Spain

Spain at first appears to be far too hostile a country for agriculture. It is far too dry, too flat, too hot.

Globally positioned in the 40's [latitude], with vineyard areas at higher altitudes than neighbouring wine-producing countries, Spain offers cold, wet winters and steamy, hot summers [MJT Gibraltar is 23.8 deg C, Seville 28.0 deg C].

This heat means challenge to wine producers, as the transpiraton process of vines, which produces sugars, shuts down at high temperatures.

So, whereas you might think at first that higher temperatures will produce wines with higher sugars, the opposite happens, with growers sometimes relying on a more moderate Autumn to complete ripening before winter sets back in.

Spain has been sufferring drought for decades, and whilst water-stressed vines can provide concentration of flavours, there is a limit to this theory.

Too little water and the soil simply cannot support high crop levels. Vines need to be planted futher apart - often 1.6meters, and sometimes up to 2.0metres.

Trellising is not always required in the dryer regions either. Most vines are trained as low-lying bushes.

In the southeast, white Albariza soil, high in carbonate, offers more effective water retention, and contributes to the fine Sherry wine style.

Spanish Appellations

Once again appellation law has stepped in, and Spain is no stranger to similar control practices as Italy and France.

In the final years of the 20th century, Spain boomed in terms of wine regions, and official Denominaciónes de Origen [DO], similar to France's AC's, started appearing.

There are around 60 at the moment, and growing.

Rioja is designated DOCa - Denominación de Origen e Calificada - a qualification reserved for Spain's best wines.

Apart from these designations, there is also:

Vino de la Tierra - a quality wine coming from an area not quite DOC, but with the potential to become so;

Vino Comarcal [VC] - wine coming from a specific region; and

Vino de Mesa - basic table wine.

Spanish/English Wine Dictionary

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Last Updated: Sunday, February 07, 2010