Spanish Wine
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As with most of the European countries, Spain is known for producing wonderful red and white wines, depending on the area in which you are traveling. Many of the larger vineyards also export wines to other countries and Spanish wines can be found in most countries. The most popular Spanish wines for export are the white wines from the Rueda and Penedes areas, the reds from the Ribera del Duero and the Rioja areas and the famous sherry produced in Jerez. In addition to the wine and sherry produced in Spain, there is also a sparkling wine called Cava that is produced and consumed within the country.
Wines in Spain are controlled by the Instituto Nacional de Denominaciones de Origen or the INDO. The INDO provides a Demominación de Origen for each wine produced that provides quality control as well as provides records of the different types and varieties of wines produced and exported from various areas within the country.
Like all wines, Spanish wines will vary based on the variety of grapes used, the quality of the growing season as well as the different soil types in the area. In many areas of Spain most of the production of wines is still done in the traditional manner with smaller vineyards paying strict attention to aging, quality and production of the wines to keep their share in a highly competitive market.
Cava, made with the champagne method, is popular throughout the entire country. Cava is most commonly produced in the Penedes area, although the north east Mediterranean area also produces a lot of the cavas. Lighter and younger wines are more common in the Canary Islands and the north east side of the country while the heavier and more full bodied reds are produced in the central areas as well as the southeast areas of Spain.
Each Spanish wine will have a classification as to its geographic location of production, as well as the quality level of the wine on the label. The highest level is the Gran Reserva, wine that is aged for 2 years in an oak cask and then further aged a full three years in the bottle. This is a very prestigious wine that is typically a collector type of wine. Vino joven is a younger wine that is not typically aged in oak but is still a good, quality wine such as a table wine. Tastings at wineries as well as sampling different wines at the local tapas bars is an excellent way to learn about the wines of the area as well as develop an understanding of the terms used to describe Spanish wines.