At Inspiring Wines we don’t think so!
When people talk about Spanish wines the conversation almost always moves very quickly towards Rioja; dark, brooding, dusty bottles, some kind of bull on the label and that gold wire wrapped around a traditional Rioja bottle. The wire incidentally was designed as a historic security measure for high end Rioja, fakery and tampering has always been an issue it seems.
But it’s not all about Rioja, there are many other Spanish Wines to get excited about. Whilst I am a massive fan of all the Rioja region has to offer, there are many more wines being produced in Spain that deserve a much closer look.
The wine in Spain certainly does not remain the same, there has been much exciting change over the past 15 years and it is all for the good, grapes that had previously languished in the history books have been revived and regions that were unheard of outside of Spain 10 years ago have resurged to an extent that they are now recognised globally.
Spain is Worlds 3rd Largest Producer
Despite having almost 1.2 million hectares dedicated to growing grapes, the most for any one country, Spain remains only the 3rd largest producer of wine in the world behind Italy and France. Low yields from poor soils in some regions, traditional methods and historical wide spacing of old vines goes much of way to explaining why this is the case but that does not in the least detract from the quality of wine on offer from all over Spain. It has a wealth of native grapes being grown which gives many of its wines unique qualities that are so typically Spanish.
I am really only scratching the surface with my top 5 below, there are many more to discover but here I look at 5 excellent wines that you should try. Although I have steered away from Rioja as a whole, and despite this being a list of 5 I have sneaked a 6th on the list from the Rioja region but it’s not a red so please do indulge me.
5 Spanish Wines You Should Try Right Now:
This is an example of one of those regions that was pretty much unheard of outside of Spain, and probably not much outside of Catalonia a decade ago. Priorat being a Catalan word referring to a Priory, the region now produces some stand out wines and has received global recognition. In fact, it is considered by many in the know to produce Spain’s finest wines.
A small remote region with an abundance of state rock and quartzite in the soils, the soil is known as llicorella in Catalán, the climate is perfect for growing predominantly Garnacha but you’ll also find several others: Garnacha Peluda, Cariñena, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah. A crop of young, cutting edge winemakers who ply their trade in the region ensure the wines being produced are innovative and exciting.
A Spanish classic you might say but still not seen as much as it really deserves to be on UK wine lists. I’ve banged on about the joys of Albariño in previous posts so I’ll keep this short, but suffice to say if you’ve not tried it yet, you know what to do! Especially at this time of year, it is the perfect summer wine, no question.
Predominantly grown in the wet North West of Spain served by the Atlantic coastal climate of Galicia in the Rías Baixas DO, Albariño or Alvarhino in Portugal produces crisp white wines noted for their distinctive botanicals high acidity and easy drinking nature. Excellent with any seafood, brilliant with tapas and exceptional just on their own. You’ve probably guessed, I am a massive fan.
Production of this exciting grape is centred, in Spain at least, around Valencia and Jumilla DO. It is also grown in the Rhône and Provence, US, Australia and South Africa.
These vines need heat to grow and ripen and produce small thick-skinned grapes that are high in tannin and full of black fruit flavours, with age wines can develop spices, leather or meaty notes and in seasons where grapes are less ripe, herbal nuances. These are complex and sometimes challenging wines but who doesn’t love a challenge?
Produced in the Basque Country Txakoli has in the past been described as the “Unknown Basque Wine” but that’s not the case today, whilst still fairly unpronounceable it is much more widely available in the UK now than it was a few years back.
Back in the day it was a homemade wine, fermented in barns and garden sheds and consequently not particularly sophisticated. Time has moved on now and Txakoli is a quality white wine that if you’ve not tried, you really should.
A few decades ago this grape had almost disappeared but thankfully it is now enjoying a significant resurgence. From North-Western Spain, predominantly Galicia again, Godello production is concentrated in the Valdeorras D.O appellation.
Godello wines are generally crisp and bright but they offer depth of flavour and a richness which makes them stand out. Many Godello wines can also age well and will gain complexity with age making them a good longer term choice to add to your wine rack.
I’ve seen them compared to white Burgundy, Riesling and Chenin Blanc so take your pick, but do hunt some out and make up your own mind.
And last but not least, my sneaky 6th choice, although not officially on my list as I promised this piece wasn’t about the Rioja Wines I do want to mention Rioja Blanco, there are some amazing white wines produced throughout the Rioja region and although maybe not as renown for its white wines there really are many excellent white Riojas. Typically in a Rioja Blanco, Viura or Macabeo tends to be the lead grape but it will usually be a blend with Malvasía and possibly Garnacha Blanca.
So not an exhaustive list by any means, there are many, many more wines from Spain to get excited about, these are just some of the exciting Spanish wines we currently have on our list at Inspiring Wines.
Written by: Dean Spencer – Director – Inspiring Wines
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All of the wines mentioned in this post are available right now plus lots more. Click on the links below to find out more.
