There is something about a good wine that makes everyone want to taste it. The way it is done, the older it gets, and the different kinds make tasting wine a great experience.
Spain knows a lot about wines and it’s a social event: lifting a glass of wine, enjoying the smell, the age, the colour. Moving the glass in rounds, and then, finally, getting to taste it.
Wines from Spain
Check out 5 different wines from Spain that you should taste when you visit the country. We’re sure you will find out one that turns out to be your favourite:
Vino de mesa
This is one of Spain’s most common wines. Its name means “table wine” and it is not classified, so it’s a generic product that is usually made to accompany food or tapas. Many Spanish winemakers try to declassify intentionally so they will have greater flexibility in blending and winemaking methods.
Vinos de la tierra
Wines of the Earth, that is the English translation from this type of wine. They are mostly table wines, “Vino de mesa”, but connected and coming from a specific area. Spain is divided in “comunidades autonomas” like Catalunya, Castilla la Mancha, Madrid or Andalucía. This wine marks in their bottle label the place where it comes from. By 2011 there were 47 Vinos de la Tierra in Spain.
Vino de Calidad producido en Región Determinada (VCPRD)
This long name means “Quality wine produced in a specific region”. It is a step higher in quality standars. Similar to the “Vinos de la tierra”, every country has their own, but the ones from Spain are the most famous, obviously.
Denominación de Origen
This is a designation that is another step higher and represents high quality wines. By 2005, two thirds of Spain’s vineyards were a “Denominación de Origen” region. This means that the vast majority of Spain’s wines are excellent.
Denominación de Origen Calificada
The highest standard on wine quality. In 1991, the Rioja wine gained this designation, and that is why it is the most famous wine in the whole world. But it’s not just this one: Priorat gained the same designation en 2003. And a fun story: Ribera de Duero was up to gain this designation but never pursued it so today it is still a Denominación de Origen, which means is a high quality wine too, of course.
So, knowing all of the types of wine, lets share with you the list of the 5 wines that you should taste before leaving Spain:
- Ribera de Duero
- Rioja
- Priorat
- Calatayud
- Toro
Be sure to taste them at the restaurant, and if you’re brave enough, dare to go near the vineyards of the most famous ones, so you can not just taste the wines, but enjoy the air of the greatest vineyards in the world.
Enjoy your visit to Spain, see a lot of monuments, but never forget to taste its wines, since they are a monument on their own. Which one it’ll be your favourite? Dare to find out.