Category Archives: Spain

Wine regions of Spain: Cava

Cava is Spain’s sparkling wine. Cava is Spain’s sparkling wine. You might think of it as the Spanish equivalent of Champagne, which is mostly right. Cava is made in the traditional method, that is, the second fermentation happens inside a bottle instead of in tanks. The traditional method and Spain’s dry climate make for an excellent union in producing high-quality wines. In fact, many believe that cava will surpass Champagne in quality over the next few decades and become one of Europe’s greatest sparkling wines. Cava originates from Penedès, a region south of Barcelona famous for its wine production since… Read more

Wine regions of Spain: Rueda DO

Rueda is a DO wine region in northern Spain. Rueda is a DO (Denominación de Origen) wine region in the northern part of Spain. Its wines are known for their delicate, crisp, and dry taste. They are usually light-bodied, with aromatic notes of lime and lemon citrus making them a nice accompaniment to light fish dishes or as an aperitif. The region’s capital is Valladolid, which is also home to its main appellation – Rueda DO – that encompasses some 50 municipalities spread over more than 100 miles north-west of Madrid. The appellation takes its name from the Rueda plain… Read more

Wine regions of Spain: Ribera del Duero DO

Location The Ribera del Duero DO wine region is located in the northern region of Spain and is bordered by the Cantabrian Mountains to the north and the Arlanzón River to the south. The city of Valladolid is located in this wine region, as well as other smaller cities, like Roa de Duero and Peñafiel. Nearby wine regions include Rueda, Cigales and Toro. History Ribera del Duero DO was established in 1982, but the region has a long history of wine production. The winemaking tradition dates back to the Phoenicians, who first planted vines in Castile and León. Ribera del… Read more

Wine regions of Spain: Rías Baixas DO

The Rías Baixas DO is located in the Galicia region, in northwestern Spain on the Atlantic coast. The Rías Baixas DO is located in the Galicia region, in northwestern Spain on the Atlantic coast. It’s situated in the province of Pontevedra, and is neighbored to the east by Portugal. The specific appellation of Rías Baixas consists of nine subzones that define particular production and climate areas: Currán, O Rosal, Condado do Tea, Ribeira do Ulla, Val do Salnés, Soutomaior and Condado de Tea (which itself is made up of two smaller subzones—Deza and Darbo). Many wine historians contend that vines… Read more

Wine regions of Spain: Valdeorras DO

Valdeorras is one of Spain’s most beautiful wine regions, lying in the Eastern part of Galicia, along the Sil River and its tributaries. Valdeorras is one of Spain’s most beautiful wine regions, lying in the Eastern part of Galicia, along the Sil River and its tributaries. The region’s name comes from its location: it lies close to Orense, Galicia’s third-largest city. It is also right next to Portugal. The history of wine production in Valdeorras began around two thousand years ago and continued through the Middle Ages, when viticulture was popularized by monks and monasteries. Since then it has gone… Read more

Wine regions of Spain: Toro DO

Located in the western central part of Spain, Toro is a region with ancient roots. The Toro DO is located in the western central part of Spain, just south of Zamora. It has ancient roots with a documented history that traces back to the Roman Empire. The Toro DO is home to some of the world’s best Tempranillo wines. While most Spanish Tempranillos are aged in American oak barrels and display a fruit-forward profile, Toro wines behave more like their neighbors across the Portuguese border, boasting intense earthy flavors and being aged mostly in French oak. When it comes to… Read more

Wine regions of Spain: Rioja

The wine region of Rioja is named after the river Oja that flows from the Cantabrian Mountains (in the northern part of Spain) through La Rioja and into Navarra. Rioja is a small region; it covers only 8,000 hectares. This makes it one of the smallest wine regions in the world – smaller even than Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne. Cantabrian Mountains Rioja, while small, is still relatively large in comparison to the other wine regions of Spain. It is the second-biggest region by size of land under vine and has around 145,000 acres of land devoted to vineyards. That’s more… Read more