Spain has the largest area of vineyards in the European Union and the wine producing tradition dates back to Roman times. The vine is the third extension of Spanish culture, after cereals and olives.
Spain's geographical location, climatic differences and the variety of soils, makes the peninsula an ideal place for producing wines with very different characteristics. Vines are grown in all the 17 regions in which the country is divided, although about half of the total area is located in Castilla La Mancha (540,000 hectares) which is the largest geographical area in the world dedicated to its cultivation.
GRAPE VARIETIES
The most common grape varieties in Spain are the Airen, Tempranillo, Bobal, Garnacha Tinta, Monastrell, Pardina, Macabeo and Palomino, in order of importance in their culture. Of these varieties are red Tempranillo, Bobal, Garnacha and Monastrell and the rest are white.
CLASSIFICATION METHOD ACCORDING TO THE PREPARATION AND THEIR CONTROLS
Wines with Designation of Origin (DOQ)
Wines with Designation of Origin (DOQ)
High quality wines and also maintained over a long period of time.
Wines with Appellation of Origin (DO).
Prestige wines that come from a particular area and regulated by the Control Board.
Table Wines (VDM)
Quality wines theoretically inferior, but that sometimes reach the same levels or higher.
CLASSIFICATION OF AGING AND ITS FEATURES
Young wines:
Are those which have not had any oak aging or the aging has been minimal. These are wines that retain much of the varietal characteristics of the grapes from which they come and its ideal consumption is in 12-24 months after harvest.
Crianza wines:
Have spent a minimum of wood and bottle aging. These are wines that develop in addition to the varietal characteristics, other organoleptic characteristics due to the aging period.
Within the crianza wines, under the regulations of the Spanish designations of origin, there are three subtypes:
CRIANZA-Minimum of six months in wood and up to two years in bottle. Crianza will be all the wine that has one year in wood and another year in bottle and the wine that has 18 months in wood and 6 in bottle.
CRIANZA-Minimum of six months in wood and up to two years in bottle. Crianza will be all the wine that has one year in wood and another year in bottle and the wine that has 18 months in wood and 6 in bottle.
RESERVE-Minimum of one year in wood and up to three years in bottle.
GRAN RESERVE-Minimum of two years in wood and five in bottle.