Jun 09 2022

New Era Spain

Ahead of her masterclass in Glasgow on 20 June, Master of Wine and The Scotsman’s wine columnist Rose Murray Brown reflects on some of the recent developments that make Spain one of the most exciting wine-producing countries in the world

A new era is dawning in Spain with diverse and exciting new wine styles being crafted by an ambitious generation of winemakers.

Many of these winemakers are passionate about nurturing Spain’s indigenous grapes – either grapes which have been long established but overlooked - or grapes which had almost gone out of existence and are now being revived.  Winegrowers are also exploring the potential of little-known regions neglected in the past - from northwest Ribeira Sacra and Ribeiro, east coast Empordà and Terra Alta down to Utiel Requena, Manchuela, Yecla and Jumilla and across to central Cebreros in the Sierra de Gredos.

One native white grape enjoying a renaissance is Palomino. New laws now allow Andalucia’s winemakers to make unfortified wines in Jerez, which have great purity and freshness akin to today’s desire for lighter styles of wine. Other white grapes enjoying an exciting revival in their native regions include Albillo Real, Garnacha Blanca, Godello, Doña Blanca and Caiño Blanco.

After years playing second fiddle to Tempranillo, Garnacha is now coming into its own from Calatayud and Cariñena regions in its homeland of Aragon and neighbouring Navarra, across to the high-altitude vineyards of Gredos. In the northwest, the Mencía grape is proving a star grape in Bierzo. Inland from Valencia there is renewed interest in local Bobal and down in Jumilla and Yecla, Monastrell is now being revered once again. Lookout also for a host of unusual red grapes which are just starting to make their mark from Prieto Picudo in León, Caiño Tinto in Galicia, Bruñal in Arribes, Trepat in Catalonia to Mallorca’s Manto Negro.


Rose Murray Brown MW  

Rose Murray Brown MW

Rose will present ‘New Era Spain’, a masterclass and tutored tasting, at the Wines from Spain Annual Tasting in Glasgow on 20 June.

Her talk will feature the following wines:

 

  • Sanlucar de Barrameda area: LA BOTA DE FLORPOWER 111 2021 Equipo Navazos (11%)

Grape: Palomino
£29.99 Alliance Wine

  • DO Cebreros: LA VIÑA DE AYER ALBILLO REAL 2018 Soto Manrique (12.5%)

Grape: Albillo Real
£14.75 Berkmann Wine Cellars

  • DO Ribeira Sacra: LAPOLA BLANCO 2019 Dominio de Bibei (13.5%)

Grapes: 80% Godello, 15% Albariño & 5% Dona Blanca
£29.99 Liberty Wines

  • DO Utiel Requena: PASIÓN DE BOBAL 2019 Bodegas Sierra Norte (14%)

Grape: Bobal
£12 Boutinot Wines

  • DO Terra Alta: VIA TERRA GARNATXA NEGRA 2020 Edetària (14.5%)

Grape: Garnacha
£15.25 The Wine Treasury

  • DO Valdeorras: VALDERROA ‘CARBALLO’ MENCIA 2016 Valdesil (14.5%)

Grape: Mencía
£17.90 Ehrmanns

  • DO Conca de Barbera: ABADIA DE POBLET TINTO 2016 Abadía de Poblet (13%)

Grapes: Trepat, Garnacha, Tempranillo
£22 Raventós Codorníu UK


 

To book your place on this masterclass, please email: winesfromspain@otaria.co.uk.

For full details of the Wines from Spain Annual Tasting 2022 click here.

 

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Foods Wines from Spain
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