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Home , Alella (DO), Alicante (DO), Almansa (DO), Bullas (DO), Calatayud (DO), Catalunya (DO)

Spain, like its neighbor to the north, , has been a producing country for centuries. However, because of an almost endless string of invasions, blights, and civil wars, it has only recently come out and shown the world what it can do. It is one of the most exciting wine countries in the world today, making wine with old world know-how and tradition but in a style that and lovers can both enjoy. The biggest reason for Spain’s success with the vine is the combination of its low latitude and average high altitude. In fact, the overwhelming majority of Spain’s lie at higher altitudes than any major region! That is not the only thing Spain has going for it as a wine producer: Ideal conditions for the vine; hot and dry , which thwarts most diseases; lots of investment coming in; many different cultures giving different perspectives on style and technique; a nice balance between international varieties and an ever increasing amount of indigenous ; and the ability to keep prices relatively low (for now). With all these amazing attributes, expect to see Spanish start to dominate the wine lists and retail shelves of the world.

Geography: Spain is one of two countries which make up the in the southwest corner of . Spain is bordered by to the west, the to the north, France to the Northeast, and the to the south and east. Though it is one country, Spain has 17 autonomous regions, some of which really do consider themselves their own country, complete with a different language and their own government. , on the northwest Atlantic coast, directly above Portugal, is cut off from the rest of Spain by mountains. This is really the only part of Spain that is not very arid. In fact, it is extremely wet and cool thanks to the weather coming off the . This region is Celtic in origin and the people speak (along with Spanish) Gallego, which is related to Portuguese. This is the only region of Spain not affected by Moorish influence, as it has never been invaded. In the northeast surrounding the city of is autonomous region of Catalunya ( in English and Cataluña in Spanish). This region used to include all of Roussillon in France, and indeed, most of this corner of Spain and France do not even recognize the border between the two countries. Catalan and Spanish are spoken here and Barcelona is their capital city. Castilla Y León is one of the most important wine regions. It includes such D.O. stars as , , and Toro. In the south of the country lies Andalucía where the famous country is found around the port city of Cádiz in the far southwest of the country. The region of Castilla – La Mancha in the center of the country surrounding the capital city of has more land planted to the vine then most countries do!

Climate: Because of Spain’s many different regions it is hard to describe a general climate. Overall, except for Galicia, in the northwest corner, Spain is dry and arid with light to extreme Mediterranean influence. The high plateaus of Castilla y León and Castilla-La Mancha have extreme continental climates, meaning they can have baking summers with freezing winters. Because of the altitude, diurnal temperature swings are very extreme in the summer, getting very cool at night but with dry, hot to very hot days. At lower altitudes along the Mediterranean Coasts, the climate is warm Mediterranean with most, if not all, the rain (whatever there is) falling in the winter months. More specific climates will be discussed below. Varieties

Primary Grape Varieties: Many indigenous grapes alongside international varieties. Northwest – Mencía (red), Albariño, , , (all white). Castilla y León – , Garnacha (both red), , Viura (white). Aragón/Catalunya – Garnacha, Tempranillo, Cariñena, , , (all red), Viura (called here), Garnacha Blanca, Parrellada, Xarell-lo, (all white). Castilla-La Mancha – Tempranillo, Garnacha (reds), Airén (white). Valencia/Southwest – Monastrell (red). Andalucía/Sherry Country – , Moscatel ( of Alexandria), Pedro Ximenéz (all white). Secondary Grape Varieties: A huge amount of indigenous varieties (l learn of a new variety every day!!).

The star grape variety of Spain is without a doubt the Tempranillo grape. The grape is named from the Spanish temprano, which means early. This is because, the Tempranillo grape is an early ripener which, unfortunately, makes it susceptible to early spring frosts. Spain is the perfect place for this grape because of its very warm, dry climate where frost is not as much of an issue as in other parts of the world. Staying true to Spain’s culturally diverse people, there seems to be a different synonym for Tempranillo in every little town you go to, and this grape is grown all over the country. Some of its synonyms include: Ull de Llebre in Catalunya; Cencibel in La Mancha; Tinto Fino and Tinta del Pais in Ribera del Duero; Tinto de Toro in the Toro region. Other names include Tinto Madrid, Tinto de , and Tinto Aragónez, as well as Aragónez and Tinto Roriz in Portugal. It is grown in practically all regions of Spain and can produce different styles of wine depending on what climate it has adapted to over the centuries as well as the wine-making methods used (i.e. French or American , minimal or extended cask ageing, etc. ). Unlike grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo does not have a characteristic style. It blends well with a variety of grapes; traditionally Garnacha and Cariñena in Rioja. More and more, blends of Tempranillo with international varieties such as Cabernet, Syrah, and Merlot are becoming more popular.

Appellation System and Aging Regime

Hierarchy of Quality wine Designations (from top to bottom): Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOCa or just DOC) – Spain’s top wine distinction, so far awarded to only Rioja, Priorat, and just recently Ribera Del Duero. Denominación de Origen (DO) – controlled governed by a regional body called the Consejo Regulador, which decides on regional boundaries, permitted vine varieties, maximum yields, limits of alcoholic strength, and any other limitations pertaining to the zone. Spain’s answer to the French AOC. Denominación de Origen Pago (DO Pago) - reserved for single estates producing particularly creditable wines. (VdlT) – regional wines made outside the delimited zones but still have designations of origin. The rules are much looser here and producers are free to create their own style of wines, many of which end up much better than the DO wines of the region. Example, La Granja is a wine made with a little Syrah. This does not comply with DOC standards for Ribera Del Duero so it is designated as VdlT Castilla y León, which is the autonomous zone which makes up many D.O.s including Ribera Del Duero (see map). This is Spain’s answer to the French Vin de Pays system. Vino de (VdM) – , the most basic .

Wine Label Terms in Regards to Aging (The DOCa of Rioja has somewhat stricter rules): Joven: Indicates a wine that has not been aged or aged for less than 6 months. For reds, whites, and rosés. Crianza: Indicates a red wine has been aged for two years, six months of which be in small oak casks (one year in Rioja). White and wine must be aged for at least one year (two in Rioja), no oak aging is mandatory (6 months in small oak casks in Rioja). Reserva: Indicates a red wine which must be made from grapes in good and must be aged for at least three years before release, of which one year must be in small oak casks. White and rosé wines must be aged for at least two years, of which six months must be in small oak casks (same in Rioja). Gran Reserva: Indicates a red wine that must be made from grapes in outstanding vintages and aged for at least five years, two of which must be in small oak casks. White and rosé wines must be aged for at least 4 years, of which six months must be in small oak casks (same in Rioja).

The Wine Regions of Spain Organized from north to south within the autonomous area that surrounds them

Galicia (Northwest Spain directly above Portugal): D.O. Rías Baixas Location: as far north west as it is possible to go in Spain, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, with sub- regions scattered on the coast and in the country-side from the northern border of Portugal to just south of the city of in the north.

Grape Variety(s)/Wine Style: Primary White- Albariño grape - makes dry acidic whites that often have stone fruit and apples with an underlying stoniness. Secondary Whites - Loureira Blanca, Treixadura, Caiño Blanca, Torrontés and Godello Primary Reds (rarely seen or heard of outside the region) - , Espadeiro, , Sousón, Brancellao and Pedral.

Climate: maritime - dominated by the Atlantic which gives the region plenty (sometimes too much) of rain with very little extremes of temperature.

Food Pairing: Locals drink it with fresh seafood brought in from the Atlantic, but seafood of any kind is a great match.

Previous and Current Vintages: Vintages do not vary much from year to year as there is little extreme of temperature. Scale - poor, fair, good, very good, excellent 2002 (good); 2003 (very good); 2004 (excellent); 2005 (excellent); 2006 (excellent); 2007 (excellent); 2008 (good); 2009 (very good); 2010 (very good); 2011 (very good); 2012 (very good) Note: The region is named for the flooded coastal valleys that cut into the coastline that the locals call rías.

Other DOs of Galicia D. – Located next to Rías Baixas but further inland in the valley of the Miño River. D.O. Ribeira Sacra – Name means “sacred riverbank.” It is located on the River Sil and the River Minño, which the Sil flows into and flows towards the Ribeiro region. The vineyards are on very steep slopes in the river valleys. There are many microclimates created by the twists and turns of the rivers. However, in general, this is a very cool growing region with high winds and an abundance of rain. Very hard to grow grapes here but the successful producers can make some of the highest quality wines in Spain! D.O. Monterrei – Located on the Spanish-Portuguese border. Being located fairly far inland, it is probably the warmest place in Galicia with relatively hot summers and cold winters. Mencía for reds and Godello for whites are two grapes grown here. D.O. Valdeorras – Borders the Castilla y León zone and has more in common with it then Galicia. It is located on the river Sil and vineyards are grown in the river valleys. It is the driest part of Galicia, which is still a lot wetter than the rest of Spain. Menía does well , as does the Godello.

Castilla y León: D.O. Bierzo – Located just up river from Valdeorras on the river Sil. It looks like it should be part of Galicia but is the most western region in Castillo y León. The climate is dry like the rest of Castilla Y León, yet it is influenced by the Atlantic as well as the mountains surrounding it. Therefore it has a little more rain than usual for the region and is a bit more temperate then the regions to the west. This is also the last successful outpost of the Mencía and Godello grape varieties. D.O. – Located north of the old capital city of and west of the Ribera Del Duero DOCa.

D.O.C.a Ribera Del Duero Location: North central Spain close to the headwaters of the Duero river. The region is centered on the river (Ribera means ‘around’). It is on a high plateau south west of Rioja and just north of the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains.

Grape Variety(s)/Wine Style: Red wine only district Primary Red: Tempranillo (called here Tinto Fino). Tinto Fino makes up anywhere from 90%-100% in a bottle of wine. Secondary Red: A small amount of Garnacha is planted and sometimes used in the wine; Cabernet, Merlot and are very rarely used (i.e. ). Primary white: is used in small amounts to blend with the Tinto Fino and soften it but cannot be bottled as Ribera del Duero. Style: Intense, deep-colored and firm-flavored wines with big tannin and acid structure. Red fruit predominates accompanied by earthy flavors.

Climate: Continental with longer cold winters and shorter hot summers. One of the highest wine producing regions in Europe. Summers days can get extremely hot but can cool off quite a bit at night.

Food Pairing: Young Ribera del Duero wines are good matches with big meat dishes but older vintages can be every bit as good with lamb and other game dishes as a Bordeaux. Because of their high acid levels, they can cut through rich sauces to balance the dish.

Previous and Current Vintages Scale - poor, fair, good, very good, excellent 2002 (very good); 2003 (very good); 2004 (excellent); 2005 (very good); 2006 (good); 2007(very good); 2008 (very good); 2009 (excellent); 2010 (excellent); 2011 (very good)

Note: Many people ask me what I would compare a Ribera del Duero wine to. While many of the wines are different, generally, I liken a young Ribera wine to a young Bordeaux because of the similar style, structure, and body.

D.O. Toro Location: North central west Spain, downstream from Ribera del Duero and just south of the city of Valladolid. It is the last D.O. before the Duero River crosses the Portuguese border and becomes the River of Port fame.

Grape Variety(s)/Wine Style: Primary Red: Tempranillo (here called Tinto de Toro). Wines must be made from at least 75% Tinto de Toro. The grape has adapted itself to the extreme conditions of the region to give wines bursting with black fruit so different from Rioja or even upstream at Ribera del Duero that it is practically a different grape variety! Secondary Red: Garnacha (). Sometimes blended with Tinto de Toro Primary white: and Verdejo making full-bodied that is rare and rarely seen outside of the region. Style: Can be sold as young, fruit-forward and juicy wines with no oak aging (Joven). However, most are aged in oak for some time(Crianza, Reserva, and Gran Reserva). The best have full bodies with full fruit flavor but an underlying chalky minerality that keeps the fruit grounded.

Climate: Though generally warmer, it has a similar climate to Ribera del Duero – high altitude, little rain, extremely hot summer days, but cooling off at night – resulting in wines with similar structural characteristics (high tannin and acid).

Food Pairing: Big bodied wines which call for big meat dishes. Also, the high acid and ample fruit do well with rich and spicy dishes. The acid to cut through the richness, and the fruit to tame the spices.

Previous and Current Vintages : There is very little variation from year to year. Scale - poor, fair, good, very good, excellent 2002 (excellent); 2003 (excellent); 2004 (excellent); 2005 (excellent); 2006 (very good); 2007 (excellent); 2008 (excellent); 2009 (excellent)*

Note: Currently, the quality level of Toro wines is excellent, easily rivaling Ribera del Duero. However, they are not as in fashion as its upstream neighbor so even wines from the best producers are generally very affordable. This cannot last too much longer so take advantage while *Data from CRDO Toro

D.O.C.a Rioja Location: Center north of Spain, sheltered from the cold Atlantic winds from the north by the Sierra de mountains and cut off from the south by the Sierra de la Demanda mountains. Rioja is divided into three sub-regions: the Rioja Alta up in the mountains in the northwest of the region; the Rioja Alavesa north of the river , in Basque country; and the Rioja Baja, lower, warmer and flatter area following the Ebro river as it moves southwest towards the Mediterranean.

Grape Variety(s)/Wine Style: Primary Red: Tempranillo. Usually makes up at least 70% of the blend, though many vintners are now making 100% Tempranillo wines. Secondary Reds: Garnacha, Mazuelo (), and . Cabernet Sauvignon is used but classified as ‘experimental’ so cannot be put on a back label Primary White: Viura. This is the Macabeo of Catalunya which is important in production. Secondary Whites: Malvasía Riojana and Garnacha Blanca Style: Can break up wine styles into two camps: traditional and modern. Traditional styles are bottled when the wine is ready to be consumed. They can await this moment for long years in oak, often American. The reds can be elegant wines with earthy red fruits, plenty of oak flavors (vanilla, sweet cigar box, dill, etc) and refreshing acidity. Both red and white traditional Rioja can spend years (sometimes decades) in oak and bottle and come out fresh, acidic, and extremely enjoyable. The traditional wine-maker’s offspring and protagais, often take the lessons learned from their family and/or mentors about traditional wine-making methods and then instill the knowledge from their training at University or from visiting other great regions of the world to make excellent quality wines with a more modern flair. Namely, more fruit, more body, and the use of French oak.

Climate: Both the Rioja Alta and the Rioja Alavesa have vineyards at altitudes of up to 1700 ft and have hot short summers with mild autumns, and very cold winters. Tempranillo excels in these two regions. The Rioja Baja is flatter, lower, dryer and hotter with some Mediterranean influence flowing up the Ebro. Garnacha excels here.

Food Pairing: Rioja’s excel as food wines. The high acid, medium tannins, and medium-bodied structure make it versatile with regards to the world’s cuisine. Traditional styles pair well with game and lamb but can be very enjoyable with some seafood dishes because of the lighter body and searing acidity of the wines. More modern styles, with their bigger bodies and structure, do well with bigger meat dishes, starting with lamb and moving up to beef. When confronted with richness in a dish, Rioja, traditional or modern style, is a good accompaniment.

Previous and Current Vintages : 2002 (good); 2003 (good); 2004 (excellent); 2005 (excellent); 2006 (very good); 2007 (very good); 2008 (very good); 2009 (very good); 2010 (excellent); 2011 (excellent)*

Note: Because Rioja can age so well, older bottles can be found on the wine lists of the world. The following is a list of some of the best Rioja vintages of the 20th century: 1934, 1948, 1952, 1955, 1958, 1964, 1982, 1994, 1995, 2001.* *Data from the Rioja Consejo Regulador website http://us.riojawine.com/en/

D.O. Rueda Location: Located in the region of Castilla y León in northern Spain. It is the most southerly D.O in Castilla (western section of Castilla y León), located east of the Toro D.O. (contiguous) and just south of the city of Valladolid. It is northeast in relation to Madrid and the Duero River cuts through it on its way to the Portuguese border.

Grape Variety(s): White: Verdejo, , Viura Red: Tempranillo, Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot White wine is more common in this region and the Verdejo grape is by far the most popular variety

Wine Style: The most common style that is imported into the US is 100% Verdejo. These can be made in simple, crisp, Sauvignon Blanc-like styles, as well as full-bodied, concentrated, and complex styles worthy of cellaring. These last often come from the regions very old vines (80+ years).

Climate: Continental climate with cold winters and hot summers. Strong winds can be a problem (vine destruction) or a blessing (lower disease risk) and the vines are often planted low to the ground and trained in a bush). There is very little rainfall in most years so irrigation is allowed for quality purposes.

Soils and Topography: There are some alluvial soils with limestone and clay near the river (Duero), but most are sandy and very stony, made up of sandstone and clay. All are poor in organic materials. The sandy soils allow for planting off vines on their own as does not enjoy this type of soil. It also allows for the survival of extremely old vines. Bodegas Shaya has an old vine with vines reaching well over the century mark! The land is very flat but very high in altitude with vineyards at elevations of up to 2600 ft. The vines are bush-trained and are often found in small depressions in the ground to protect them from the wind as well as helping them to capture as much moisture as possible in this extremely dry, inhospitable climate.

Food Pairing: Less concentrated Verdejo-based wines can be used in similar ways as a Sauvignon Blanc. They can be great accompaniement with summer salads and seafood. The complex versions made from very old vines and sometimes even barrel-fermented, can be a great pairing with poultry and game. Often treated in the same way as a fine white Burgundy.

Navarra: D.O. Navarra – Navarra is a single autonomous zone and wine region that runs from the foothills of the in the northeast and butts up against Rioja to the west. Climatically, it behaves somewhat like Rioja in that it is dry and continental to the north and west then gets more and more Mediterranean as it goes farther south and east. Tempranillo and Garnacha are grown in abundance here but Navarra is becoming well known for its acreage of international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and . Blending indigenous varieties with international varieties is helping to single out Navarra a bit more from its more famous neighbor.

Aragón: D.O. Calatayud Location: , south of Navarra and Campo de Borja, and west of Cariñena.

Grape Variety(s): Primary Red: Garnacha, known locally as Garnacha Tinta del Monte, Tempranillo, and Mazuelo - The proportion of Tempranillo is slowly increasing. Secondary Reds: , Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Monastrell Primary White: Macabeo, Malvasia, Garnacha Blanca Secondary Whites: Chardonnay, Moscatel (All white wines are really secondary here)

Wine Style: Mainly red wine DO. The Garnacha vine is literally at home here. All evidence points to it being indeginous to this area of Spain. It is not uncommon to walk through the vineyards and regularly see Garnacha vines over a century old! These can translate into full-bodied, dense and concentrated Garnachas that have the spice racks of the world in them. is usually pretty high but the prices are not. Great way to experience wines from older, old, and ancient vines without breaking the bank.

Climate: Continental, with cold winters and hot summers with high frost risk. Summer heat is kept down by winds. There are not very noticeable in between seasons here. The vignerons say that one day it will be 80 degrees, and then a storm will come, and the next day it is winter! The vineyards are located at 1800 – 2800 ft where the diurnal temperature change will give the grapes a long hang-time which will ripen the grapes and build flavors and acidity slowly.

Food Pairing: There are some similarities to a Priorat, as far as food pairings go. They have nowhere near the structure of a Priorat but their dense fruit will cool off many spices and the exotic spices in some older vine wines may even complement exotic spices in some dishes. With fruit density but lacking big tannins, this wine is one of the rare still wines that can be paired with chocolate.

Previous and Current Vintages :

Note: Calatayud is a corruption of Qualat Ayub, the castle of Ayub, or Job, a Moorish governor which is still up in the town. Co-ops still are the name of the game, but they achieve better and better quality all the time and smaller producers are starting to crop up.

D.O Cariñena – Located just west of Calatayud. Wines are similar to Calatayud but not as refined. D.O. Campo de Borja – This DO is contiguous with Navarra, but is climatically different (as well as being in a different zone). The region is surrounded by mountains and the vineyards are high above sea level. In my opinion, given a quality producer, Garnacha reaches its greatest heights in the old-vine vineyards of this region. The wines are big, fruit-forward, and filled with cooking and pungent spices. You can sit there and smell the wine all day and seemingly never stop picking out new aromas. The climate helps to achieve this level of quality. It is a continental climate with extremes of temperatures. However, there is plenty of sunshine and summer nights are always cool. This all adds up to ripe grapes with high sugar levels producing wines with a good zap of alcohol, a complexity of character, and high acidity to balance. D.O. – Located up in the Pyrenees, 50 miles from the French border, the name means “under the mountain.” This is another rare part of Spain that is actually green, owing to plenty of melt water coming down from the mountains.

Catalunya (Catalonia): D.O. Penedés – Located on the outskirts of the city of Barcelona. The Mediterranean Sea borders the region to the south and it is surrounded by mountains to the north. Penedés is flat and hot closer to the coast, moving north to rolling hills, and then goes up into the foothills of the coastal mountains. The higher in altitude and further from the sea, the more continental the climate is. Vineyards are on all three levels growing different grape varieties and making different wine styles from each. This is the center for the sparkling Cava production in Spain. Though there are a huge amount of grape varieties (121 identified) in this region, the three white grapes of Cava production are the most important. These are the , Xarel.lo, and Macabeo (Viura) grapes (See below). Macabeo makes up most of the blend with Parellada providing acidity, and Xarel.lo bringing extra weight to the finished product. Tempranillo (Ull de Llebre), Garnacha, and Monastrell are important red varieties.

D.O Cava Location: Cava is the only appellation that is not restrained to just one geographical region. There are scattered areas all over the country (7 different regions) that Cava can be made in. However, 95% of all Cava comes from Catalunya, where it originated, specifically Penedés (see above).

Grape Variety(s)/Wine Style: Primary Whites: Macabeo (Viura), Parellada, and Xarel.lo. Macabeo makes up most of the blend and contributes freshness and acidity; Parellada provides fragrance and finesse, and Xarel.lo brings extra weight to the finished product. Secondary Whites: Chardonnay and Malvasía Riojana. Chardonnay is becoming more popular as it rounds out the wine, as well as providing ageability. There is a big debate over adding Chardonnay as many prefer to use indigenous varieties and therefore separating themselves from the sparkling wines of the rest of the world. Primary Reds: Garnacha, Monastrell, , and . All used to make rosado/rosé Cava. The indeginous Trepat was rescued from extinction very recently and brought back to life from just a few acres of land. It is a good thing too, because it can make the most balanced and highest quality rosé Cava. Wine Styles: Cava is more neutral then due to the grape varieties used (this is one reason why more people are adding Chardonnay), though this is not a bad thing. Non Vintage Cava are blends of wine from past and current years, blended together to make a house style that is consistent from year to year. They usually are crisp and refreshing with hints of apples and pears, and a stony minerality. There is not usually much of an autolytic character (yeasty, bready, toasty notes) as the wine is aged with its lees (dead yeast cells), as per the Traditional Method, for a minimum of 9 months (instead of the 15 month minimum of NV Champagne). Vintage Cava is made from grapes harvested in a specified year. They are usually aged much longer on their lees, giving the finished wine much more complexity, with flavors of fruit, minerals, and the autolytic notes of bread and yeast. Cava can have very high levels of acidity.

Climate: Flat, hot, and dry near the coast, getting cooler moving into the foothills of the Pyrenees and finally, much cooler with a continental climate and many microclimates up in the mountains. Xarel.lo is usually grown at lower altitudes, while Macabeo and Parellada are grown at higher, cooler altitudes.

Sugar Levels: Brut Nature – 0-3 g/l Residual Sugar (RS), no sugar can be added; Extra Brut – 0-6 g/l RS, can only be used if no sugar is added after disgorging the bottle; Brut – 0-12 g/l RS; Extra Dry – 12-17 g/l RS; Dry – 17-32 g/l RS; Semi-Dry – 32-50 g/l RS; Sweet – over 50 g/l RS.

Food Pairing: What does it not go with?! Cava, like other high quality traditional method sparkling wines, is an invaluable asset to food pairing. Crisp, more neutral Non Vintage examples are great as an apparitif, as well as with any seafood dish. The weightier, more complex Vintage Cava’s are a great accompaniment to more serious dishes, cutting through rich sauces but having the body to compliment game or even lamb. Even with dessert, whether savory or sweet, a fruit-driven rosé or a sweeter Cava can offer a wealth of enjoyment to the end of the meal.

Previous and Current Vintages: 2002 (very good); 2003 (good); 2004 (good); 2005 (very good); 2006 (excellent); 2007 (excellent); 2008 (excellent); 2009 (very good); 2010 (good)*

Note: Cava is held up to the same legal aging requirements as the rest of Spain. A Reserva Cava is aged for a minimum of 15 months on its lees while Gran Reserva is aged for 30 months and must be made from Brut designated wine. *Data from Cava Consejo Regulador website: http://www.crcava.es/english/inicio.htm

D.O.Ca / D.O.Q Priorat – Location: Small region up in the mountains two hours west of Barcelona. It is surrounded on three sides by the bigger Montsant DO.

Grape Variety(s)/Wine Style: Primary Reds: Garnacha Tinta; Garnacha Peluda; Cariñena – Garnacha Tinta is the most favored and the primary blend of the region us Garnacha Tinta with lesser percentages of Cariñena. Garnacha Peluda is a variant of Garnacha Tinta. It is called this because the undersides of the leaves have a hairy (peluda) appearance. When made into wine, it shows lower alcohol levels and a lighter color. Cariñena is the oldest planted variety in the region but only really old vines provide quality wines. This is why it is usually only added in lesser percentages for an acidic punch and some color. However, there are some wines where cariñena is the majority using very old vines in the blend. Secondary Reds: Cabernet Sauvignon; Merlot; Syrah – Listed here as second varieties only in the traditional sense. Modern in Priorat takes advantage of these three varieties more and more. Primary White: Garnacha Blanca; Macabeo – White wine is very rare in Priorat. However Garnacha Blanca can be the backbone of some beautiful full-body, minerally, and powerful blends that will age well in the bottle. Macabeo is often used for its higher (than Garnacha Blanca) levels of acidity, as well as palate weight and resistance to oxidation. Secondary Whites: Pedro Ximénez; Wine Styles: Red wine country, very small amount of white wine produced. The wines range from Joven to Gran Reserva, but these terms are rarely seen on the bottles. The reds are usually very full bodied with good concentration (especially when Cabernet, Merlot, and/or Syrah are used in the blend. These wines bridge the gap between ‘Old-World’ and ‘New World’ styles. They are fruit driven wines with soaring alcohol levels (14% up to 18%!!), but there is a refreshing slatey minerality and high acidity that runs through the wines that keeps them from being overly fruity and places the wines firmly in the ‘Old- World’. Because of the structure and fruit of the wines, they will age very well (top selections are best after a decade), but they are a joy to drink young and vibrant. Do to the ridiculously low yields and old vines, the wines are very expensive, but worth every penny!

Climate/Soil: The climate and the soil help make this wine region unique. The climate is continental, but high in the mountains so there are many microclimates. It is affected by cold north winds and warm, moist winds from the Mediterranean. There is a decent amount of rain but it falls in limited periods and there is abundant sunshine the rest of the time. The volcanic soil is a mix of slate and quartzite and is reddish in color which the locals call this ‘Llicorella.” The soil is a cool wet soil that holds the little rain that falls down deep in the subsoil and makes the vines work to penetrate the soil and find that water. The result is very low yields of high quality fruit.

Food Pairing: These wines can stand up to the biggest and richest dishes due to their full bodies and high acidity. They can cool off spicy dishes due to their fruit content and can add spice to simple dishes. Pair with meats from game dishes to big steaks, but do not forget about fish with rich sauces. In general, the more traditional Priorats with the Garnacha/Cariñena blends, are more versatile than the fuller-bodied and more dense modern styles with the international grape varieties.

Previous and Current Vintages: Scale - poor, fair, good, very good, excellent 2002 (good); 2003 (very good); 2004 (excellent); 2005 (excellent); 2006 (very good); 2007 (very good); 2008 (very good); 2009 (excellent); 2010 (excellent); 2011 (good)*

Note: Priorat is arguably one of the highest quality wine producing regions in the world. It became a DOCa/DOQ in 2003 and is one of only three regions in Spain to achieve that quality denomination. The ‘Llicorella’ soils are found in only one other spot in the EU, across the country, it emerges in the Port country, in the Douro Valley of Portugal. *http://www.doqpriorat.org/eng/index.php

D.O. Montsant – Forms a horseshoe around the Priorat region. Though it is inland, it is sheltered by mountains and the climate is not extreme. Similar grape varieties as Priorat are used but with a little more emphasis on the international varieties. The quality never reaches as high as its neighbor, Priorat, but there are very good wines made in Montsant and they will be found at a much better value than its more famous neighbor. D.O. Empordá - Costa Brava D.O. D.O. Tarragona D.O. Terra Alta D.O. D.O. Conca De D.O. D.O. Cataluña – Regional DO that includes all of the wine regions listed above. Castilla-La Mancha D.O. La Mancha – This region is found just south of the country’s capital city. This is the world’s largest wine producing area. In the recent past, this whole section of the country, which is a high plateau called the Meseta, was used to produce thin white and red wine destined to be distilled. The climate is extreme continental with temperatures over 100F baking the land in the summer while cold winters can get the thermostat down to below zero. However, there are big diurnal temperature changes in the summer along with an abundance of sun and very little rain. Because of this, organic is increasing and the quality of the grapes is getting better every year. Investment money has been flowing in updating equipment and hygiene in the vineyards and . Today, very high quality wines are being produced at ridiculously low prices. Tempranillo (called Cencibel here), Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah make up most of the plantings for red wines. Airén is a white grape and it is by far the most planted. In fact, it makes up more vineyard land then most wine- producing countries. These vineyards are slowly being replanted to quality the red varieties. This is a very exciting region to watch and enjoy. D.O. – Located between Madrid and La Mancha. Wine quality revolution going on here as well as La Mancha. Organic Viticulture is becoming more popular as well as investment. Proximity to Madrid makes a welcome and easy market. D.O. Mondéjar D.O. Méntrida D.O. Uclés D.O. Valdepeñas D.O. Pago D.O. Pago Finca Elez – The vineyard, located at 3,280 ft above sea level, is one of the highest in Spain. D.O. Manchuela D.O. Ribera del Júcar D.O. Almansa The Levant (Valencia and ) D.O. Alicante D.O. Bullas D.O. Jumilla Location: Southeast part of Spain called The Levant, in the autonomous . Bordered to the north by the Almansa DO and to the east by Yecla DO and Alicante DO.

Grape Variety(s): Primary Red: Monastrell, Garnacha Tinta, Tempranillo (Cencibel) Secondary Reds: Cabernet Sauvignon Primary White: Airén Secondary Whites: Macabeo, PX, Malvasia, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Moscatel de Grano Menudo

Wine Style: Monastrell is to this region what Garnacha is to in the north. 85% of the plantings are made up of this grape, making full-bodied wines spilling over with black fruit and mountain herbs. Wines made from old vine Monastrell and some oak treatment can be very dense and very serious, long-lived wines. Unfortunately the vines in the region are riddled with viruses and 60 year old vines are about the oldest that can be found.

Climate: Though on a map, the region may look like it should be a Mediterreanean climate, it is actually more continental. This is because the vineyards are located at altitudes between 1300 and 2600 ft above sea level (the land rises very quickly from the sea). Winters temperatures can fall below zero, but the summers are hot, sunny, and arid, with temperatures rising to over 100 F and more. This is an arid land with vines and some olive or nut trees, the only things able to grow.

Food Pairing: Joven wines are great with a variety of foods; game dishes and spicy foods. Wines that are made from older vines and have oak pair well with red meat

Previous and Current Vintages : 2002 (good); 2003 (very good); 2004 (excellent); 2005 (very good); 2006 (very good); 2007 (good); 2008 (very good); 2009 (very good); 2010 (very good); 2011 (very good)* * http://www.vinosdejumilla.org/crdoj-ing/index-i.asp

Note: Monastrell is the Spanish synonym for the French Mourvédre. Because of the geographic isolation and soil structure (sandy), phylloxera has a hard time getting a hold here. The aphid did reach the region in 1989 and many vignerons replanted to mostly Monastrell on grafted . There are still un-grafted vines, however.

D.O. Utiel – Requena D.O. Valencia – Named after the third biggest city and Spain’s biggest port. D.O. Yecla – Surrounded by the DOs of Jumilla, Almansa, and Alicante. It is a tiny wine producing region which is at 1300 – 2600 ft above sea level, but is surrounded by even higher mountains. It is southern continental, which is far enough inland to have hot summers and cold winters but is far enough south for the winters not to be too cold. Like Jumilla, this is Monastrell country, making similar styles of wine as its western neighbor. D.O. Ribera del – Extremadura’s only DO. Andalucía D.O. Jerez-Xérès-Sherry y de Sanlúcar de Barrameda – This is Sherry country which we will talk about separately. D.O. Montilla-Moriles – This ancient wine producing area is home to the Pedro Ximénez grape, which ripens to very high sugar levels and is used as sweetening agents for the wines of Jerez as well as to the south. Montilla produces its own sweet wines as well. For the top wines, the grapes are picked very ripe and then laid out to dry in the sun for weeks. This shrivels the grapes, concentrating the sugars and flavors. They then press the grapes and make a wine so dense and sweet that they sometimes do not need to fortify it. The yeasts will stop on their own around 17% abv. Moscatel is also used for these wines. Otherwise, the production of fortified and unfortified Montilla wine is identical to Sherry production, which we will look at Separately. D.O. Condado de – Located northwest of Sanlúcar de Barrameda along the Atlantic Coast. D.O. Málaga – Produces high alcohol and fortified wines that were once famous but have been out of fashion recently. High quality wines are still made waiting for a change in the fashion wind and a revival.