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These are the best Spanish red wines from each region 2023
Know your Spanish wines: here’s how to tell a Ribera from a Rioja, and other tips you should know about red wine in Spain
Spain is famed as one of the best wine-producing countries in Europe and the world. It has many different Protected Denominations of Origins for each of its grape varieties and wines all over the country.
Red wines like Rioja and Ribera del Duero are known all over the world for their rich, full-bodied flavour, while other, more hidden wine areas like Jumilla offer out-of-the-way gems and the chance to take a wine route tour when it comes to Spanish wines. Spain actually grows more grapevines than any other country worldwide, and only France and Italy produce more wine from their grapes!
But precisely because the world of Spanish wine is so vast and varied, it can be hard to know where to start when buying wine in Spain, whether you’re purchasing wine online or buying in-store.
That’s why wine specialists 8Wines have compiled a list of the most important wine-producing regions in Spain you should know, and the best red wines from each one in 2023, so you can amaze your friends and guests with these special wines on your dinner table.
What are the 7 main wine-making areas in Spain?
This is just a small selection outlining the top grape-growing, wine-manufacturing regions and sub-regions of Spain:
1. Ribera del Duero
The two main red wines that you are sure to be served in any Spanish bar or restaurant are ‘Ribera’ and ‘Rioja’. Ribera del Duero wines come from the northern region of Castilla y León and have been awarded Spain’s second-highest wine classification (DO). The name refers to the Duero river, which also feeds grapes for one of Portugal’s greatest wine regions, the Douro Valley.
Some of the best Ribera wines on sale in 2023 include the great value Tinto Pesquera Crianza 2019, made from 100% Tempranillo. Crianza wines are aged in used oak for at least one year, so you can enjoy them immediately. A meatier and more serious alternative is the Dominio del Aguila Reserva 2018, which also comes rated very highly.
2. La Rioja
La Rioja is the other biggest region for the Spanish red wine known as ‘Rioja’, characterized by its bold, smokey and tannic nature. La Rioja was the first region in Spain to be awarded DO status, and in 1991 became the first region to achieve DOCa status too, which is the highest in Spain.
The Rioja with the best value for money on the market right now is the Reserva from La Rioja Alta, while at the more expensive end are Gran Reserva wines from outstanding vintages which are aged for longer in oak than any other Spanish red, such as the Gran Reserva 890. Full of dark fruity and scorched earth flavours, you could even keep it in your cellar for another 20 years!
3. Castilla y León
As well as the Ribero del Duero wine-producing area, Spain’s autonomous community of Castilla y León also includes quality wines from the likes of El Bierzo, Toro and Rueda, where the Tempranillo grape predominates.
But for something a bit different from the usual, try a wine made from the Mencia grape variety from the unique and sheltered area of El Bierzo, such as the Raul Perez Ultreia Valtuille Mencia 2020.
4. Galicia
Galicia in the northwest of Spain is exposed to the Atlantic Ocean and has the most rainfall of any region in the country, which may be why it’s variously known as the England of Spain and the Ireland of Spain.
Two Gallego red wines that stand out are the Fedellos do Couto, made from the Portuguese Bastarda grape, just across the border; and A Coroa Ladeira Vella, which is produced by one of Galicia’s oldest wineries and is only made in limited volumes.
5. Catalonia
On the other side of Spain is the region of Catalonia, where Barcelona is located, which grows distinctly Spanish red wine grapes like Monastrell and Tempranillo, but the influence of French Bordeaux is also strong due to its proximity with France.
Some of the top red wine appellations in Catalonia are Monsant and Priorat, where Grenache and Carignan thrive. Try a Ritme red wine from Priorat at a very reasonable price, or the curious Kosher wine Peraj Ha'Abib made from a combination of Grenache, Carignan and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.
6. Valencian Community
Just south of Catalonia is the Valencian Community, which has a wide variety of sub-regions and red wine styles so there’s something to suit everybody, from serious dry reds to sweet dessert wines.
A quarter of all grapes in Valencia are Monastrell, aka Mourvedre, which form the basis of the hearty, full-bodied Artadi El Seque wine, from the province of Alicante. An even more obscure choice is the Mustiguillo Finca Terrerazo, made from 100% Bobal grapes grown 800 metres above sea level and which are barely known outside of Spain.
7. Navarra Region
Finally, the small northern region of Navarra, which contains the city of Pamplona and the famous River Ebro, excels in rosé and dessert wines. A good way to start exploring Navarra wines is with the Artadi Pasos de San Martin, packed with notes of strawberry and cherry.
So if you’re inspired to try out some of these well-known or more obscure red wines from Spain’s best wine-producing regions, check out 8Wines online wine store to get your Spanish wines delivered right to your door.
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