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SPANISH WINE
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There are 56 D.O. (quality standards) regions in Spain. All the D.O.'s
regulate geographical region, grape varieties, harvesting, vinification
and sales through a controlling body appointed by the Ministry of
Agriculture. Only one region, Rioja, holds a D.O.Ca., which imposes yet
more exacting standards. Prior to the introduction of the quality
standards, Spain's reputation in the wine world was somewhat patchy,
producing large quantities of uninteresting plonk. In fact Spain has the
largest area under viticulture of any country in the world, although
yields are not as high as in other countries. The introduction of the D.O.
has led to some of the strictest quality control standards in the world,
and increased the prestige Spanish wines enjoy in the world market. The
best table wines are found in northern Spain, while Andalucia is famous
for its sherry. Red wines are often labeled as crianza, reserva
and gran reserva, for which the aging times for types may vary
according to the D.O.
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Spain's reputation is based on its red wines, the most
popular of which is undoubtedly Rioja.
The prominence of Rioja can be traced to the late nineteenth century after
phylloxera devastated the Bordeaux vineyards to the north. The climactic
conditions of moderate temperatures and rainfall have in good years led to
superb vintages.
The region is subdivided into three areas, Rioja Alta where most of the
important estates are found, Rioja Alvesa notable for its fruity wines and
Rioja Baja. Rioja wine is ruby red in colour and usually aged in American oak
barrels, after which the wines are bottle aged. The length of the maturation
process ranges from two years for crianza wines to five years for gran reserva,
two of which are spent in barrels. The most important bodegas include
Marques de Riscal, the oldest winery in Rioja, Faustino Martinez and Bodegas
Campo Viejo.
Further to the west is the Ribera del Duero D.O. Here
the famed Vega Sicilia bodega
produces the most expensive wines in Spain. Also notable is Priorat, which has
made waves in the wine world in recent years, and Penedes which is home to the
the popular Torres winery. The premier grape for Spanish reds is Tempranillo,
predominant in Rioja and Ribera del Duero, Garnacha, Graciano
along with the usual international varieties of Cabarnet Sauvingnon, Merlot and
Pinot Noir.
 The best white wines are found in Rias Baixas, a relatively new D.O. in Galicia, northwest Spain. The fresh fruity wines produced from the local Albarino grape thrives in the cool conditions to produce a fresh, fruity wine that is drunk young. Nearby is the more established D.O. of Ribieros which uses the Treixadura, and Loureiro grape varieties. Rioja also produces white using the Viura grape, although without the acclaim of the reds. But my favorite are still the Ribera del Duero wine's with there excelent existance.
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CAVA
Cava is the Spanish sparkling wine from the Penedes region of
Catalonia produced using the methode champenoise. European Community
directives mean that the wine can no longer be labeled champagne.The
first cava was produced in 1872 by the Codorniu
estate, which is still one of the most important wineries. Production involves
a second fermentation process by adding additional sugar and yeast to the
fermented wine. Today there are more than 200 producers, including Juve &
Camps, Segura Viudas and Freixenet,
which claims to be the biggest selling sparkling wine in the world. There are
six types of cava, classified accoring to the residual sugar content, extra brut, brut, extra seco, seco, semi-seco
and dulce.
SHERRY
Sherry production, centred on the town of Jerez de la Frontera, from which
the name is derived, began in the fourteenth century. Seamen on lengthy voyages
discovered that the longevity of the wine could be improved by adding spirits.
Today sherries are mainly based on the Palomino Fino grape variety, with an
alcohol content ranging between 15 to 20 degrees. The grape is first fermented
to produce a dry white wine, which is fortified with spirits. The wine is left
to age in oak barrels for at least three years in damp cool cellars. Types of
sherry range from the dry pale fino, typically served as a table wine, to
the dark aromatic oloroso. Popular producers include Osbourne,
who dominated the Spanish countryside for years with their trademark bull
silouttes, Gonzalez Byass, makers of
Tio Pepe, and Lustau.
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