These are the importers that we have used and can recommend highly

Laithwaites Wines - and their Taste of Spain Club

Warehouse Wines - Great value and a huge selection

Virgin Wines - Free delivery and £30.00 off your first order

Styles of wine from Spanish growers

SPANISH REDS:

Tempranillo

If any grape defines Spanish reds, the Tempranillo is it. Used in the Rioja reds and those from the Ribera del Duero region, its juices bring plum and black currant beauty out in Spain’s most fabulous red wines.

Garnacha Tinta

Often crushed with the Tempranillo to make delightful Rioja red medleys, the Garnacha Tinta, known as a Grenache in France, makes light-colored, full-flavor wines on its own.

 

SPANISH WHITES:

Pedro Ximénez

“Sherrrry, Sherrrry Bay-Bee,” now that’s Mr. Ximénez’s song! His soulful juices are often blended with Palomino and Moscatel to create some of Spain’s sweetest sherries. His sherries combine rich color, dried fruit aromas, and sweet velvety raisin flavors.

Moscatel

In Spain, this sweet little sugar dumpling of a grape marks its glory in mostly sweet and very floral wines although it’s been known to blend well for some dry whites as well. All its wines are fragrant and flavored with fruity raisin-esque qualities.

Palomino

A plate of tapas and a glass of Palomino-based sherry make for a mouthful of yummy Español at its best. Palomino sherries are rich with dry and tangy almond flavors.

 

Get the best taste and value by ordering wines from the region you are in

Various Penedès Producers

Bodegas J. Sardà	Codorníu
Freixenet	Juve y Camps
Leopardi Llopart	Montsarra
Raïmet	Segura Viudas (Aria)
Segura Viudas (Brut Vintage)	Segura Viudas

Various Navarra Producers

A. y B. Marino (Palazio de Muruzabal Chardonnay)	Bodega Nekeas
Bodegas de Sarria Vifia del Perdon	Bodegas Ochoa Reserva
Bodegas Piedemonte	Bodegas Viña Magaña (Eventum)
Jane Ventura	Jaume Serra
Joan Raventos Rosell	La Cruceta
Torres

Ribera del Duero Producers

Bodegas Arzuga	Bodegas Ismael Arroyo
Bodegas Riberalta (Vega Izan)	Bodegas Rodero
Bodegas Valduero	Bodegas y Viñedos Alion
Grandes Bodegas Marqués del Velilla	Hijos de Antonio Barcelo

Rioja Producers

Baron de Oña	Berberana (Reserva)
Beronia (Gran Reserva)	Bodegas Amezola de la Mora
Bodegas Bilbainas (Viña Pomal)	Bodegas Faustino
Bodegas Martinez Bujanda	Bodegas Montecillo
Bodegas Muriel	Bodegas Sierra Cantabria
Bodegas y Viñedos del Marqués de Vargas	Campo Viejo (Gran Reserva)
Contino	CVNE (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España
Faustino	Larchago
Lopez de Heredia Viña Tondonia	Marques de Caceras
Marques de Murrieta	Marques del Puerto (Gran Reserva)
Marques de Riscal	Martinez Bujanda
Siglo	Viña Ijalba
Viña Salceda

 

As we've seen, the majority of Spanish wines are produced from native grapes. The list of all the known native varieties would but be impractical here, as there are literally hundreds of recogized grape varieties. Let's start with the best known ones, as used in the main regions. The D.O. system includes the grape varieties allowed in each D.O. region. Most wines are produced mixing several varieties to achieve the required characteristics: color, alcohol content, balance, aging properties, etc.

D.O. Rioja

Name Description Characteristics

Tempranillo Black Fine quality, aromatic, good acid balance

Graciano Black Aromatic, scarce, low alcohol

Mazuelo Black Rich in tannin & color

Garnacha Black High alcohol, oxidize easily (Grenache)

Viura White Low alcohol, resists oxidation

Malvasia White Low alcohol, fresh (of Greek origin)

Garnacha Blanca White Higher alcohol, less acid

D.O. Penedés (Catalonia)

Name Description Characteristics

Cariñena Black Robust, rich color

Garnacha Black Full bodied, high alcohol

Monstrell Black Small yield, deep color, sweet

Ull de Llebre Black [see Tempranillo]

Macabeo White [See Viura]

Xarel-lo White Medium alcohol, sparkling wines

Parellada White Low alcohol, high acidity, fruity

Malvasia White Fruity, medium alcohol, also used in Madiera

Pansé White Coarse, high alcohol

Pedro Ximenez White Sweet wines, also used in Montilla

Other regions

Name Description Characteristics & (Region)

Bobal Black Intense color, used in rosés (Valencia & Albacete)

Cencibel Black [See Tempranillo] (La Mancha)

Caiño Tinto Black In scarce supply (Rías Baixas & Ribeiro )

Mencía Black Quality similar to Cabernet F.(Valdeorras &
Bierzo

Tinto Fino Black Variety of Tempranillo (Ribera del Duero)

Albariño White Intense aroma, high quality (Rías Baixas)

Caiño Blanco White In scarce supply (Rías Baixas)

Arien White High yield, abundant (La Mancha-Valdepeñas)

Godello White Fruity & light (Valdeorras & Rías Baixas)

Loureira White High quality, aromatic (Ribeiro)

Palomino White High yield, prime grape for sherry (Jerez)

Moscatel White Dessert wines (Malaga)

Verdejo White High quality, fresh, best young (Rueda)

These are the importers that we have used and can recommend highly

Laithwaites Wines - and their Taste of Spain Club