In wine and vine talks, France and Italy often come up in the conversation. While these regions undoubtedly have attention-worthy wines, they are not the only ones. Today, we will focus the spotlight on a place not often talked about but one that deserves attention! Let us take you to Spain in this talk!
With that, allow us to show you 12 popular Spanish red wines today. We have lots to discuss, so let us not dilly-dally anymore! Let us
dive into the talk and all these wines now!
12 Popular Types of Spanish Wine
Like France, Italy, and other famous wine regions, Spain has a lot of red wines to offer. With all the choices, getting into this region’s wines can be overwhelming.
You need not worry, though! We will show you some of the most popular red wines in this region in this part. Later on, we will also get to some questions you might have about this region.
With that, let us get to our first Spanish red wine!
1. Bobal
First, let us get to know the Bobal wines.
The Bobal grape might not be the most brought about in wine and vine talks, but it has a big part in bringing good wines to shelves and tables! After all, it is the second most-planted red grape in Spain!
Bobal wines are known to sport a dark red hue. These wines tend to be semi-sweet with considerable acidity and tannins. On the other hand, the bodies of these wines range from medium to full. Finally, chocolates and dried berries are the most notable notes of these wines.
2. Garnacha Tinta
Likely the most notable feature of Garnacha Tinta wines is that these medium-bodied wines are very fruity. These wines are known to sport a variety of fruity notes, from berries to cherries to plums.
Garnacha Tinta wines are undoubtedly the Spanish wines you want to check out if you seek a fruit-forward wine. You might want to check where exactly the grapes of the bottle you are eyeing came from, though. The soil can affect this wine considerably!
3. Jumilla
Jumilla wines are known to be one of the smoothest Spanish red wines – if not the smoothest!
These wines are wines that use the Monastrell grape variety as a base. In other words, a bottle needs to be 80% Monastrell to be a Jumilla wine. This grape tends to have floral notes that one can expect to extend to the wines.
On the other hand, the grape also tends to have berry notes, but not to an overpowering extent. It can be ideal if you want something fruity but not overwhelmingly so.
4. Mencia
Mencia wines are known to be aromatic wines with a deep burgundy hue, but those are not the only things these wines have to boast about! These wines generally have high acidity, medium to high tannicity, and medium to full bodies.
What will take its patron on a rollercoaster is the notes, though! While these wines tend to have fruity flavors and aromas, they also have a set of spicy notes!
5. Monastrell
Not everyone knows the Monastrell wines, but it is known to be one of the most popular ones among those in Spanish wines.
The Monastrell wines sport a boysenberry-like hue. These wines are generally dry, tannic, and full-bodied. As for the notes, Monastrells boast a wide array. To name a few, some of its most notable notes are blackberry, black pepper, and mocha.
If you want something with a bite but still approachable, Monastrell wines are the ones to check out!
6. Montsant
Montsants are high-quality wines that come with a budget-friendly price tag. These wines are a blend of Garnacha and Carinena grapes. With that, as you can expect, Montsants sport a dark red hue. In addition, flavors and aromas of dark fruits are also to be expected.
With the characteristics of this wine and its price tag, a Montsant wine can be an ideal wine to try out if you want to understand and get into Spanish wines.
7. Priorat
Like Montsants, Priorat wines are lovely wines that do not come with a hefty price tag. That is not the only similarity between the two, though. Garnacha and Carinena are also Priorats’ grapes.
These wines generally have medium acidity and body. On the other hand, these wines also sport a high alcohol content.
For its notes, missing the dark fruits could be hard. That is not all, though! It also has some spicy and herbal notes!
If you want a Spanish wine you can age, Priorat wines are ones you want to check out. These wines are ideal for such!
8. Ribera del Duero
Ribera Del Duero wines use Tempranillo grapes for the base. That is, a bottle needs to be at least 75% Tempranillo to be a Ribera Del Duero wine.
A bottle of this wine tends to hold a deep-colored wine with a complex structure. This wine tends to be acidic, tannic, and full-bodied. When it comes to notes, it offers a unique array. It has notes of berries and vanilla, but it also has flavors and aromas of different spices.
These wines are also age-worthy. With that, consider getting a bottle to save for a special occasion in the future!
9. Rioja
Of course, we have not forgotten about Rioja wines! After all, these wines almost always make it into the conversation when talking about Spanish wines!
Rioja wines mainly use Tempranillo grapes but can also use grapes like Garnacha and Maturana. These wines can be light-bodied or full-bodied. Still, these wines almost always come with outstanding fruity flavors and aromas.
Rioja wines are also to check out if you are building a set of age-worthy wines!
10. Tempranillo
As you can guess, Tempranillo wines use Tempranillo grapes!
A Tempranillo wine generally sports a ruby red hue. One could say that it is a surprising wine, though. A bottle can be fruity. On the other hand, it can be spicy. It almost always seems to have high acidity and tannicity, though.
Without a doubt, getting a Tempranillo wine is a must if you truly want to know Spanish wines!
11. Toro
Toro wines are known to use Tempranillo grapes and tend to be tannic. In addition, these wines are generally full-bodied with fruity notes.
Unlike the other wines on this list, Toro wines do not seem to have solidified their name in the wine scene yet. You want to keep your eyes peeled for these wines, though!
Consider getting a Toro wine if you like Tempranillo wines. After all, as we have said, this wine also mainly uses the same kind of grapes!
12. Valdepenas
Valdepenas wines are considered red wines, but they are known to have blends of red and white grapes. With that, every bottle can be a surprise. Still, these complex wines seem to almost always sport some cherry and raspberry flavors and aromas.
You might want to consider getting a bottle of Valdepenas wine if you are up for an adventure. After all, as we have said, every bottle can offer some surprises!
FAQ
You now know 12 of the most popular red wines in Spain. You might still have many questions about these wines in your head, though. Well, allow us to try and help you cross off some of those queries here!
1. Do Spanish Wines Have a Classification System?
Yes! Here are the five levels of the Spanish wine classification system:
- Vino de Pago
- Denominacion de Origen Calificada (Denominacio d origen Qualificada)
- Denominacion de Origen
- Vino de Calidad con Indicacion Geografica
- Vino de la Tierra
(Note: Vino de Pago is the highest classification, while Vino de la Tierra is the lowest.)
2. What Makes Spanish Wines Unique?
Many things make Spanish wines unique. One of the most notable ones is their aging process, though. Many wineries in this region already age the wine for you.
3. What Are the Spanish Wine Aging Categories?
As we have said, one of the things that make Spanish wines unique is their aging process. You can see they take the aging process seriously in that they even have wine aging classifications! Some of the most common categories are:
- Crianza
- Reserva
- Gran Reserva
(Note: When talking about aging classifications, the aging process does not only stop at the oaks!)
Final Words
There you have it! The 12 popular Spanish red wines for you to sip and taste! Spain might not be as famous as France and Italy when it comes to talks of wines and vines, but it undoubtedly is a wine region to know!
We hope our list helps you decide on your next buy and get to know this wine region better. These are not the only wines and wine regions to know, though! If you want to acquaint yourself with other wines and wine regions, then feel free to check out our other talks!
George Moore, co-founder of Wine Flavor Guru, is a charismatic entrepreneur with a rich background in California’s wine industry. Alongside Sylvia, he transformed a Sonoma County vineyard into a source of premium wines. George’s expertise in sourcing exceptional grapes and his approachable style make wine appreciation both accessible and engaging.
