General Introduction to Wine

Wine has been made for centuries from just two simple ingredients, yeast and grape juice. We are all aware that there are both green and black grapes but in fact almost all grape juice is basically colourless to golden in colour, in fact wine gets its colour from soaking the grape skins in the juice during fermentation. Actually white wine can be made from black grapes by not letting the skins stay in contact with the juice (such as the case with Champagne). There are many factors that influence the taste of wine, the type of grape used for example will produce different flavours, and textures. Climate and soil conditions will also affect taste. The use of different barrels, temperature and yeast used will also have the same effect. Today most people are familiar with the term tannin - but what is a tannin? Tannin is a substance in wine that causes a firm mouth drying feeling in your mouth. It is extracted from skins, seeds and stems of grapes so red wine will contain more tannin than whites. Grape harvesting usually occurs between the end of August through to mid October when the grapes have reached the desired degree of ripeness. Harvesting is vitally important as this when the first selection of the fruit takes place and the quality of care that the grape is given, at this stage, will impact on the entire winemaking process. Transport is equally as important as damaged grapes will effect the fermentation process.

Introduction to Spanish Wine

In a country where winemaking tradition dates back Roman times, Spain has a long history of producing fine wines and competes as a world class producer both in terms of quality and quantity.

Vineyards now cover an estimated 1.2 million hectares of land in Spain. This is the largest vineyard area in any country worldwide and incorporate diverse terrain and climatic conditions, from the semi-arid conditions in the south to the wet conditions in the north. Vineyards covering the central areas have adapted to the extremely cold, dry winter conditions. 

There are in fact 40 recognized wine regions in Spain. Better known are the Reds of the Rioja and Rivera del Duero regions, the reds and whites from the Penedes, the fine whites from Rueda, Sherries from Jerez and sparkling Cavas.

In recent years have witnessed the emergence of a new generation of master winemakers who have learned to blend tradition and quality with innovation, giving rise to unique wines of unprecedented quality that enjoy unqualified success worldwide

History

It is unclear precisely where vines were first cultivated in Spain or who brought winemaking techniques to the Iberian peninsula. Various sources believe the first vineyards were cultivated on the southwest coast of Andalusia, which may also have been the entrance point for the first vines reaching the peninsula. Trading in this area makes this the most likely theory. The warm climate enhanced the strong, sweet nature of the wines, allowing them to stand up well to long journeys. By the early Christian era this factor, combined with the deeply rooted commercial spirit of the Phoenicians, made Spanish wines one of the most frequently traded products in the Mediterranean and North Africa. The Romans continued to produce wine on the peninsula, introducing their own particular techniques over time - for example, the addition of resins and aromatic essences, and ageing in small clay amphorae in sunlit attic areas or next to chimneys. The decline of the Roman Empire and invasion of Hispania by northern barbarian tribes brought wine making in Spain to a temporary halt, although the subsequent arrival of the Visigoths counteracted this influence. Due to their contact with the Romans in the outlying provinces of the Empire, the Visigoths placed great significance on winemaking. The arrival of the Arabs in the 8th century slowed the development of winemaking as the Koran prohibited the consumption of fermented and alcoholic drinks. Despite this religious prohibition, the cultivation of vineyards continued and even prospered under Moslem rule even if they were reoriented to the production of grapes or non-fermented must. Certain dynasties were liberal in their treatment of the dominated Christians and allowed them to continue cultivating vineyards and making wine, particularly in the monasteries. Spanish winemaking really took off after the Reconquest of Spain by the Catholic Kings. The re-established religious communities and monasteries played a significant role in this process; the monks and friars of various orders worked to recover the winemaking tradition. Wine was vital for their religious rituals, and they also filled their cellars, supplying wine to pilgrims and local taverns. Thus, the vineyards flourished once again in areas surrounding the monasteries and abbeys, and later in other regions. In the 19th century the unfortunate arrival of phylloxera in northern Europe, which devastated the vineyards at mid-century, contributed to the consolidation of the winemaking industry. During this period, many French winemakers settled south of the Pyrenees, finding this the only way to preserve their livelihood. They brought with them their grape varieties, machinery and methods, among which were the planting patterns of the vines, control of fermentation and the use of sulphurous anhydride. Some of the Cabernet-Sauvignon and Merlot vineyards existing today in La Rioja and Ribera del Duero date back to this era. The phylloxera blight served, therefore, to bring modernisation to Spain's vineyards and wineries. When, at the end of the century, the blight finally reached the peninsula, a solution had been devised to put an end to it: grafting onto an American rootstock immune to the blight. As a result the recovery of the vineyards was much less traumatic in Spain than in other European countries. The 20th century proved to be crucial to the Spanish wine producing industry. At first, cautiously, certain reforms were introduced to improve the quality of wine. New industrial techniques began to replace some traditional traditions. The industry also had to confront the Civil War, which condemned the vineyards to abandonment, and, at the end of that, the Second World War, which brought the European wine market to a standstill. The sector began to recover in the fifties. Since then, Spanish winemakers have undertaken the re-organisation of their vineyards and the renovation and modernisation of winemaking processes and wineries, to place Spain on an equal footing with winemakers elsewhere. The transformation of the image and quality of Spanish wines during the last quarter of the 20th century has been truly remarkable. During this period, a group of hard-working pioneers began to introduce and apply new wine producing techniques being used elsewhere.
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Wine Making - Classification of wines

The Quality Wines P.S.R. (in Spanish, VCPRD) are given specific names that describe the duration of the ageing period in these wooden casks, as established by each Denomination of Origin and Spanish law, which ensures the same standards in all the DOs.

These names are as follows:

Vino Joven (Young Wine):
Also known as Vino del Año, this wine is put on the market immediately for sale. Therefore, it has either not undergone any barrel ageing, or has undergone a shorter period than that legally established for Crianza wines.

Vino de Crianza (Crianza wine):
Red wines must have undergone at least two years of ageing, with a minimum of six months in wood barrels (some areas of the Rioja require twelve months rather than six), and are sold when three years old. Rosé and white wines must stay in the wine cellars for one year, six months of which must be in wooden barrels, and they are sold when in their second year.

Vino de Reserva:
Red wines of this type must have remained in cellars for at least three years, one of which must be in wooden barrels, and are sold in their fourth year. Rosés and whites must have spent two years in the cellars, six months of which must be on wood, and are sold in their third year.

Vino Gran Reserva:
Only those wines considered to be the finest vintages reach this stage of ageing. Red wines must have spent two years in wooden butts and three years in the bottle; they are sold in their sixth year. Rosés and whites remain in the cellars for four years, six months of which are spent in wooden casks. They are also sold in their sixth year.

Spanish Wine Regions

Rioja
One of the smallest wine regions within Spain, Rioja has a big reputation for its rich, oakey wines that are as varied as the grapes grown in the area. The one thing that makes Rioja wines stand different from those in other regions is the aging process. After maturing in Oak cakes the wine is then aged in the bottle before being passed to the consumer. The Rioja wine region basically stretches from Haro in the north down to Arnedo in the south and Alfaro in the east. As you travel through the different areas, the wines are also very different. Most importantly it incorporates the area around Logroño along the River Ebro. Throughout the area you will find some of the most important wineries in Spain.

Penedes
The booming Cava industry in the Penedes region has enabled winemaking to lead the fore front in winemaking technology in Spain. Most of the grapes used in making Cava come from other regions but most Companies are based in the Penedes area. The bodegas that specialize in making still wines include the famous Torres and reds generally from this area are generally less oakey because they spend less time in their oak casks. The finest Penedes reds are made partially or entirely from the Cabernet Sauvignon grape, by Torres. Predominantly this area however is famous for its white wines which are characteristically light and fruity.

Jerez
Wines from the hot dry region of Jerez are better known in English as Sherry. The special taste of a sherry is unique to this region due to the methods used. The main ingredient of the best sherries is the Palomino grape. Sherry comes in a variety of styles from very dry - 'Fino' and 'Manzanilla', through to the medium styles of 'Amontillado' and dry 'Oloroso' to the ultra rich sweet cream Sherries.

Navarra
Navarra is one of the longest established wine regions located in the Basque region of Spain. Navarra combines traditional stock with imported varieties from other famous wine-producing regions to offer a wide range of high-quality wines. Perhaps the best known wines of Navarra are its “free run” roses which are light and fruity. Navarra however does also produce both red and white wines which are well recognized with the red wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes. Ribera del Duero This is one of the fastest growing regions and newest as official status was only granted in 1982. Much of this success is attributable to the Tinto Fino or Tinta del Pais grape, a variant of Rioja's Tempranillo. The dramatic climatic conditions of this region and its position 26,000ft over sea level gives both a short growing season but seems to have a positive effect on making high quality wine.