Simply Spain

Approachable, food-friendly, eminently diverse and good value to boot, Spanish wines bring a lot to the table.

With a wine-growing history over 2,700 years long, more area under vine than any other country, and a range of dynamic regions, Spain is one of the wonders of the wine world. From cool, oceanside vineyards in the north to sunny Mediterranean vineyards in the south and mountainous highlands and mighty rivers in between, there’s a lot to explore. Here is a stunning collection of red and rosé wines, Sherry and sparkling Cava to get you started.

The heartland of Spain’s wine scene is Rioja, shaped by and named for the Oja River in the north of the country and famed for its long-lived, barrel-aged red wines. But there’s plenty more to Spain. Alicante sits within Valencia along Spain’s southeastern Mediterranean coast and has a reputation for warm temperatures and smooth, ripe reds. South and inland of Valencia is Murcia, wherein the Jumilla region makes intensely powerful reds.

Spanning much of the northern plateau is Castilla y Léon, Spain’s largest wine region, which covers a fifth of the country and is traversed by the Duero (or Douro, in Portugal) River. Here, high elevations and short, hot summers make conditions conducive to firm red wines that reward patience. The region’s most famous appellation is Ribera del Duero, whose complex reds boast international acclaim to rival those of Rioja. Southerly, oceanside Jerez is best known as the home of Sherry, while Penedès, situated just outside Barcelona on the northeastern Mediterranean coast, is the epicentre for sparkling Cava.

Spain’s signature red wine grape is Tempranillo, known as much for its structure, longevity and fondness for oak as its aromas and flavours of red cherry, fig, tobacco, evergreen and herbs. This variety is found in regions all over Spain (sometimes under local names) and is commonly the backbone of the country’s finest red blends. Garnacha (a.k.a. Grenache) contributes big, smooth textures and jammy strawberry and plum fruit; Graciano contributes inky colour and intense, floral-fruity perfume; Mazuelo (a.k.a. Carignan) provides moderate tannins and tangy red cranberry, raspberry and meaty notes; and Monastrell (a.k.a. Mourvèdre or Mataro) brings impressive structure, bold dark fruit and smoky, spicy character.

Unique to Spain, Sherry is one of the world’s most beloved wines. A fortified wine from the area around the city of Jerez de la Frontera near the Atlantic coast, Sherry is made in a variety of styles and involves fortifying the wine with spirit alcohol. Fino is a light, elegant Sherry typically made from the Palomino grape variety and is ideal for sipping chilled during spring and summer weather. Spain’s famous sparkling wine, Cava, is crafted using the same method as Champagne and typically features indigenous grape varieties, particularly Macabeo, Parellada and Xarello. It, too, is traditionally served nicely chilled on its own or with food.

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