| Spain has long been recognized for its fortified | | | | Catalona's premiere wine region of Penedes, |
| wines, particularly sherry, or Jerez as it's known | | | | located less than an hour south of Barcelona, |
| locally, but in recent years both production and | | | | produces a range of still wines ranging from |
| quality of its table wines has improved | | | | delicate whites to heavy reds, as well as the |
| remarkably. | | | | flagship Cava. |
| The third largest producer of wine in the world | | | | Some of the more remote, or smaller regions |
| after France and Italy, Spain is now making | | | | include Priorat, Rias Baixas, and Ribera-del-Duero. |
| inroads on to the international market for table | | | | The wine region of Somontano is located on a |
| wine due to improved marketing and better | | | | high plateau in the ski region of Huesca, at the |
| quality production of its reds and whites. | | | | foot of the Pyrenees Mountains. The name |
| However, it's the fortified wine sherry which is | | | | Somontano literally means Under the Mountain |
| produced in the region around Jerez de la | | | | But it is the region of Toro, a relatively little |
| Frontera, which has been the country's main | | | | known area located in Zamora province, that has |
| export for hundreds of years, with most of the | | | | Spanish wine writers excited. Many believe this is |
| sales being to the United Kingdom. | | | | Spain's most promising wine region. |
| Wine-making in Spain dates back to the Roman | | | | Spanish wines fall into two main categories: |
| Empire and was also influenced by an early Greek | | | | DOCa Denominacin de Origen Calificada is the |
| settlement. | | | | highest quality category for Spanish wine and the |
| There are four red grape varieties with the most | | | | wines must be bottled in the region. Only Rioja |
| famous and noble being the Tempranillo, followed | | | | and recently also the Priorat wine region received |
| by Garnacha (also called Grenache), Graciano and | | | | DOCa status. |
| Mazuelo.. Crianza wines have been aged for two | | | | DO Denominacin de Origen , the second category |
| years, Reservas for three years and Gran | | | | is much like the French AOC that includes the |
| Reservas (also known as Reservas Especial) are | | | | most renowned classical Spanish wines. The wines |
| aged for at least five years. | | | | have to meet the specifications of the Consejo |
| The harvest is influenced by the warm, hot, dry | | | | Regulador (Supervision of the individual wine |
| climate, which means the yield for Spanish grapes | | | | regions), who then determines whether a |
| is usually quite low. Harvest takes place from | | | | wine-maker is entitled to use the DO label for his |
| August-October. | | | | wine. |
| There are many wine regions in Spain with the | | | | Table wines are classified as VdlT Vino de la |
| first being Rioja, which extends for about 120km | | | | Tierra, which are wines from areas with no DO |
| along both sides of the Ebro River and is bounded | | | | status as yet, but with an identifiable regional |
| by mountains on either side. | | | | character, VC Vino Comarcal, is the label given to |
| Navarra has transformed itself from producing | | | | areas that do not have great claims on quality, |
| generally oxidized roses to full-bodied reds in a | | | | while VdM Vino de Mesa is wine produced from |
| very short time. Garnacha, once the workhorse | | | | grapes from unclassified areas or blended from |
| rose grape has been replaced by the Tempranilo | | | | different classified areas. |
| grape to produce a better table wine. | | | | |