Speaking of Spain, it is definitely an old winemaking country, and some people even think that southern Spain is the starting point for the expansion of the Eurasian grape variety (Vitis vinifera). Although the good man does not mention the courage of the year, the good man is still brave today. Today' Spanish wine production is not only ranked 3rd in the world, but its quality is gradually recognized by the international market.
Many people claim to love Spain, but asking them to name other Spanish regions other than "La Rioja" is great to be able to say 1 more!
Usually, if you want to find a good Spanish wine, as long as you find the label of the legal appellation (Denominacion de Origen, or DO) or the denominacion de Origen Calificada (DOCa) appellation label, the quality will not be bad.
However, there are as many as 70 DO regions in Spain. Today, I will give you a make-up lesson to talk about the main important production areas in Spain!
Map of Spain appellations
The article is longer and the table of contents is as follows:
1. The representative of Spain , Rioja
2, the big guy's replacement - Navarre
3. Another DOCa production area famous for the old vine Grenache - Priolato
4. Traditional old vine Gohaina appellations - Kalinena and Calatayud
5. The seat of the Spanish wine king - the bank of the Duero River
6. The majestic Duelo river bank is flattened - Toro
7. Spain's largest white wine region - Lueda
8, Spain's best white wine - the lower bay
9, Spain's largest DO - La Mancha
10. La Mancha's excellent neighbor - Valdepeñas
11, the best Cava in Spain - Penedes
12, the home of sherry - Jerez
La Rioja
Located on a valley plain originating from the Cantabrian Mountains, Rioja is the most well-known appellation in Spain, becoming the first DOCa appellation in Spain in 1991. Most people take their first sip of Spanish wine from Rioja.
Rioja is south of the Castilla plateau, so Rioja's climate is also continental with four distinct seasons and large temperature differences between day and night. However, rainy, cool Atlantic sea breezes often cross mountains in and out of the valley, and warm Mediterranean sea breezes also come out of the valley from the east. These three forces were evenly matched and assembled over Rioja, creating a complex and changeable natural environment.
Map of Rioja
Rioja is dominated by red wines, mainly Tempranillo, accounting for 75% of total production. Due to the diversity of the environment and the abundance of grape varieties grown, Rioja blends grapes from different regions to complement each other's strengths in order to blend the most balanced and flavorful wines.
Traditional Rioja dry red is marked by curing and blending. A bottle of classic traditional Rioja dry red usually contains 60-70% tempora, around 20% Garnacha Tinta and a small amount of Graciano. Among them, Grenache can bring the body and alcohol, while the Gràciano can provide the structure and aroma.
Traditional Rioja is then usually aged for a long time in old oak barrels. According to the regulations, the grand reserva, the highest level, needs to pass at least 60 months of aging, of which at least 24 months need to be completed in oak barrels. The use of old oak barrels allows the liquor to undergo a subtle, controlled oxidation process in which the texture can be smoother, without a hint of fresh fruit, but with a pronounced American barrel of coconut, vanilla flavor.
Today, the new Rioja Dry Red still uses grape blends from various sub-regions, but more and more wineries are starting to produce single grape varieties and single vineyard wines. The new Rioja has a shorter aging time and a gradual increase in the proportion of new oak barrels. The rioja wine will be aged in new barrels with darker colors and higher tannins, more fruit and pronounced oak, vanilla, cloves, baked and smoked flavors.
Representative winery of the appellation: Château Lanze
Ranze Winery Beatas dry red
Bodega Lanzaga is a winery owned by Telmo Rodriguez Wine Company, a large Spanish wine group, located in Rioja Alavesa. The owner is Demo Rodritz of the famous winemaker Remelluri, one of the initiators of the Rioja Monoculture Movement and dedicated to discovering vineyards with potential and terroir that are not valued. In 1994 he founded his own winery in Rioja. Las Beatas is the winery's most exclusive wine, produced in a 1.9-hectare organic vineyard with an extremely rare annual production of around 1,500 bottles.
Due to the wide variation in styles of Rioja's old and new school brews, it would be quite difficult to single out one of them as a representative of Rioja. Therefore, if you really want to find your favorite style in Rioja, it is recommended to refer to this article: [Famous Inventory] What are the representatives of the new and old schools in Rioja?
Navarre
Navarre is a rather far-sighted appellation. Historically, it was known for grenache's high-alcohol, oxidizing-style rosé wines. But with the support of the local government, wineries gradually began to shift to the production of red wines. Although there are slight differences, the wines made here have many similarities with Rioja wines.
The vineyards of Navarre stretch from the eastern and northern borders of Rioja to the foothills of the Pyrenees, and the climate in its plains is no different from that of Rioja Alto Boro, while the vineyards in those foothills have a more refreshing and humid climate. Not only that, but a small part of the vineyards of Rioja DOCa are located in the territory of Navarre.
Today, Navarra makes 70% of the region's red wines from Templo, and blending it with other grape varieties in Rioja produces Rioja-style wines. Blended with international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, it will have the typical aromas of black fruit of international varieties, usually with the aromas of vanilla and sweet spices of new American oak barrels.
Representative winery of the appellation: Schwitt Winery
Schwitt Winery Coleccion 125 Series
Bodegas Chivite is one of the oldest wineries in Spain, dating back to 1647. In 1967, julian Chivite, the owner of the winery at the time, was involved in the establishment of the Navarre DO appellation and became one of the founders of the NAVARA DO appellation. The winery has now passed down to its 11th generation and is run by 4 brothers. The winery's most famous collection is the "Coleccion 125", which is designed to reflect the terroir of each vintage, the yield is low, and the wine grapes used are harvested by hand to ensure the quality of the grapes.
Priory
Over the past 20 years, Priolato has undergone incredible changes, from a remote area that no one knows about and has been forgotten and abandoned by the world to another large DOCa region that everyone knows and can sit on an equal footing with Rioja. The stories here continue to be told, inspiring many people to come to Spain in search of similar opportunities. Of course, some people succeed and some people fail.
Map of Priolato
Pioneers in this appellation have taken a fancy to the red slate known as "Llicorella", where the soil is made up of a layer of red slate and small grains of mica that sparkle in the sun, both to store heat to help the grapes ripen and to store plenty of water during the growing season.
The pioneers found many old vines of Grenache and Carinena here, which have extremely low yields but unusually concentrated flavors of the fruit. The wine produced from this grape is very dark in color, high in tannins but moderate in alcohol, with a strong aroma of black fruit, often accompanied by the toasting of French oak barrels.
Representative winery of the appellation: Château Ovaro Palacio
Ovarro Palacio Winery Hermitage Dry Red
Alvaro Palacios, owner of Alvaro Palacios, is a Spanish legend as one of the pioneers of Priolato. With the low-yield old vines of Priolato, new French oak barrels and new winemaking techniques, he has produced l'Ermita, a single vineyard top wine that is amazing to the world's wine lovers, and is often selected as one of the top 100 wines of the Wine Spectator, making Ovaro Palacio a Spanish national treasure winemaker and selected as the 50th of modern times by the world's most authoritative and influential wine magazine Decanter The most influential world-class winemaker.
Carinena & Calatayud
In the Ebro basin, Rioja upstream is occasionally blown by cold Atlantic winds, lower catalonia is close to the Mediterranean Sea, and aragon in the middle is the driest, hottest and most suitable for growing Grenache in the entire Ebro Basin.
With the rise of Priolato, Spain's Grenache was also valued. The old vine Gehaina, which is full of mountains here, brings new opportunities to Aragon. Kalinena and Calatayud are the most well-known appellations in the Aragonese region. Hot weather and old vines bring a fairly concentrated flavor; modern new technology can retain more fresh fruity flavors as well as silky tannins.
Since it is not as famous as Priolato and the cost of cultivation is not so high, the price of the old vine Grenache dry red here is quite attractive, with excellent quality, relatively traditional style, and thick and rough.
Representative winery of the appellation: Grandies Winery
Grandies Winery Anayon series
Grandes Vinos y Vinedos is located in the Caligna appellation. Originally, between 1950 and 1967, it was a cooperative founded by a number of grape growers in the region. In 1997, the cooperative transformed into the winery. Today, the winery has more than 700 winegrowers. The winery's most iconic series, called the Anayon series, fully demonstrates the terroir of the winery's vineyards, selecting the best grapes from the old vines in the garden to produce balanced, full-bodied wines that are only made in good vintages and with extremely low yields, each with its own unique number.
Ribera del Duero
Although the Spanish wine king Vega Sicilia was interested in this area as early as 1864 and took root here, the banks of the Duero River did not become a DO appellation until 1982.
Map of the banks of the Duelo River
Surrounded by mountains, the banks of the Duero River are not affected by the oceanic climate, and the vineyards of the appellation are all located in the highest part of the Castile Plateau, which harmonizes the continental climate here, making the night temperatures cooler throughout the year, with a temperature difference of 20 °C between day and night in hot summers.
The abundant sunshine on the plateau and the large temperature difference between day and night make the pigment content in the peel high after the ripening of the danluo, and the acidity and fruit aroma are well preserved during the ripening process. Compared to the dry red of Tanro in Rioja, the dry red of Tanro on the banks of the Doelo River is darker in color, stronger in structure and more convergent in tannins. Most wineries here highlight the flavor characteristics of the grapes' black fruit and plums by increasing the maturation time and shortening the maturation time in new oak barrels.
Representative wineries of the appellation: Bergascili Winery
Bergasecrian Winery Unico
Known as the "King of Wine" in Spain, Château Bergassicaria is one of the most admired wines in the world. Since its inception in 1864, Château Bergassisilaria has been using traditional winemaking techniques in order to produce wines that are least subject to human intervention. Over the past century or so, it has become the most well-known and expensive wine in Spain. The winery's top wine, Unico, is brewed in a rather flexible way, usually aged in small vats and then mixed in large vats. Usually, a bottle of Unico takes at least 10 years to age, sometimes as long as 25 years, to satisfy the appetite of wine lovers.
Toro
Today, Toro is also undergoing similar changes to the banks of the Duero River, with more and more people seeing the potential of the place, and investors flocking to it. It has a similar climate to that of its neighbors, but is more extreme, dry and hot, with summer temperatures reaching as high as 40°C.
Map of Toro
The word "Toro" means "bull, bullfight" in Spanish. As the name suggests, the traditional dry red made with tempura is strong and strong, and the style was once the most majestic and manly in Spain, and the more expensive the wine, the more majestic.
With the popularity of concentrated flavors in the United States, the "flaws" of Toro wines became an advantage, with new wineries lined up and winemakers using modern methods to create softer styles. In some wines with shorter ageing years, grenaches will be more proportionate, while collectors or top collector's grades will be particularly dark in color and tannins at a young age, which has great aging potential.
Bergasecity Ciria Winery Pintia
The Spanish wine king, who saw the potential of the Duero ripa region, invested in a new winery in Toro in the 1990s and purchased hundreds of hectares of old vine vineyards here. Due to the king's insistence on making elegant red wines in the rough Toro, their first wine in the region, Pintia, was not available until 2001. Today, it seems that the wine king's 10 years have not been in vain, and Pintia is still one of the most elegant wines in the Toro appellation.
Wheel
Located between the Toro and Duero riparian appellations, Lueda is an important white wine region in Spain. The region has chalky soils and a continental climate, and the summer nights are very cool, attracting a large number of winemakers. In the 1970s, winemakers from Rioja came here to open wineries and began using anaerobic techniques to make lighter, fruity white wines.
The traditional grape variety here is called Verdejo, which has a strong aroma, in addition to the fresh grass aroma, there are many fruity and floral aromas, high acidity, very adapted to the extreme continental climate of the plateau. Due to the large temperature difference between day and night, the aromatic flavor and acidity are well preserved, and the style of fresh and refreshing wine can be brewed.
This kind of wine suitable for young drinking, with a refreshing style, simple brewing method and affordable price, although popular, also limits the plasticity of Verdejo to some extent. In recent years, there have also been wineries that have begun to brew in barrels, with a more rounded and fruity Taste verdejo dry white.
Representative winery of the appellation: Chateau Shaya
Shaya Château Habbis
Bodegas Shaya is a project that began in 2008 between the Gil Family and Enrique Busto, located southeast of Lueda. With more than 30 hectares of Old Vine Vineyards, the Shaya Habis, made from 100% Old Vines, is the winery's finest wine.
Low Rias
Located in the northwest of Spain, the Lower Bay appellation, where the weather is cooler and wetter than in the rest of Spain due to the influence of the Atlantic Ocean, allows the white grapes to ripen slowly, maintaining acidity and fresh fruitiness well, making it the best white wine region in Spain.
Map of the Lower Bay
Albarino is a white grape variety with a thick skin, a certain resistance to fungi, suitable for growing in this humid environment, it has a strong peach and yellow apricot fruit aroma, and natural high acid can be balanced with it. The best white wines here are made from it alone. Brewed using modern winemaking techniques, Albarino fully reveals its delicate variety aromas, thanks to its naturally high acidity, the wine is very fresh and suitable for young drinking.
The representative winery of the appellation: Raul Perez Winery
Raul Perez sketch dry white
Raul Perez is one of Spain's top winemakers and runs his own brand, Bodegas y Viñedos Raul Perez, who also serves as a consultant for other wineries. He currently makes more than 20 wines under his name, some of which are made in conjunction with other wineries. His "Sketch" dry white brewed in The Lower Bay with Albarino is the region's finest wine, and its 2017 vintage also received a Parker 95 points.
La Mancha
La Mancha is the largest DO region in Spain, where nearly half of Spain's wines come from.
In addition to the most common tempora, it is also home to the most widely grown Airen white grape variety in the world. This is a very susceptible oxidized white grape variety that can be made into a light, refreshing wine with melon and peach aromas using modern anaerobic fermentation processes.
Due to the hot weather and flat terrain, even a fairly rough cultivation method can easily obtain a good harvest. Although the area is large, but the output is so large, it also shows that its production is not high-end. However, in recent years, with the popularization of modern winemaking equipment and technology, varieties have been improved, wines with fresh fruity, acidic, balanced structure and simple style can be seen everywhere, but the price is still low.
The representative winery of the appellation: Volvo Winery
Volvo dry red
Founded in 2004 by Jorge Ordonez and Rafael Canizares, Bodegas Volver vineyards are mainly located in the La Mancha, Alicante and Jumilla appellations. The winery's finest wine, Volver Single Vineyard Tempranillo, is made from the old vine Denro planted in 1957 in La Mancha's top single garden.
Valdepenas
Valdepeñas is next to the south of La Mancha, and the climatic conditions are similar. However, it has a history of more than 2,000 years of winemaking and became a DO appellation 2 years before La Mancha.
Although it is also one of the "wine warehouses" in Spain, it has a much better reputation for making excellent wines than its neighbors. Like La Mancha, it mainly produces red wines based on Tanro and white wines based on Ellen, which are of better quality than La Mancha, but at the same low price. Here, the fine Tanro wines are soft and fruity, sometimes blended with some international grape varieties with oak barrel flavors such as vanilla.
Representative winery of the appellation: FSA Brewing Group
FSA Brewing Group
FSA Brewing Group, full name Felix Solis Avantis, was founded by Felix Solis Avantis in 1946 in Valdepernas. Because of the founder's dedication to brewing technology, many local residents came to buy his wine. The company was formally founded in 1952 and as the business continues to grow, today's FSA Brewing Group is already a large Spanish brewing company, with one of the world's largest family brewing facilities, and has wineries in several Spanish regions, as well as chile and New Zealand.
Penedes
Although, kava's production area is very wide, in addition to Catalunya, where Penedes is located, Rioja, Aragon, Valencia and many other Spanish autonomous regions can make kava sparkling wine. However, most of the development comes from Catalonia, while the main cava wineries are located in the Penedes appellation.
Penedes is a large area, close to Barcelona, stretching from the Mediterranean coast all the way to the mountains. As a result, the climate here also varies, allowing for a range of different styles of wine. In addition to the well-known cava sparkling wines, the style of still wine here is generally different from the rest of Spain, and the use of French grape varieties to make elegant wines is the mainstream here.
Representative winery of the appellation: Fisnette
With over 150 years of history, Freixenet was the result of the merger of two historic wine families, Firs and Salas, which combined the technology, determination and ingenuity of the two families to become the world's largest producer of sparkling wine today using traditional methods ( the method of champagne making ) . Some of the most well-known wines include Cordon Negro cava sparkling wine and gold medal carta Nevada.
Sherry
Sherry and Port are also known as the world's 2 most important fortified wines, known as "sunshine in a bottle", and are the national wine of Spain.
Jerez map
Like Champagne, sherry can only be made in certain appellations, namely the southernmost part of Spain, near the African province of Cadiz. Sherry has 3 wineries, Jerez, Puerto de Santa Maria and Sanlucar de Barrameda.
However, the Spanish name of sherry is the same as Jerez' in Jerez. From this, we can see the importance of the Jerez appellation. Not only is chalky soil dominant, but it is also sunny and has a good sea breeze, making it an excellent place to produce sherry.
Representative winery of the appellation: Lu Shitao Winery
Lu Shitao's top treasure Solera Sherry
Lustau Sherry is one of Spain's most prestigious producers of sherry, founded in 1896 and now with a history of 123 years. To this day, the winery still adheres to the original business purpose: to pursue the highest quality, to provide the widest variety of sherry, the winery has such as the special Lustau Especialidades, The Lustau Solera Reserva, the Lustau Solera Gran Reserva and many other wines.