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Spain
 Spain
has been doing some major "catching up" to the rest of the world in terms of
"international quality" wines. This country produces good value wines as
well as extraordinary, "connoisseur quality" bottlings. Its most notable
wines are red wines made from Tempranillo, white wines made from Albariño, rosado (rosé)
wines made from Garnacha and the various qualities of fortified wines made in Jerez known
as Sherry.
Oak has been a mainstay in the major red wines of Spain. Today many white wines are
fermented in stainless steel and bottled without wood. There is a tremendous range
in the quality and style of Spain's table wines.
We've noticed a move towards deluxe bottlings aimed at those with a large wine budget
or the perception of drinking "the best." Having a large price-tag on the
bottle doesn't necessarily make it a deluxe wine, however. That being noted, Spain
still offers, if you choose carefully, some of the best buys in today's wine market.
A
Few Spanish Wine Regions |
| CATALUÑA Sub-regions:
Ampurdán-Costa Brava
Penedès
Conca de Barberà
Tarragona
Priorato
Terra Alta
Costers del Segre
Alella |
Officially bi-lingual (I once said I was able to understand some
of the Catalan "dialect" and was told that if I didn't call it a
"language" they would "deport me back to Spain!"), this region makes
some fabulous wines. Most people know the Spanish "Cava" (sparkling wines)
from Penedès, Freixenet and Codorniu being the huge companies dominating this landscape.
From Penedès, you might be familiar with the wines of the
Torres family.
"Cava" (methode Champenoise) bubblies are typically made from
Xarel-lo, Macabeo and Parellada, though some are using a bit of Chardonnay, too.
Penedès red wines are typically made of Ull de Llebre (Tempranillo
under a different name), Garnacha, Monastrell (Mourvedre), Cariñena, though Cabernet
Sauvignon, Merlot and Pinot Noir are also being cultivated. For white wines, you
might find Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat and even Gewürztraminer!
Alella, an area just north of Barcelona, is typically producing white wines made of
the Xarel-lo variety, but here it's known as Pansá Blanca.
Conca de Barberà is west of Penedès and most of the wines grown here are folded
into the Penedès. Along with Cabernet, Pinot Noir, Tempranillo and
Chardonnay, the local grape of note is "Trepat" and is used, typically, for
rosé.
Tarragona is the southernmost Catalan region and this has three major
sub-regions: El Campo de Tarragona, La Comarca de Falset and La Ribera d'Ebre.
Priorato, intertwined with the Tarragona area, is making some stunning (and
stunningly expensive) wines. Its rugged, mountainous terrain means rather low
yields, often 45-135 gallons per acre! Garnacha, Cariñena, Garnacha Peluda,
Cabernet, Merlot and Syrah are to be found here.
Ampurdán-Costa Brava wines are made from traditional and non-traditional
varieties. As a result, this small area in the northeast part of Cataluña, makes
wines of Garnacha and Cariñena, though recently Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and
Tempranillo have been planted. White wines are produced of Macabeo and
Xarel-lo, though there is now some Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Riesling and Gewürztraminer.
|
| ARAGÓN Sub-regions:
Somontano
Cariñena
Calatayud
Campo de Borja |
Just south of the French/Spanish border and inland from Cataluña,
this area has, typically, been overlooked for its wines. Somontano
lies at the foot of the Pyrenees. New plantings include Cabernet, Merlot, Pinot
Noir, Chardonnay and Gewürztraminer. Traditional varieties are the Garnacha,
Tempranillo and Moristel (said to be related to Monastrell -Mourvedre-).
Cariñena is located south of Zaragoza and its wines used to be
overwhelmingly powerful, 14% alcohol being the <minimum!>. This is changing
and the wines of this region, formerly Garnacha, are now being made of Tempranillo and
Cabernet. Mazuelo (or Mazuela) is a local variety and is probably the Carignan
grape. White wines are made of Macabeo, Garnacha Blanc and Moscatel Romano, with
Parellada being a recent addition to the mix.
Calatayud is an area with lots of fruit trees, especially famous for its
peaches. Reds and roses are made of Garnacha with a bit of Tempranillo. Some
Cabernet is planted, as well. White wines are made of Macabeo, but this grape is
known as Viura here.
Campo de Borja is west of Zaragoza and you'll find olives, asparagus,
beans and wheat here, in addition to some wine. Garnacha predominates, though
there's a bit of Tempranillo and now some Cabernet and Merlot. Whites are minor.
We have a spicy, berryish young red for five bucks from this region (which is
pretty good vino!). |
| NAVARRA |
This northern region is south of the French border, west of
Aragón and neighbors the Basque country and La Rioja. Garnacha is the main variety
here and the area, aside from the annual running of the bulls in Pamplona, is noted for
its magnificent rosé wines. We are seeing some Tempranillo, Cabernet,
Merlot and Chardonnays from this region. A few offer fabulous quality for modest
prices. We also have a famous, very dry Garnacha rosé. |
| LA
RIOJA
Sub-regions:
Rioja Alavesa
Rioja Alta
Rioja Baja |
This is the region of Spain with the longest history of producing
"world-class" wines or, at least, wines of international interest. Winemakers
from Bordeaux came to this area in the 1800s to escape the scourge of phylloxera.
Tempranillo is the main grape variety, along with Garnacha Tinto, Mazuelo and
Graciano. Some reds are even blended with the Viura or Macabeo. Cabernet is
just now being planted here, and then only as an experimental variety. Vino
de Cosechero is young wine from the previous year's harvest. Often served by
the glass in Riojana restaurants.
Crianza is the term for "aged" wine which is sold after its
third year, having been matured, at least, 12 months in "barricas," 50 gallon
oak barrels.
Reserva wines may not be sold until their fourth year and, like a crianza,
12 months aging in small oak is mandatory. These are, supposedly, only from good
vintages.
Gran Reserva are well-aged and, theoretically, only from excellent
vintages. These may not be sold until their 6th year and two years in oak are
required.
Viura is the main white variety of La Rioja, with Malvasia and Garnacha Blanca also being
used. Some producers make wood-aged whites which spend a long time in the barrel. |
| BASQUE
COUNTRY |
With but a tiny winemaking area, this region is noted for a little
wine called "Chacolí" or in Basque "Txkolina." This dry, light
white wine is made of the white grape Hondarribi Zuri and the black Hondarribi Beltz.
Grown in the village of Guetaria, the wine pairs marvelously with the fresh seafood
served in its plethora of restaurants and private clubs. I liken it to a French
Muscadet, though often it's more acidic. |
| Castilla
y León Sub-regions:
Ribera del Duero
Rueda
Toro
Bierzo
Cigales |
Covering some 20% of Spain, this large region is now producing
some of Spain's most stellar wines. It neighbors Rioja and Aragón to the east and
Galicia (and Portugal) to the west. Ribera del Duero
is the home of Spain's most famous traditional winery, Vega Sicilia, and Spain's
most famous new-wave (by comparison, anyway) producer, Alejandro Fernandez and his
Pesquera and Condado de Haza estates. Tinta del Pais, also known as Tinto Fino, is
the Tempranillo in disguise.
Rueda is an area known for white wines. These are based on the
Verdejo grape. New plantings of Sauvignon Blanc are proving quite successful.
There's also a bit of Viura (Macabeo, elsewhere).
Toro is 96 miles north and west of Madrid. Its red wines are made
of Tinta de Toro, probably a clone of Tempranillo. Malvasia is the primary white
grape, but the region produces mostly red wines.
Bierzo is a small outpost in the very western part of this region and its red grape
is called Mencía (some say this might be Cabernet Franc, or related to it).
Cigales is a small area north of Valladolid and is noted for its minor
dry rosé wines. |
| GALICIA Sub-regions:
Valdeorras
Rías Baixas
Ribeiro |
Galicia is the strangest place I've been to in Spain. It has
its own language and is influenced by Ireland and/or Scotland. Yet the "Cocido
Gallego" is much like a German Sauerkraut or French choucroute! You can imagine
the mix of cultures. Valdeorras is north of Zamora and west of
Bierzo. The reds are not notable here, but of interest is the wine made from a white
grape called Godello. When modestly priced, this can be an attractive wine.
Rías Baixas is the coastal area north of Portugal and it's the home of
the Albariño grape. Some lovely white wines are made of this variety, thought to be
related to the Riesling of Germany. Some people have likened this variety to
Viognier. At its best, Albariño makes a fragrant and mildly fruity/flowery white
wine.
Ribeiro is a modest, inland area where the primary white grape has been the
Palomino (of Jerez). It makes a rather bland little wine. Often replacing it
when vineyards are replanted are the Treixadura (also grown in Portugal) and Torrontés, a
variety gaining attention far away in Argentina. Red wines in this region are minor,
at this point. |
LEVANTE
Sub-regions:
Valencia Utiel-Requena
Alicante
Yecla
Jumilla
Bullas
|
Located along the east coast of Spain, the Levante has six major
wine regions. It is said that paella originates in Valencia. Valencia
is famous for its oranges, along with paella. There are three sub-districts to
Valencia. White grapes include Merseguera, Pedro Ximénez and Malvasiá, while
there's a variety called Bobal and Garnacha for grapes of color.
Utiel-Requena is well inland, west of Valencia. The color-poor
"red" grape called Bobal is widely planted, making lots of rosé. New
varieties are being experimented with, so we may hear more from this region in the future.
Alicante, south of Valencia and along the coast, it is
famed for its beaches. Monastrell is the main grape variety, used for making reds,
rosés and a curious sweet wine called Fondillón, aged 6-10 years in wood!
Yecla is situated north of the Jumilla region.
It's rather warm and though white wine is made here, red takes the heat (seemingly)
better. Monastrell predominates, followed by Garnacha.
Jumilla is subject to intense heat in the summer and very cold
temperatures in the winter. With very chalky soil and very little rain, the region
is planted to something like 90% with Monastrell. We have had an extraordinary wine
from this region on occasion.
Bullas is in the western part of Murcia and there's almost no white
wine, but lots of rosé and a bit of modest red. |
CASTILLA-
LA MANCHA
Sub-regions:
Valdepeñas
La Mancha
Almansa
Vinos de Madrid
Mentrida |
From the country of Don Quixote is one of the largest winemaking
regions, La Mancha. With some 420,000 acres of vines (Holy Toledo! That's
immense!), you'd think there'd be some major wines from this region.
Apparently many of the vines have been planted for distillation. Valdepeñas
is the southern-most area of this region, due south of Toledo. With extreme heat in
the summers and cold winters, there are but two grape varieties typically found here.
The white is called Airén and the red is called Cencibel (which is Tempranillo
elsewhere). Experimental plantings are in the ground: Cabernet, Merlot, Garnacha and
Macabeo head these trials.
La Mancha is noted as also having an extreme climate. Locals will
tell you they have 9 months of winter and 3 months of hell! Much of the wine
produced here is sent to Jerez and Sherry producers distill it. Airén is the main
grape. Red wines are made from Cencibel and Garnacha, though Cabernet is now being
planted.
Almansa is in the southeast part of this region, bordering Jumilla and
Yecla. Having not quite as extreme a climate as La Mancha or Valdepeñas,
it's still rather dry and hot in the summer. Monastrell is the important variety
here, along with Garnacha Tintorera, some sort of deeply-colored Grenache. Cencibel
is now accounting for many new plantings.
Vinos de Madrid come from vineyards south of the capital
city. With three sub-zones, white wines are typically made of a variety called
Malvar along with Airén. Reds are Tinto Fino or Tempranillo in the region of
Arganda, while in Navalcarnero and San Martin de Valdeigleisias, Garnacha predominates.
Méntrida you'll find south and a bit west of Madrid. It is a very
large area, but most of the wine is sold in bulk, so the region is unknown. There is
one producer in the region who is attracting attention. While most of the area makes
Garnacha, Carlos Falcó has planted Cabernet, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Syrah. Some
of his Marqués de Griñon wines are rather expensive and some of them are close to being
worth their lofty prices. |
ANDALUCÍA
Sub-Regions:
JerezCondado de Huelva
Málaga
Montilla-Moriles
Sherry Types:
Manzanilla
This comes from one small region called Sanlúcar de Barrameda and is usually a dry
wine. Due to its proximity to the sea, these tend to be almost salty.
Fino
Light and dry, its special character comes from the yeast which forms a layer atop
the wine in partially-filled barrels.
Amontillado Finos
and Manzanillas left to mature are stronger and more intense and these are called
Amontillados. Typically these are dry.
Oloroso
With little or no contribution of the "flor" yeasts, these should be more
fragrant and when dry, it's marvelously complex. Some sweeter versions may be found.
Palo Cortado
This is a fino type which has not developed the "flor" yeast on its
surface. It is somewhere between an Amontillado and an Oloroso.
Cream
The sweet wines are made of Pedro Ximénez or Moscatel. |
From the vast southern region of Spain come a number of wines
which are either fortified to some high degree of alcohol or wines which are naturally
strong and need no further fortification. "Table wine" production is
rather minor here, the stars of this area often requiring you to fasten your seat belt.
Jerez comes from the southwest part of Andalusia, touching the Atlantic ocean.
The chalky soil is said to impart a special character to the Palomino grape, which
makes the drier and lighter Sherries. Other varieties allowed here include the
Moscatel and the Pedro Ximénez. These two are typically used for sweeter Sherries.Condado
de Huelva is north of Jerez and on the Gulf of Cadiz. Palomino is grown here, as
is a variety called Zalema. This latter variety is predominant in the region, but is
falling out of favor.
Málaga is located along the Mediterranean, east of Gibraltar. The
Pedro Ximénez variety is grown here, along with Moscatel. The region makes
wines from sun-dried fruit as well as grape juice which has been boiled to concentrate it
(like they don't already have a high enough sugar content!). There is dry Málaga
made, but most people know the sweet versions. Most firms here also make sweet
Moscatel wines.
Montilla-Moriles is located northeast of Jerez, north of Málaga and
south of the city of Córdoba. Pedro Ximénez is the predominant variety. The
region gave its name to the Sherry-type "Amontillado." "Fino"
type wines are usually not fortified as they're strong enough on their own.
"Amontillado" here is a fortified, aged "fino." You might also
find "Oloroso" type wines here. |
| The
Islands |
These curious regions may have some potential for interesting
wines. The Balearic Islands have some 2,500 hectares of vines. The wine area
of Mallorca is called Binissalem. The native varieties are Manto Negro and Callet
for reds. White wine is typically made of Moll (also known as Prensal Blanc).
Other Spanish varieties are now being planted. Other varieties are coming!
The Canary Islands of La Palma and Lanzerote continue to produce Malvasía, though
experiments with Cabernet and even Ruby Cabernet are taking place. The local grapes
are Listán Negro and Negramoll. Listán Blanco is also grown and I am,
frankly, unclear if this is the Palomino under a different name. |
SOME
SPANISH SELECTIONS
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