Although Spain is the world leader in terms of vineyard area, in terms of wine exports, this southern European country is somewhat inferior to France and Italy. This paradox is explained by the contrasting climate and insufficiently favorable relief of the homeland of Cervantes and Lope de Vega. Accordingly, grapes growing under the scorching sun are not juicy enough (although it is from it that the best wines of Spain are made: sherry and malaga), and bunches blown by all the winds on the hills and plateaus often do not have time to ripen in full.
The above circumstances influenced the formation of a unique classification system of Spanish wines, which, on the one hand, is characterized by rigid criteria, and, on the other hand, has a high degree of democracy. Simply put, it is based on the well-known principle: “big ship – big voyage.”
Spanish wine classification
According to Spanish law, the wines of this country, based on their quality, are divided into three main categories:
Vino de mesa (house or table wine)
The category has almost no restrictions. The only requirement in this case is the absence in the composition of drinks of various kinds of harmful chemicals, whose use is prohibited when spraying and fertilizing vineyards. However, the main charm of this category lies in the fact that in addition to dubious and faceless drinks, it also includes wines that claim to be elite, but do not meet one or another criterion, often of a purely formal nature. Thus, under the guise of a “mongrel” wine on your table, there may well be a kind of caballero in exile, capable of decorating even the most exquisite meal.
Vino de la tierra (local wine)
Local wines must be produced in a specific wine region (there are 41 of them in Spain, along with the islands) and from a specific grape variety, mostly from the same harvest. At the same time, the indication of all the above criteria on the bottle label is considered not so much a requirement as a privilege that representatives of the vino de mesa category are deprived of.
Denominacion de origen (regional standard)
Drinks of the regional standard must comply not only with chronological, varietal and geographical parameters, but also meet all local requirements related to their production, processing and method of sale.
Denominacion de origen calificada (certified regional standard)
This region is the famous Rioja, whose wine-making criteria are the upper limit of generally recognized regional standards.
In addition, local, as well as regional wines have a special gradation in terms of aging in special oak barrels.
Joven (young)
Sold in the harvest year or next year. Aging in oak containers is not required.
Crianza (formed)
The exposure period is from two to three years; at the same time, from six months to a year, the wine stays in oak barrels, and then it is bottled.
Reserva (aged)
The drink is at least three years old with at least one year in oak barrels.
Gran reserva (well aged)
Wine with five years of aging, 2-3 years of which it spends in oak barrels.
At the same time, as you probably guessed, the longest aging periods for each of the categories are established and observed by Rioja.
How to choose Spanish wine
Choosing a good wine of Spanish origin is both easy and difficult. It all depends on where you are. If the desire to join the drinks of this country caught up with you in the post-Soviet space, go to the nearest trustworthy supermarket and head straight for the shelves with bottles from sunny Rioja. There you will find stable and high-quality wines for every taste: red, white, sparkling, rosé, etc. Everything else is either from the evil one or absolutely not worth the money that is requested for it.
If you are in Europe, and even more so in Spain itself, then for an initial acquaintance with the wines of the latter, in addition to the shelves with drinks from Rioja, you can explore the products of the wine-producing provinces: Priorat and Ribera del Duero. As a result, you will form your own set of preferences and expectations related to Spanish wines. After passing through this kind of educational program, which can take more than one month, you can safely proceed to further acquaintance with the multifaceted wine palette, which the Pyrenean monarchy is famous for.
Relevance: 12.01.2017
Tags: wine and vermouth