The Wines of Spain

COMMUNITY The Wines of Spain

Deborah Lazear, CSW

When looking for wines of value and quality, look no further than Spain. Olé. Thank the Phoenicians who planted vines in the south of Spain, in Jerez, around 1100 B.C. The Spanish wine industry benefited from the nasty louse, phylloxera and the migration of French winemakers from Bordeaux, who were escaping the devastation of their vineyards. They brought their vines and their knowledge, elevating the quality of Spanish wines to a new high. Cava, Spain’s sparkling wine, is produced in the traditional method made famous in Champagne, France. The grapes used are quite different however. Cava is made from a blend of Macabeo, Xarello, and Parellada. Delicous! Spain excels in red Tempranillo. It is also known as Cencibel, Tinto de Toro, Tinto del Pais; there are over 550 strains of Tempranillo in Spain. Other red grapes are Mazuelo (adds acidity and tannin), Graciano (for its aromatics), and Garnacha (Grenache). La Mancha produces over 40% of Spain’s Vino de la Tierra (country wine) from white Airén or red Cencibel. White wines are made from Viura (aka Macabeo), Verdejo, Garnacha Blanca, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Albariño. Rías Baixas is the region of note for whites. Another important white wine region is Rueda (Verdejo, Treixadura (intensely scented), Loureiro (laurel scented) and Torrontés grapes). Most whites are cold fermented and released young. Rioja, in north-central Spain, is the most well known region. It lies in the Ebro River Valley extending into Basque Country and Navarra. Most wines are blends of the three regions of Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa, and Rioja Baja.Other important regions producing top quality and good value wines are Bierzo (Mencia grape), Toro (Tinta de Toro grape), Ribera del Duero (Tinta del Pais), Priorato, Garnacha (dark & concentrated), Navarra (rosados) and Jumilla (rocky soil, high acidity).

Sherry, from Jerez area, is a fortified wine that may be sweet or dry. It deserves its own article, such is the importance and complexity of the process and variety of styles. Look for Crianza Rioja, a young (Joven) red with a year of oak and another of maturing. For more complex reds, choose the Classic, Modern, or New Wave. These are the modern terms for VCIG, Vino de Mesa, DO, DOCa, and top of the line Vinos de Pago. Wines with Reserva on the label indicate 36 months of aging with 12 months in wood. Gran Reserva has 60 months of aging of which 18 are in wood. Wine makers of note are Alvaro Palacios, Pancho Campo, Peter Sissek, and Carlos Falcó. Most famous wines are Pingus, Nermanthia, and Vega Sicilia.