Spain:
The Country and its Wine

Spain has a rich history of delicious and innovative wines. It’s usually the third-highest producing wine country in the world, but it’s been close to the top more than a couple times.

Spain’s wine regions are a patchwork of different conditions, making diversity a strength across its many terroirs. The soils range from the chalky albariza of Jerez, to the slate and quartz ground of Priorat, which gives the former a great Sherry and the latter a bold, mineral character. You’ve got sandy soils near the coast, stony riverbeds in Ribera del Duero, and clay/limestone mixes in Rioja that are just perfect for Tempranillo.

With Mediterranean warmth in the east, Atlantic breezes in the northwest, and arid, scorching summers across the central regions, Spain can produce just about anything–and it seems like they produce everything.

🌐 Spanish Wine Regions

Spain’s wine classification system ranks regions by quality, and you generally want to find a bottle that’s categorized as DOP, which stands for Denominación de Origen Protegida (Protected Designation of Origin). A “DO” is a designation of origin.

Spain has 60+ official wine regions – here are 19 of them.

🗺️ Major Spanish Wine Regions

• Rioja is Spain’s first DOCa (the highest DO quality level) and arguably its most famous wine region, known for Tempranillo-based reds that age beautifully. It has three subzones—Alta, Alavesa, and Oriental (previously Eastern/Baja)—each bringing distinct styles and characteristics.
• Ribera del Duero is a powerhouse for red wines, especially robust, Tempranillo-driven bottles. Its high-altitude vineyards and extreme climate produce wines with bold flavors and great structure.
• Catalonia is home to sparkling Cava and the prestigious DOCa region of Priorat, plus several other DOs. Its Mediterranean climate and rugged terrain create diverse and exciting wines.
  • Penedès in Catalonia is the birthplace of Cava and a hub for both sparkling and still wines. It’s Spain’s most experimental region, with international and native grapes side by side.
• Jerez-Xérès-Sherry in Andalusia is synonymous with Sherry, producing fortified wines that range from bone-dry Fino to rich and sweet Pedro Ximénez. The solera system defines this region’s unique aging process.

🗺️ More Spanish Wine Regions

• Rías Baixas in Galicia is known for Albariño, producing crisp, aromatic whites that pair perfectly with seafood. Its lush, green landscape and cool Atlantic climate make it unique.
• La Mancha is the largest wine region in Spain (and, actually, the largest on Earth), producing high volumes of affordable wines. While mostly known for bulk production, quality is rising in many bodegas.
• Navarra sits next to Rioja and shares some of its traditions, but also embraces rosés and lighter reds.

🗺️ Notable Smaller Spanish Wine Regions

• Rueda in Castile and León is famous for its Verdejo, a vibrant and zesty white wine that’s increasingly trendy.
• Bierzo is gaining attention for Mencía, a red grape that makes light, mineral-driven wines with floral notes.
• Valdeorras in Galicia produces excellent Godello, a white grape offering rich textures and citrusy freshness.
• Jumilla in southeastern Spain thrives on Monastrell, producing bold, sun-drenched reds with serious value.
• Toro is known for big, bold reds from Tinta de Toro (a local Tempranillo variant) with high alcohol and tannins.

🗺️ Lesser-Known Spanish Wine Regions

• Somontano near the Pyrenees balances native and international grapes for fresh, aromatic wines.
• Montilla-Moriles in Andalusia produces fortified wines similar to Sherry, but with its own distinct style.
• Valencia offers a mix of light Mediterranean whites and hearty reds, often at great prices.
• Alicante is a Mediterranean gem known for sweet Fondillón wines made from Monastrell.
• The Canary Islands off the African coast boast volcanic soils and unique grapes like Listán Negro for bold, smoky wines.
• Balearic Islands (like Mallorca) produce small quantities of artisanal wines with a Mediterranean flair.

🍾 Common Grapes in Spain

🍇 Major Grapes (Most Planted and Exported)

• Tempranillo: Spain’s most famous red grape, known for its balance of fruit, acidity, and structure. It thrives in Rioja and Ribera del Duero, where it produces world-renowned wines. It’s the most widely-planted red grape in Spain, covering over 20% of total vineyard area.
• Airén: A widely planted white grape, prized for its hardiness and resistance to drought. Historically used for Spanish brandy, it’s less-celebrated for wine quality but remains important to vineyards overall.
• Garnacha (Grenache): A versatile red grape that produces everything from bold reds to rosés. It’s key in Priorat and Rioja.
• Bobal: Mostly grown in Valencia and Castilla-La Mancha, this red grape is loved for its deep color, tannins, and increasingly high-quality wines.
• Monastrell (Mourvèdre): A Mediterranean red grape producing rich, earthy wines, thriving in Jumilla, Yecla, and Alicante.
• Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot are also widely grown throughout Spain.

🍇 Iconic Spanish Grapes

• Albariño: A superstar white grape from Rías Baixas, delivering crisp, aromatic wines with notes of citrus and stone fruit.
• Palomino: The backbone of Sherry production in Jerez, known for its ability to produce dry, fortified wines.
• Macabeo (Viura): A white grape essential in Cava production and a common component in Rioja Blanco, known for floral and citrus notes.
• Parellada: Another key Cava grape, contributing lightness and freshness to sparkling wines.
• Xarel·lo: A vital Cava grape, adding body and complexity to blends.

🍇 Unique Native Spanish Grapes

• Pedro Ximénez: A white grape used for sweet Sherries, producing luscious wines with raisin and molasses flavors.
• Mencía: Found in Bierzo and Galicia, this red grape creates elegant, fruity wines with floral notes.
• Godello: A white grape from Galicia, producing rich, mineral-driven wines often compared to white Burgundy.
• Treixadura: Used in Ribeiro and Galicia for aromatic white blends, adding texture and complexity.
• Listán Negro: Native to the Canary Islands, this red grape produces light, volcanic-influenced wines with earthy undertones.
• Listán Blanco (Palomino Blanco): Another Canary Islands staple, related to Palomino but used for non-Sherry whites.
• Graciano: A red grape from Rioja, known for its intense aromatics and blending role in Rioja reds.
• Cariñena (Carignan): Common in Priorat, where it adds structure and acidity to blends.
• Hondarribi Beltza: A rare red grape variety grown exclusively in the Basque Country and used in the production of traditional Txakoli wines.
• Trepat: A light-bodied red grape from Catalonia, often used in rosé Cava production or for light reds.

🍇 Lesser-Known & Specialty Grapes

• Mazuela (Carignan): Grown in Rioja and other regions, offering acidity and tannins in blends.
• Loureira: A fragrant white grape often blended with Albariño in Rías Baixas.
• Fernao Pires (Maria Gomes): Found occasionally in Spanish white blends, though more common in Portugal.
• Espadeiro: A rare red grape in Galicia, used in light, fruity wines.
• Cayetana Blanca: A less prominent white grape in southern Spain, often used for distillation or blends.
• Marmajuelo: A rare white grape variety grown exclusively in the Canary Islands, valued for its tropical and floral notes.
• Merseguera: A white grape native to Valencia and Alicante, known for subtle, herbaceous white wines.
• Prieto Picudo: A red grape from Castilla y León, producing deeply colored wines with vibrant acidity and rich tannins.

📅 Spain Vintage Reports

I’m compiling these shortly–thanks for your patience!

📖 History of Wine in Spain

Spain has a long and rich wine history, with roots dating back thousands of years. Viticulture likely began between 4000-3000 BCE, but not much is known about this period specifically.

In 1100 BCE, when the Phoenicians founded Cádiz, they introduced winemaking techniques that were later expanded upon by Carthaginians, and then the Romans.

During Roman rule, Spanish wines were widely traded across the empire. The two major regions at the time were Terraconensis (today Terragona) and Baetica (today Andalusia). Pliny the Elder praised some Spanish wines, while Ovid viewed them only so good as to get you drunk. See how far back feuding wine reviewers go!

After the fall of Rome, winemaking endured despite barbarian invasions, Moorish rule, and Islamic restrictions on alcohol. When the Moors took over in 711 CE, as Muslims, they followed their religious dietary laws, which forbade alcohol consumption. But since they governed a largely non-Muslim population that still drank wine and used it in religious ceremonies, they let pragmatism win out, making sure to tax it plenty instead. Even some caliphs and emirs were known to own vineyards and drink a glass here or there.

In 1492, Reconquista reinvigorated the Spanish wine market, opening it up to England and exporting to the New World. In short order, New World wineries began to threaten Spain’s income, leading Spanish decrees about limiting colonial wine output. These decrees were only somewhat listened to–it seems the Boston Tea Party could have easily been the Virginia Wine Party.

Disease and pests from the New World, notably the phylloxera epidemic of the 19th century, devastated Spanish vineyards. But as French winemakers fleeing the same plights sought unspoiled ground in Spain, they brought with them modern techniques and new varieties of grapes, flooding innovation into regions like Rioja and Catalonia.

Around this time, Catalonia mimicked Champagne’s traditional methods to create Cava, their own take on a specialty sparkling wine, primarily made with Macabeo, Parellada, and Xarel·lo grapes.

The 20th century saw more devastation, this time from the Spanish Civil War and both World Wars, with vineyard maintenance understandably not being their top priority at the time. Recovery began in the 1950s, and when Spain joined the EU in 1986, it came with funding, modernization, and irrigation advancements.

Today, Spain has regained its focus on innovative, high-quality wines, and is the most extensively planted nation in the world. It boasts over 400 native grape varieties and plenty of iconic wines, developed and enduring through history.

🍷 Spanish Wines I’ve Tried

Palacios Remondo – 2019 Tempranillo / Garnacha Blend (Spain)

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