Spain

Spanish wines are manufactured in the southwestern European country of Spain. Located on the Iberian Peninsula, Spain has over 2.9 million acres (over 1.17 million hectares) planted—making it the most widely planted wine producing nation but it is the third largest producer of wine in the world, the largest being France followed by Italy. This is due, in part, to the very low yields and wide spacing of the old vines planted on the dry, infertile soil found in many Spanish wine regions. The country is ninth in worldwide consumptions with Spaniards drinking, on average, 21.6 litres (5.706 US gal) per person a year. The country has a plenty of native grape varieties, with over 400 varieties planted throughout Spain though 80 percent of the country's wine production is from only 20 grapes—including the reds Tempranillo, Garnacha, and Monastrell; the whites Albariño from Galicia, Palomino, Airen, and Macabeo; and the three cava grapes Parellada, Xarel·lo, and Cariñena.

The typical class wine regions in Spain are called as Denominaciones de Origen (similar to the French Appellations) and the wine they manufacture is synchronized for eminence according to specific laws. In fulfillment with European Commission Regulation (CE) 753/2002, Spanish wines are divided into two types, which in turn are further classified into sub-categories depending on the severity of the criteria applied in producing the type of wine in question:

Quality Wines Produced in a Specified Region (QWPSR)

Vino de Pago: These wine regions seek to the very highest standards with extremely severe environmental criteria, centering on individual single-estates with an international reputation. There are currently 14 estates with this status.

Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOCa): regions with a proven track record of consistent quality. There are only two wine regions with this status: Rioja and Priorat

Denominación de Origen (DO): mainstream quality-wine regions. There are 66 wine regions with this status

Vino de Calidad con IndicaciónGeográfica: A "starter home" for wine regions climbing the eminence steps. There are two wine regions with this status

Vino de la Tierra (VdlT): "Country wines" which do not have EU QWPSR status but which may use a regional name. There are at present 46 Vino de la Tierra regions in Spain.

Vino de Mesa (Table Wine): is bulk-grown, usually strained from an extensive assortment of regions and hence has no vintage or area designation on the label, apart from "Produce of Spain". Production of this low grade of Spanish wine is falling year on year
 

Grape Varieties:

 

 

Spanish Wine Regions:

Spain has a moderately great number of distinct wine-producing regions, more than half having the sorting Denominación de Origen (DO) with the mainstream of the remnants classified as Vinos de la Tierra (VdlT). There are two regions nominated as Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOCa) - Rioja and Priorat - the chief regions of Spanish winemaking.

 

Popular Spanish Wines sold in India:

1. Molino Loco Monastrell
2. Hecula 2010
3. Castano Monastrell
4. Mas Rabell White
5. Gran Vinasol
6. Mas Rabell Red
7. Gran Coronas
8. Reserva Real