Spanish Wine
Spanish wine is well known. It is some of the oldest produced wines in the world. Spanish wines in general are commanding of attention since the country produces a huge assortment of wines. Spain has the largest amount of land dedicated to wine production, of any country in the world. It is an understanding that the Spanish love their wines. Red wines are particularly important to the Spanish culture, as they have long been in production in the Rioja region.
Top Spanish Red Wines
While it is important to note the large scale of wine production in Spain, be warned. Not all wines produced in Spain are of high quality. Nevertheless, there are some considered the very best. Here are some of the best wines and where they come from.
- Numanthia is from the Vega Toro producer. The wine comes from the Toro region.
- Castillo Hermosos is from the Cavamur producer. This red wine comes from the Utiel-Requena region. Look for at least a vintage of 2003.
- Pingus is from Bodegas Pingus production. This wine comes from the Ribera del Duero region and a vintage of 1995 is best.
- Alion, from Bodegas Alion in the Riberal del Duro region is another excellent choice.
Spanish Wine Regions
There are a number of fantastic wine regions throughout Spain. If you are looking for great Spanish red wine, stop in the region Toro. Here, you will find some 5700 hectares dedicated to production of fantastic wines. This is located in the Zamora and the Valladolid provinces. Located within this region are 43 vineyards, though not all produce red wines. Some 14.5 million liters of wine are in production in this region alone. The best red Spanish wine to come from this area is the Tinta de Toro and Garnacha vine varieties.
In the Spanish wine region surrounding Madrid, you will again find a wide range of red wine production. Here, there are 7700 hectares of wine production with some 40 vineyards. 30,000 tons of grapes are produced here, both whites and reds. Vine varieties found in this region include the Tempranillo, Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah varieties. This gives you a large number of wine flavors to enjoy.
Another large producer of wines is n the northwest corner of the country. Here, in the Ribeira Sacra wine region you will find 1222 hectares of wine. What is unique about this region is that, though the region has fewer miles dedicated to wine production, it still has some 100 vineyards and produces more than 3.6 million liter of wine each year. This region includes the Lugo and Orense provinces. Vine varieties in the north are a bit different from other locations. Here, you will find red wine varieties like Mencia, Merenzao, Tintorera, and Garnacha vines.
Making Red Spanish Wine Choices
Now that you have an idea of the layout of the land, and the dedication of Spain to its wine production, look at some of the best red Spanish wines. You may even want to enjoy some of these foods with your wine choices.
Valdeorras Red Wines: This is one of the unique flavors of red wines. It is fresh and amazingly flavorful. The wine comes from the Mencia grape, one that is native to the region. It is a great all around wine for everyday use and special occasions.
Toro Red Wines: These are a more powerful, full-bodied red wine. For foods that do not have a strong flavor, consider Toro wines.
Rioja: This wine is one of the most popular of the Spanish red wines. The problem with this wine is that quality matters (do not go for the whites, either.) The wine is thick and rich in flavor. It has a great fruity taste to it. There are a great number of options here, which allows you to pair a quality Rioja with everything from desert to a fine fish dish.
La Mancha: This is a classic red wine region. You will find some of the easiest wines here. Pair these up with a nice meaty stew to warm up on a cold day.
Campo de Borja: If you are looking for higher alcohol content in the wine, go for this region's wine.
Spanish red wine ranges in quality and taste. It does not have to be expensive to be amazingly tasty, though.
Whites and Sherry
Spain has a wide range of fantastic wines. While the oldest wine product of the country was of red Spanish wines, there is a growing demand for white Spanish wines and of course the tangy Sherries that the country is popular. Spain has the largest amount of land area dedicated to wine production in the world. Some 652,359 hectares are strictly for wine, with millions of liters of wine produced annually. Of this, about 1,583,000 hl are white wines.
Most Popular White Spanish Wines
Spanish white wines do offer a lot of variety. Like all types of wine, there are good qualities and poor qualities produced within the same region, sometimes by the same vineyard. You will pay more for rarer wines. By contrast, more quality white wines come from the Spanish vineyards than poor quality, though. Here are some of the most popular of the whites.
- Mas la Mola Blanc is one of the best white Spanish wine choices. It is a product by Celler Mas La Mola in the Priorat region. Even the 2007 vintange is fantastic.
- Chardonnay 234 is popular as one of the very finest. It is a product by Bodegas Enate in the Somontano region of the country. Choose at least a 2005 vintage on it.
- agar de Pinto is just as popular. It has production by Lagar de Pinos in the Rias Baizas region.
- Clos Nelin is another white Spanish wine of high quality. It is by Rene Barier in the Priorat region. Choose at least a vintage of 2006 for the best quality.
- Cuatro Rayas is a beautiful white wine. It is a product by Agricola Castellana in the Rueda region.
Great Wine Regions
When it comes to white wines in Spain, several areas of the country are best to choose wines. One of the best places to start is with Priorat. This wine region is in the province of Tarragona. There are more than 1800 hectares dedicated to wine production here and some 2.5 million liters of wine leave the region from 74 vineyards. Choose white wines like Garnacha Blancas, Viognier, Chenin blanc, Pedro Zimenez and Macabeo wines for whites.
In the south region of the country, the Malaga wine region, along with the Sierras de Malaga wine region produce a great deal of wines on 1200 hectares. Here, you will find some 1.9 million liters of wine produced. Both reds and whites are produced here, but when choosing white wine from the region, look to the Savignon blanc, Chardonnay, Moscatel, Pedro Ximenez, and Macabeo wines in particular.
If you are enjoying Spanish wine from the Valencia region, you almost have to choose the Moscatel de Valencia wines. These are sweet wines and great as desert wines. It is more like a high quality juice. If you want something that is a bit drier, try the Rias Bajas wines from the Galicia region. These are wonderfully fragrant wines. They are fantastic for most hearty meals. The Rueda wines are some of the best light wines, good for a healthy meal of fish, for example.
Spanish Sherry Wines
Located in the southern portion of Spain you will find some of the very best Sherries available in the world. The quality of sherry here is so high that you can easily use this as a table wine. The Sherry found here is produced in the town of Jerez. It is made of a small variety of vines, including the Pedro Ximenez and Palomino grapes. Because of the reduction of exposure to air in the production of these wines, the wines produce a very distinctive taste due in part to the yeast that develops on them.
The Sherry found in Spain is available in various flavors. The Fino is perhaps the best dry Sherry. Drink this wine in recent vintages. Amontillado is another choice, which has a nuttier flavor in a dry Sherry. You may wish to try a sweet Sherry for fruit dishes or deserts. Choose the Oloroso wines. For an in between choice, there are a variety of combinations of these flavors.
When purchasing Spanish wines, either white wines or Sherry, be especially careful about quality. Ultimately, the poorest tasting wines are widely available to the less than educated wine drinker. Nevertheless, the best wines ware also from this region.
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