Spain offers many, many wine regions, varietals and styles of wine. That’s what makes it so difficult to describe this country’s wine as a single entity. Spain’s geography is diverse. Its conditions range from hot and dry to mountainous, windy, wet and cool, creating a wide range of varietals and styles of wine.
The abundance of natural grapes in Spain led to an early start to winemaking, with evidence of cultivation dating back several thousand years. Today, Spain has almost three million acres of grapes planted, making it the third largest wine producing country in the world, and one of the most vibrant.
There are more than 400 varieties of grapes grown in Spain, in more than 60 wine regions. While Rioja and Priorat are considered Spain’s flagship winemaking regions and both produce excellent red and white wines of consistent, high quality, there are many other regions worth exploring and each has its strengths. The Toro region, for example, is one of Spain’s emerging wine regions and known for its robust red wines made from Tempranillo grapes.
As is almost always the case with wine, the best way to learn about Spanish wines is to give them a try. You can begin with a region and explore its best exports or pick a grape and go from there.
Here is a snapshot of some of Spain’s most dynamic wine varietals to help you get started.
WHITES:
1. Verdejo – After a long history of being known for Sherry-like wines, Verdejo has evolved to produce Crisp & Light whites featuring attractive aromas of tropical fruit fennel and lime zest. Check out our Wine Discovery Guide to learn more about Crisp & Light wines.
2. Albarino – These grapes tend to produce fragrant wines with fresh floral, citrus and peach-like aromas. The flavours are usually quite dry and boast a lively acidity in the finish.
3. Parellada – While the vast majority of these grapes go on to produce sparkling wines, they are also used as a base for some youthful, non-sparkling white blends known for their relaxed, easy-drinking personalities, crisp and dry flavours and refreshing acidity.
4. Chardonnay – Spain’s best Chardonnays are Rich & Full whites reminiscent of fine Burgundy. These grapes have been increasingly used to produce a sparkling wine called Cava. Check out our Wine Discovery Guide to learn more about Rich & Full wines.
REDS:
1. Tempranillo – In Rioja, Spain’s most popular wine region, Tempranillo is often blended, producing wines with flavours ranging from red fruit to leather. Regions such as Ribera and Toro use it to produce more powerful wines with darker fruit flavours.
2. Garnacha – Garnacha-based wines often offer abundant berry fruit flavours and range in style from Light & Fruity to quite full-bodied. Check out our Wine Discovery Guide to learn more about Light & Fruity wines.
3. Bobal – Not as well known as some of Spain’s other red varietals, Bobal wines range from Medium & Smooth to Bold & Full, with a combination of rich fruitiness, lively acidity and attractive spicy notes. Check out our Wine Discovery Guide to learn more about Bold & Full and Medium & Smooth wines.
4. Monastrell – These grapes are rich in sugar content, translating to enormously full-bodied wines rich in plum, blackberry and meaty notes.