Spain | Watson's Wine

Spain

Spain has a higher proportion of land planted with vines than any other country in the world. It produces an amazing range of wines, from Cava (sparkling wine) in Penedes to Sherry in Jerez, to high-end, full-bodied red Rioja and crisp white Rueda. The country has hundreds of different, indigenous grape varieties to choose from, though introduced French grapes are also becoming important.

Of the whites, the drought-resistant Airen, though traditionally associated with brandy production, can be transformed into simple, refreshing, dry white wines. In the rainy region of Galicia, the thick-skinned Albarino grape (known as Alvarinho in Portugal, where it is made into usually thin Vinho Verde) produces something richer in style with lovely orchard aromas. The popular grape Verdejo (Verdelho) goes into the blend with Viura to make the fruity and dry, light but still classy whites of Rueda. Viura also shows up in cava, where it is blended with Parellada and Xarel-lo.

Tempranillo, the most-planted red grape in Spain, is the country's answer to Cabernet Sauvignon. It has thick, dark skins, resulting in deeply coloured, long-lasting wines. It lacks a distinctive personality of its own, but forms the backbone in a blend. In Rioja, which produces some of the best Spanish reds, it is blended with Garnacha (Grenache), which balances out the wine with rich, sweet-tasting fruit. Garnacha is also showing some marvelous results in Priorat, an isolated area way up in the hills of Catalonia, which is producing wines both high in price and alcohol.