Spain
Spain has been making wine for thousands of years but not until more recent times have the wines been exported. The Phylloxera blight that devastated the French vineyards and in particular those of Bordeaux sent the merchants scurrying across the border to Rioja in search of something to satisfy the needs of their clients. Rioja to this day remains the most popular fo Sanish wines in export markets.
Rioja is home to the Tempranillo grape where it grows to perfection. In the northern regions of the area - the Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa - it produces some majestic wines that are now world class thanks to the development of winemaking techniques. Further south in the Rioja Baja which is hotter and with sandier soils, it is often necessary to blend in other international grape varieties such as Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon to give the wines more complexity.
Navarra is producing some interesting offerings but a little jewel to watch out for in the north east is Somontano (Spain's Piemonte) where as well as Tempranillo, some aromatic grape varieties are faring well such as Gewürztraminer.
In Catalunya, the Penedes region is making some incredible wines. This is the home of Cava, Spain's version of Champagne, but now some wonderful still wines are on offer which can offer exceptional value and make a change from drinking Chardonnay and Cabernet sauvignon. Priorat and Monsant also offer some incredible red wines but prices tend to be higher here.
Ribera del Duero which can have some really harsh winters is another great exponent of Tempranillo (the local name been Tinto Fino) The limestone soils suit it perfectly and the long, slow ripening periods give wines of great freshness. For white wines, Rueda is one of the most successful regions and Verdejo is the key to its success. It gives wines that are quite aromatic with floral and grassy notes not unlike Sauvignon Blanc.
Another great white grape variety that is very much invoke at present is Albarino and look no further than Rias Baixss if you're searching for something good. The Atlantic coastline gently cools the vineyards and the fresh and vibrant wines can have notes of apples and pears in both aroma and on the palate.
The largest region in terms of production is without doubt La Mancha where Don Quixote went tilting at windmills. A region that was once noted for producing huge amounts of undistinguished wine is now crafting some decent offerings at remarkably good prices. The watchword remains buyer beware so do try them before splashing out.
No article on Spanish wine would be complete without mentioning Sherry. Now back in fashion in a small way in the UK, Sherry can make a wonderful aperitif but in our opinion, do go for the dry, Fino style unless you're looking for a desert wine when the full-on and brooding Pedro Ximenez comes into its own.
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£41.48
Viñedos De Páganos Rioja El Puntido 2015
Viñedos De PáganosVinedos De Paganos Rioja El Puntido 2015 has intense aromas of black fruits with pencil shavings and toast, lead into a full and generous palate wi...
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£23.49
Calados del Puntido - Vinedos de Paganos 2014
Sierra CantabriaThis stunning wine from the companiy's own 45 year old vineyards in Laguardia, Rioja Alavesa, is made from 100% Tempranillo grapes that have been h...
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£25.42
Gratavinum Dolç D’En Piqué
GratavinumGratavinum Dolc d’en Pique has an intense, deep, ruby colour with purple hues. Great aromatic intensity and complexity on the nose, with rich, drie...
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£10.44
Dominio Laidi Tinto Sobre Lias - Carinena
Bodegas Anadas CareThis fabulous, fruity blend of 75% Grenache and 25% Syrah is wonderfully quaffable, with supple black fruits and hints of toffee and caramel. The ...
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£30.42
Parés Baltà Amphora
Parés BaltàParés Baltà Amphora is a pearl coloured, clear wine that is crisp and transparent. It has a soft nose with hints of almonds and some rounded dairy ...
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£12.08
Dominio de Laidi Old Vines Garnacha Blanca 2022 - Carinena
Bodegas Anadas CareA fresh and fruity wine that offers very intense perfumes of flowers together with hints of aromatic herbs and citrus touches. The fruity notes are...
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£10.44
Laidi Sobre Lias - Carinena Blanco
Bodegas Anadas CareA great white wine and exceptional value for money. This is a blend of 6o% Grenache Blanco (white Grenache) and 40% Chardonnay that has a really fr...
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£174.77
Four of our favourites - 12 bottle case
MixedWhen we started the company some 35 years ago, most of the wines we sold came from Europe. There were few wines from the southern hemisphere to be ...
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£21.74
BODEGAS SEÑORÍO DE ARANA VIÑA DEL OJA RIOJA CRIANZA Magnum 2015
Bodegas Señorío De AranaBodegas Senorio De Arana Vina Del Oja Rioja Crianza has a bright, ruby colour with a nose of ripe red fruits and hints of oak, touches of vanilla a...
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