As the third-largest wine-producing country, Spain deserves equal recognition as France and Italy. However, it seems like people are not that aware of what Spanish wine has to offer.
Although Spain has a complex way of showcasing the distinct characteristics of its wines and their popular cuisine, there’s still much to know about the country’s wines. A good start would be going on a wine tasting whether it’s in Spain or in local Spanish restaurants.
Just like any other wine tasting party, you’ll get to enjoy the wine and the conversation. Luckily, this time, you’ll also get to appreciate the perfect combination of tapas and wine.
So if you’re ready for it, here’s the list of reasons why you should try Spanish wine tasting!
1. Get to know their culture and tradition
The culture and tradition of wine-making in Spain have been going on for a couple of centuries. It started when the Phoenicians established a trading post in the southwestern part of Spain and introduced ideas on how to turn these purple vines or grapes into wine. A lot of other visitors came to try and mess up with their system, but the Spaniards still succeeded in the end.
When you visit Spain or even Spanish restaurants, you might notice that wine is always a part of the meal. It’s a common thing for Spaniards to drink while having a meal, toasting, and enjoying some tapas once in a while.
But even though Spaniards have this tradition of including wine in their daily lives, their average consumption of wine is just half the average consumption of their neighbouring country, Portugal.
2. Lots of wineries
In Spain, there are a lot of traditional family-owned and large wineries to choose from. There are around 4,300 wineries that export products to various countries. This may be a great topic to talk about when you attend a wine tasting at Spanish restaurants so that everyone is informed of the story of Spanish wines.
However, when you visit Spain and you look for wineries to visit, it’s best if you try both types. Although it would be awesome to see how large wineries operate, the traditional wineries offer a homey and friendly stay for all their guests.
Some of the well-known wineries in Spain are Dinastia Vivanco, Marqués dae Riscal, and Bodegas Torres. These wineries have been in the industry for quite some time, and have been expanding in other countries. Moreover, they have been using the traditional and advanced ways of wine-making.
3. Organic vineyards
If you haven’t been to Spain, it will also help you imagine how vineyards look during your wine tasting even if it’s just at your local Spanish restaurants. The taste of various Spanish wines will take you on an adventure to organically produced vineyards.
On the other hand, if you have tried roaming around in Spain, then it would be impossible not to drive through at least one vineyard. Aside from that, you should never forget the fact that there are around 400 varieties of grapes that can be found in Spain.
Since Spain has the best spot in producing grapes, it explains the rich wine industry and its great taste. Just so you don’t get confused, when you hear about Cariñena or Garnacha in Spain, they’re not family names, but varieties of famous grapes in their country.
4. Diverse variations
Did we mention how diverse Spain is? It’s not just about their cuisine where the ingredients vary from one region to another, but also their wine. In fact, there are around 12 regions in Spain that cater to different wines which are not that surprising if you know a little about this country.
For the locals, it’s easier to local where their preferred wines are since they already know where the colder climate lies. But for tourists or wine tasters, it’s best to ask for recommendations especially when you can’t relate to the wine bottle labels at Spanish restaurants.
To give you some ideas, the wines with earthy undertones are most likely from the Priorat region. If you’re looking for a fruity wine that comes from a colder region, you can go to Ribera del Duero. And if you love sherry, you can visit the Jerez region anytime you want.
5. There’s a Spanish wine for everyone
When you go on a wine tasting, you pretty much identify the different flavours in a glass of wine. So whether it’s your first time or not, you’ll still get the idea of what kind of Spanish wine you like.
Since the diversity of the Spanish wine industry is often discussed, you’ll have a lot of different options to choose from. For starters, you might want to pick the most popular among major wine categories, and from there, you can easily identify which wine is for you.
So now that you’re well-informed about the Spanish wine industry, it’ll be easier for you to enjoy the wine tasting. It would be great to share common interests with your fellow wine tasters while sipping the best wines that Spain can offer.
Don’t forget to share with us which Spanish wine is your top choice by leaving a comment below!
