Whether you’re sipping Cava on the coast, indulging in Rioja, or drinking Albarino and watching the sunset, you’ll never be disappointed with a glass of Spanish wine. Spain has many exciting natural regions with a rich diversity of wines, so whatever you prefer, you will likely find it here. Layla-Joy Williams, the founder of IYLIA, says, “Spain is exciting because it’s an incredibly diverse region in terms of climate, topography, and grape varietals. The soil and sun offer a unique product with the least amount of chemicals.” Indeed, the whole country seems like it was uniquely created to produce diverse and quality wines.
Understanding Spain’s Wine Country
Spain is a large country with wine regions on the coasts and inland, which allows for the wide diversity of wine produced in this country. The Mediterranean Sea on the east coast influences Cava, Priorat, and Valencia. At the same time, the Atlantic Ocean creates gorgeous wine in Galicia on the west coast, and the Cantabrian Sea to the North influences the Rioja region. The northern coast is cooler and humid, and the middle central plateau is full of extremes ranging from blistering hot to cold, with drought being a common problem. The Mediterranean influences the southern and eastern sides of Spain with mild winters, while the Cordilleras mountain range divides Spain into natural regions that offer a wide variety of quality wines. Let’s look at several of these major Spanish regions.
Spanish wine is regulated by the Consejo Regulador, a wine quality control system that oversees quality standards in each zone. The overarching classification is the Denominación de Origen (DO) or Denominación de Origen Protegida (DOP) system. Rioja has its own classification, which historically indicated quality in relation to the oak aging requirements. Those are Crianza, Reserva, and Gran Reserva. The Rioja classification is important to note because it reflects the style of the wine.
Galicia in Northwest Spain (West Coast)
Galicia is in the Atlantic Northwest and encompasses these important regions: Rías Baixas (REE-us-BYE-shus), Ribeira Sacra, Bierzo, Valdeorras, and Txakolina.
The grape varietals coming from here are Albariño, Mencía, and Godello. Galicia is known as “Green Spain” and is a wet, lush region situated in the top left corner of Spain, nestled next to Portugal. The region has both countryside and dramatic cliffs over the Atlantic coastline. The ocean’s influence, rainfall, and cliffs contribute to a popular mineral-driven crisp white wine.
Albariño shines here and is the main grape varietal. This wine is a crisp white wine that pairs beautifully with seafood and fish. Mencia is an underrated red wine that can be produced as light to big. But don’t forget Godello. It’s one of my favorite varietals to have friends try.
Catalonia and Valencia on the Mediterranean Coast (NE, Eastern Spain Coast)
Are you dreaming about tapas, Cava, warm weather, and coastlines? So am I! Which is why this is the region for us. In this famous stretch of the Mediterranean Coast, Catalonia is the region dedicated to the Cava, the sparkling wine that is produced in the traditional method. Priorat DOCa zone is located southwest of Barcelona in the Catalonia province. This intense and concentrated wine is made from Garnacha (Grenache) with Mazuelo and Carignan grapes. The wines are full-bodied and a little rustic with high tannins, which pairs perfectly with roasted foods, sausage, stews, and any game animal.
The region of Valencia is gaining attention in the wine world with lesser-known grapes (Moscatel, Macabeo, and Monastrell) and is turning out top-notch wines. The Valencia region has a range of grapes: Tempranillo, Monastrell, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Semillon, and Muscat. It’s located a few hours south of Barcelona and has the perfect climate to ripen grapes and oranges. What shines here are local grapes, given the luxury of ripening under the watchful eyes of the sun and sea. Valencia is a large, sprawling region encompassing Alicante, Utiel-Requena, and Valencia.
IYLIA wines from Valencia are shining examples, with white wine made from Moscatel and Macabeo grapes, Rosé, Chardonnay, and red wine made from Monastrell and Tempranillo. They’ve created a luxury beverage collection that has something for everyone and highlights what Spain offers. In terms of pairing, “what grows together, goes together.” In Valencia, paella with chicken and rabbit, cod, and grilled octopus are great places to start!
Castilla y León and La Rioja in Northern Spain
Northern Spain covers a variety of well-known regions that have put Spain on the map. Castilla y León is the important wine zone encompassing Rioja DOCa, Ribera Del Duero DO, Toro DO, and Rueda DO are the most popular regions dedicated to the Tempranillo, Garnacha (Grenache), Carignan, Verdejo, and Viura grapes. Northern Spain saw an influx of French winemakers in the late 1880s that especially influenced Rioja's winemaking techniques, leading to the ever-important oak aging.
Oak aging plays an important role in Rioja — so much so that Rioja has a classification centered around how long the wine has been aged in oak. Rioja has long dominated exports from Spain with its age-worthy wines. Similar in style to Bordeaux, it’s always a blend of grapes (mainly Tempranillo with Garnacha, Mazeuelo, and Graciano) and can vary in taste depending on vintage, varietal, and oak influence. I know this is red wine country, but look for white wine from the Rueda region. These wines are mostly made from the Verdejo grape, which offers a crisp, dry white wine.
Riojas are versatile because of blending and are dependent on oak aging. Wines labeled “Rioja” or “Joven” (meaning “young”) will have little to no aging, while “Rioja Gran Reserva” will be the oldest wine. But why is Rioja classification so important? If you’re reaching for a Rioja, there’s a difference in style and taste between a Crianza and Gran Reserva. Do yourself a favor and pair your glass of Rioja with lamb, Chorizo (pork), Manchego cheese, T-bone (beef), or BBQ.
Rioja Blanco is a rare white wine, typically made from Viura wine. If you can find it, I would recommend buying it! Rueda is an underrated Spanish white wine region made from the Verdejo grape, similar in style to a Sauvignon Blanc. It is delicious and worth sourcing.
Last but not least, Ribera del Duero shines in North Central Spain, with Vega Sicilia setting the standard for an age-worthy, stunning wine. Ribera del Duero will be deep, concentrated wines made from Tempranillo (also known as Tinto Fino in Spain). It’s always perfect for dinners and local cuisines, such as red meats and charcuterie.
Castilla-La Mancha in the Meseta Central (Central Plateau)
If you’re dreaming of hot Madrid summers and a little bullfighting, then the middle of Spain is for you.
Centered around Madrid and the surrounding areas, the region is sweltering hot and dry, meaning wine producers always look for elevation to harness cooler weather. Castilla-La Mancha is the overarching region, and in this region, you will find wines that are influenced by both Bordeaux and California winemakers.
Most wines are blends, but you’ll find both French Varietals (Syrah, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon) and local varieties such as Garnacha and Tempranillo (also known as Cencibel in the States). La Mancha, famous for Manchego cheese, grows white varietals from Macabeo to Sauvignon Blanc. Valdepeñas is another great region producing Tempranillo.
Look for wines from La Mancha and Valdepenas. La Mancha shines with white wine made from the Airen grape. The region has also benefited from winemaking techniques imparted from California and Bordeaux, producing some bold red varietals.
Now that we’ve taken a virtual trip around Spain’s major wine regions, I might be ready to pack my suitcase and retrace this map in real life! But in the meantime, a trip to pick wines from ReserveBar will do the trick! If you’re looking for one region to focus on, Valencia is an exciting region to dive into. It includes all Spain has to offer in terms of diversity and flavor. The new collection of IYLIA wines will give you a great stepping stone from Chardonnay and Monastrell Rosé to Roblé. Cheers to your dive into Spanish territory!
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