Spain ranks third among wine producing countries in the world, behind Italy and France. It is a very rich wine-growing country with more than 60 denominations of origin and more than 1,250 different grape varieties. Vines have always been part of Spanish culture and that’s make a lot of Spanish wines to discover.
At Aveine, we love to travel through wines, so with this article, we will introduce you to different wine regions and local wines that will surprise you!
Txakoli: the emblematic wine of the Spanish Basque Country
Not easy to pronounce! Phonetically, it is pronounced “tchakoli”. This is a wine that is made since a very long time on Spanish family farms. This light and sparkling white wine has an alcohol content between 10 and 12%. Its production covers the entire northern part of Spain. However, only the Basque Country has chosen to make it a controlled appellation. Made from slightly green grapes, Txakoli is a wine that offers a certain degree of acidity, which makes it very special.
We recommend Txomin Etxaniz Blanco, which is made by Txomin Etxaniz, a Txakoli wine producer since 1989. Let yourself be tempted!
Manchuela Tinto: a red wine from the Castilla-La Mancha wine region
Castilla-La Mancha is one of the most important wine-growing regions in the world. It is located between Andalusia and Madrid. The weather conditions are very optimal for vine growing. Today it is a famous wine-growing region with more than 450,000 hectares of vineyards. The region has more than 300 cellars that produce red, rosé and white wines. If you are looking to taste a Spanish red wine from this famous region, we recommend Manchuela Tinto. Both light and tasty, this red wine with a pretty cherry color will be perfect to accompany your meat and fish. Feel free to enjoy it as an aperitif with tapas!
We suggest you a bottle of Signo Bobal 2012.
La Rioja: the oldest Spanish wine region
Since the 19th century, red wines have been produced in large quantities in the famous Rioja region. This is the oldest and noblest Spanish vineyard who was the first to obtain the D.O.C. designation. This distinction is the most prestigious in the Spanish classification because it concerns the wines of Spain that offer the best quality. The region is very important and covers an area of 55,000 km². The natural conditions are all there to ensure the production of exceptional wines. In fact, the climate is characterized by moderate temperatures and regular rainfalls. The three wine regions are Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Baja. All have their own characteristics and offer fine and elegant wines.
We advise you to enjoy a glass of Cune Reserva 2014. The Cune cellar is one of the big names in the Rioja region. This sweet and tasty red wine is produced from the Tempranillo, Carignan, Graciano and Grenache grape varieties. Tempranillo is the emblematic grape variety of the country, which is present in many wine-growing regions in Spain.
The prestigious wines of the Ribera del Duero: the estate of Vega Sicilia
In the heart of the province of Castile and León you will find Spanish wines of exceptional quality, which are recognized throughout the world. We can particularly mention the prestigious estate of Vega Sicilia. This estate covers an area of 1000 hectares and 210 hectares are devoted to vine growing. Many grape varieties are cultivated but it is the local Tempranillo grape variety that takes over. The particularity of the wines of this estate is the duration of their maturation. Indeed, they are first kept in new barrels for two or three years. Then, they are transferred to older oak barrels, which will allow them to mature for up to four years. This technique gives the wines a surprising and unique result in the mouth!
Many of these wines are a bit strong and aeration helps a lot for a perfect tasting so do not hesitate to use Aveine aerator or at least Aveine’s app!
