, Spain was generally unknown internationally as an exporter of good wine. Sherry is the exception to this and has been exported to the U.K. for many years.
When deciding which wine to try when faced with row upon row of different options, a little knowledge of the labelling can help. Wines are labelled according to the amount of ageing the wine has received.
- Cosecha wines (meaning “vintage”) are young and are not usually aged in wood. alternatively, these may be wines that don’t use the traditional epithets as they are considered to be old-fashioned. The price should be a guide as to which is which.
- Crianza wines are aged for two years with at least one year in a cask.
- Reserva wines are aged for at least one year in an oak cask and at least one year in the bottle, with a further year in either.
- Gran Reserva wines are aged for at least 18 months in oak, and at least three years in the bottle and a minimum of five years total at the winery.
If you want to try out a few different varieties of Spanish wine, knowing something about them can help with your selection.
CAVA
A Cava is a sparkling wine made using the same method as used when making Champagne. The majority of Cava is produced in the Catalonia area of Spain and this type of wine was first introduced in 1872 by Josep Raventos. You will find the taste is softer with riper fruit flavours than Champagne due to the greater amount of sunshine the area receives.
ROSADO
Spain makes top quality rose wines. They are making a huge comeback and are extremely popular all year round (not just the summer months). They are bright and fresh, full of flavour and most importantly – dry.
RIOJA
Rioja wines are normally a blend of various grape varieties, and can be either red (tinto), white (blanco) or rosé (rosado). La Rioja produces about 250 million litres of wine a year. 85% of this is red wine.
Red Rioja
The “red Rioja” is the most well known style of Rioja. Classic and bold, these wines taste mostly of their tempranillo roots and have a bright, fresh flavour to them. This goes extremely well with steak and other red meats.
Rosé Rioja
The rosé version of Rioja is also fresh and strong, but has a lighter weight to it. They are predominantly Garnacha grapes, and are bright pink.
White Rioja (Rioja Blanca)
More greenish-yellow than white, Rioja Blanca has a light, fine aroma and flavour. These wines are made primarily with the Viura grape.
SHERRY
Sherry is produced in southern Spain in the region of Jerez. Palomino is the most popular grape to produce sherry, but Moscatel and Pedro Ximenez are also used. Sherry is made using the Solera system to blend wine of different vintages. Younger wine is moved through barrels of older wine to develop the flavour. Sherry has many categories:
- Fino Sherry is a very light and delicate Sherry and contains between 15% and 18% alcohol.
- Manzanilla Sherry comes from the coastal district of Sanlucar. The sea air leads the Sherry to develop a salty taste. This wine is produced using exactly the same process as Fino, but as weather conditions are very different in Sanlucar district it grows to a slightly different kind of wine and contains between 15% and 19% of alcohol.
- Amontillado Sherry is similar to Fino sherry although this is deeper in colour and drier than Finos and is left in the barrel longer. It contains between 16% and 22% of alcohol.
- Oloroso Sherry is deeper and darker in colour and is more fortified. It contains between 17% and 22% of alcohol.
- Cream Sherry is very rich and can be a good dessert-style wine. It contains between 15.5% and 22% of alcohol.
- Pedro Ximenez Sherry is very rich and is the most popular dessert-style wine. It’s made from raisins of Pedro Ximenez grapes dried in the sun and contains approximately 18% removed of alcohol.
- Palo Cortado Sherry is very rare to get a hold of and contains between 17% and 22% alcohol.
Sherry is a very popular drink and is used in many recipes in and around Spain.
To find out more about Spanish wines you could go on a wine tasting trip to one of the many vineyards in Spain. For more information contact your local Tourist Information Centre.