Wine making in Spain has undergone a world class revolution in a very short time. As early as 20 years ago, Spain produced extremely poor quality bulk wines with very few exceptions. It seems there was an industry wide decision to reverse the situation since the quality was improved so rapidly and so thoroughly. Spain is establishing itself as one of the best value sources in Europe.

History

Vines were first planted by the Phoenicians in about 1100 BC. The wines produced at this time were heavy, rich and sweet… precursors to today’s Sherry. From the 8th to the 15th century under the rule of the Moors, wine production lost its footing. It wasn’t until the late 1400’s that wine making made its comeback, and even more recently, 1981, that their classification system started.

Geography and Climate

Spain is basically a hot, dry, mountainous country with small pockets of mild Mediterranean climate. It is divided into seven major regions, 17 “Autonomias” and 50 “Provincias”. The most well known of the regions are the Rioja and Navarra to the North; producing traditional Spanish reds. Penedes to the East; producing Spain’s extrordinary sparkling wines. Jeres in the South; producing Sherry. Ribera Del Duero in the North -West; the “new” area of Spain’s wine production. Although the soil varies across the country, the common denominator is limestone.

What to Expect

Keep your eye on Spanish wines. Spain is still so new to the business that it can be compared to New Zealand’s wine industry. With new plantings, technology and experimentation, Spain has some of the best value wines on the market.