There are some people out there who completely ignore Spanish wine and that bothers us at Lockett Bros.
Spanish wine is fantastic and if the country’s wine marketers’ current efforts are rewarded, more and more Brits will be drinking it.
There’s a big PR push to position Spanish wine as the natural pairing to particular foods. The “Eat Spain Drink Spain” campaign certainly has merit so let’s go on a little Spanish wine adventure.
Spanish wine means variety
Spain is the third largest wine producer in the world. It has more than 2.9 million acres of vineyards, making it the most widely planted wine-producing nation.
There are more than 400 varieties of grape planted in Spain although 80 per cent of the country’s wine production uses just 20 of these.
Rioja, Valdepenas and the northwest region of Galicia are the major wine regions in Spain, so if you are thinking of your next holiday’s destination these might be the go-to destinations.
The Spanish climate is changeable due to it being a peninsula, so the centre usually enjoys hot summers and cold winters, the northwestern parts, also known as ‘Green Spain’ has a much cooler and wet climate, which is perfect for ripening grapes.
The south is brutally dry and therefore has very few vineyards due to the arid conditions.
Grapes
The most popular grapes from Spain are:
Red
Tempranillo – Native to Spain and the most popular red grape. Grown all over Spain giving it a diverse array of characteristics.
It ripens early and is low in acidity.
Other popular favourites are Garnacha and Monastrell.
White
Albariño – Native to Spain and mainly planted in the northwest, this white grape produces a sweet tone often associated with floral and fruity notes such as peach and apricot.
Other popular favourites are Palomino, Airen and Macabeo
Cava
Parellada – Native to Spain this is one of the traditional grapes used to make Spain’s finest sparkling wine.
Mainly planted in Catalonia, it has good acidity making it perfect as an aperitif.
The other traditional grapes used to make Cava are Xarel·lo and Macabeu.
Lockett Bros Spanish wine favourites
White
Martin Codax Albarino
The Martin Codax Albarino uses the most popular Spanish white grape, the Albariño, to create a beautifully sharp and refreshing wine.
With lemon and pineapple tones surrounded in a modest creamy body this drink goes perfectly with seafood… paella anyone?
Red
Cuatro Pasos Mencia
A very reasonably priced wine from our selection of reds, the Cuatro Pasos Mencia uses one of the less common red grapes, the Mencia. This particular grape is grown in regions such as Galicia, Bierzo and the North West.
With a dominating aroma of red fruits layered with subtle vanilla tones this red wine is a delight on the palate.
Would you like to learn more about Spanish wine? Great! Keep an eye on this blog or visit us at 133 High Street, North Berwick. We love to talk about booze!
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