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Spanish White Grape Varietals
Airen – white
This is Spain’s most common grape. The bunches are large and
tightly-packed. It produces wines with a characteristic bouquet and
alcohol content between 12% vol. and 14% vol.
It can be found predominantly in La Mancha and among other places like
Ciudad Real, Toledo, Cuenca, Albacete, Murcia, and Madrid.
Albarino – white
Native to Galicia. With small, very sweet, glycerol berries which produces
high quality wines. It is up there with Viognier and Gewurztraminer:
exotic, suggestive, with scents that seem far beyond anything that could
possibly come from a mere grape.
It is the basic grape of the D.O. Rias Baixas.
Albillo – white
Relatively neutral, low in acidity, with an interesting glycerol level
that gives certain smoothness to the wines in which it is used.
Usually found in Madrid, Avila and also in Galicia. It is an authorized
D.O. Ribeiro variety, and a major variety in the D.O. Vinos de Madrid.
Chardonnay – white
From the Burgundy region of France. Very fine, high quality grape which
makes aromatic wines that give good results without a long ageing process.
It is covered by the regulations on sparkling wines, and by those of the
Penedes, Navarra, Somontano, Costers del Segre and denominations.
Garnacha Blanca – white
Produces full-bodied wines with a high alcohol content.
Quite abundant throughout Spain, but most plentiful in Tarragona, Zaragoza,
and Teruel. It is considered a main variety in the denominations Alella,
Costers del Segre, Tarragona and Terra Alta.
Godello – white
High quality, very aromatic, and almost certainly the same as Portugal’s
Verdelho. It shares the softly aromatic apricot character of Albarino but
has a silkier texture, rather like good Viognier. It can be made as a
varietal, but also blends well with other grapes, including Albarino,
Treixadura and Dona Blanca.
Natiave to Galicia, its cultivation has been considerably encouraged in
the last few years, especially in the D.O. Valdeorras. It is considered a
main variety in the denominations Valdeorras and Bierzo.
Hondarribi – white “zuri” and black “beltza”
These grapes are the basic varieties in the traditional Basque chacoli or
“txakoli”.
The white version is more common in the D.O. Chacoli de Guetaria, whereas
the black is plentiful in the D.O. Chacoli de Vizcaya. Both should be
drunk young as they are fresh and acidic.
Listan – white
It is synonymous with the Palomino fino (sherry) grape in Jerez and the
Canary Islands.
One of the world’s most boring grapes - but one that paradoxically can
produce extraordinarily complex flavours when turned into sherry.
Macabeo – white, also called Viura.
This grape forms part of the “trilogy” of grapes that make Cava – Macabeo,
Parellada and Xarello. A non-aromatic variety found across northern Spain.
As Viura it is the backbone of white Rioja, along with lesser quantities
of Malvasia and Garnacha Blanca.
Mainly found in Badajoz, La Rioja, Tarragona and Zaragoza. It is
considered a main variety in the D.O. of Calatayud, Conca de Barbera,
Costers del Segre, Navarra, Penedes, Rioja, Somontano, Tarragona and Terra
Alta. In Languedoc-Roussillon it is used for Vins Doux Naturel, and is
blended into many white wines in Minervois and Corbieres.
Moscatel – white
A superbly aromatic grape with a high sugar content. It produces very
characteristic wines and is also frequently consumed directly as a dessert
grape.
It is very widely grown across the whole of Spain but is particularly
frequent in Valencia and Malaga.
Palomino – white
Basic grape in Jerez or Sherry wines, and know as Jerez outside this area
of Cadiz where it is grown in a small area of white, chalky albariza soil
and then aged in a solera system to produce wines of matchless complexity
and pungency. Its high yields have led to its cultivation in many Spanish
regions, especially Galicia.
It flourishes in Cadiz, Orense, Valladolid, Zamora and Huelva. It is the
main variety in the D.O. of Jerez and Condado de Huelva.
Parellada – white
One of the three grape varieties grown for Cava, Parellada contributes
lemony freshness to the blend, providing that it is not over-cropped. It
also makes still wines, light, fresh and gently floral with good acidity
and, for Spain, lowish alcohol. Drink it young as possible to benefit from
its freshness.
It thrives in Tarragona, Barcelona and Lerida. It is considered a main
variety in the D.O. Conca de Barbera, Costers del Segre, Penedes and
Tarragona, and Cava.
Pedro Ximenez (PX) - white
Along with Palomino Fino, this used to be the other grape of the Jerez
sherry region. It was used for sweetening purposes and sometimes for
bottling on its own as a sweet, dark, dessert sherry. It is now one of the
most immediately seductive of dessert wines. It has low acidity and a
thick, silky, syrupy texture.
To a greater or lesser extent, it is found almost everywhere in Spain, and
is most widespread in Cordoba, Badajoz, Malaga and Valencia. It is
considered a main variety in D.O. Jerez, Malaga, Montilla-Moriles and
Valencia.
Sauvignon Blanc - white
It performs very well in wines subjected to an ageing process, and in
Cavas. Styles are ripe, but the peachy fruit is balanced by a nettly
acidity, usually retained by picking the grapes as early as August.
Spain’s most notable Sauvignon comes from the Rueda DO in Castilla y Leon,
where it was introduced in the early 1980’s.
Treixadura – white
Indigenous to Galicia. It is one of the most aromatic varieties of
Galician grape and its cultivation is being encouraged in a number of
areas. It adds a light lemony fruit to blends with other grapes such as
Torrontes, Lado, Albarino, and Loureira.
It is considered a main variety in the D.O. Ribeiro.
Verdejo – white
Very high quality, one of the best white varieties in Spain. It makes very
aromatic, glyceric, soft wines with body. Wine from Verdejo has the
structure and balance to age well, and becomes nutty and honeyed with a
few years in bottle. Its high glycerol content gives it good roundness.
It is plentiful in Toro and Cigales DO’s and a main variety of the D.O.
Rueda where it originated.
Viognier – white
Very aromatic with hints of white fruit.
This variety was originally from the northern Cotes du Rhone area. It is
still used on a very small scale by Spanish wine producers, but is likely
to gain wider acceptance in the future, given that it is a grape of superb
quality that grows well in warm regions.
Xarello – white
Together with the Macabeo and Parellada varieties, makes up the trilogy of
the cava grapes. It produces very aromatic wines. Xarello seems to have
more character in the Alella region and gains an attractive lime cordial
aroma and flavour.
It is considered a main variety in the D.O. Alella, Costers de Segre,
Penedes and Tarragona, and Cava.
Zalema – white
This variety is not easy to handle, as it has a tendency to oxidize
rapidly and produces light rather neutral wines.
Found in Huelva and Sevilla and the most common variety in the D.O.
Condado de Huelva.
Sources: Wine Guide, Wines from Spain (ICEX), Encyclopedia of Grapes, Oz
Clarke
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Spanish Red Grape Varietals
Bobal
It gives a very rich colour; dark-coloured, robust grape used for bulk
wine and gape concentrate in South-east Spain. If make well it has an
attractive black cherry fruit aroma. Although it is a hotly disputed
variety, it does yield good rose wines.
Found mainly in Valencia, Cuenca and Albacete.
Cabernet Franc
Originated in Bordeaux like the Cabernet-Sauvignon, but yields softer
wines.
It is likely that this variety is related to Mencia, which is plentiful in
some areas of Galicia and Castile.
Cabernet-Sauvignon
Originally from the French Medoc, it is now found on every continent.
It is the currently fashionable variety, and has taken hold principally in
Catalonia, Navarra and Ribera del Duero.
Carineña (Carignan)
It is a hot climate vine that produces dark color, robust, balanced wines
with loads of tannin, acidity and plenty of astringency. An excellent
complement to Garnacha, it is plentiful in Catalonia and La Rioja, where
it is known as Mazuela.
It is considered as a main variety in the denominations Calatayud, Costers
del Segre, Penedes, Tarragona and Terra Alta.
Garnacha Tinta (Grenache)
A high-yielding grape that produces vigorous wines. Strength is
Garnachas’s strong suit, more than subtlety. But the heady, upfront style
of most Garnacha makes aging unnecessary – a good thing because most
Garnacha doesn’t improve with maturity. So it is often blended with other
grapes: Tempranillo in Rioja, with Mourvedre, Syrah and others in the
southern Rhone, with Cinsaut in Tavel.
It is the most widely grown black grape in Spain, especially in La Rioja,
Madrid, Navarra, Tarragona, Teruel, Toledo and Zaragoza.
It is considered a main variety in the following denominations:
Ampurdan-Costa Brava, Calatayud, Campo de Borja, Carinena, Costers del
Segre, La Mancha, Mentrida, Penedes, Priorato, Somontano, Tarragona, Terra
Alta, Utiel-Requena, Valdeorras, and Vinos de Madrid.
Graciano
A spicy, aromatic, intensely flavored grape that is far and away the most
interesting re vine in Rioja. Is a grape with a low yield but produces
highly prized wines. Young Graciano wines are very tannic, rough and tart,
but develop superbly during ageing, both in cask and bottle. The Graciano
grape is not very abundant due to its low yields and can often be found
mixed in with other grapes in the same vineyard.
For this reason, these grapes are found in the Gran Reservas of La Rioja
and Navarra.
Malbec
Of French origin, it was introduced many years ago into Ribera del Duero,
and there are small amounts in other areas.
Mencia
According to recent studies it would seem to be very similar to Cabernet
Franc. It produces light, fresh, acidic reds with a raspberry and
black-current leaf flavor. Best drunk young.
It is common in North-Western Spain such as Leon, Zamora, Lugo and Orense.
It is considered a main variety of the D.O. Valdeorras and the D.O.
Bierzo.
Merlot
It is the basis for many fine, highly aromatic wines. It comes from the
Bordeaux region. After Cabernet-Sauvignon, it is the most widespread grape
variety in the world.
In Spain, it is mainly grown in Ribera del Duero, Catalonia and Navarra.
Monastrell (Mourvedre)
Very sweet and productive. It produces wines with a deep color and
considerable alcohol content. The grape may be made as a varietal or it
may be blended with Tempranillo, Carbernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.
It is mainly found in Murcia, Alicante, Albacete and Valencia. It is
considered a main variety in the denominations such as Alicante, Almansa,
Costers del Segre, Jumilla, Penedes, Valencia and Yecla.
Syrah
Variety thought to have come from Persia, gown extensively in central and
southern France. The prestigious Hermitage wines are usually 100% Syrah.
Very little is grown in Spain (Catalonia and La Mancha)
Tempranillo
Superb quality and very aromatic, the star of Spanish grapes. Think of a
cross between Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir. It has the deep color and
rich flavor of the one plus the strawberry fruit of the other. Its
attractions are its lush texture and its supple, exuberant fruit, all
blackberries and black cherries, mulberries and raspberries. It takes to
oak like a dream.
It is called Ull de Liebre in Catalonia, Cencibel in Castile-La Mancha and
Madrid, and Tinto Fino and Tinto del Pais in Castile-Leon.
It flourishes in Burgos, La Rioja, Alava, Cuenca and Ciudad Real. It is
considered a main variety in the following D.O.: Calatayud, Cigales, Canca
de Barbera, Costers del Segre, La Mancha, Penedes, Ribera del Duero, Rioja,
Somontano, Utiel-Riquena, Valdepenas, and Vinos de Madrid.
Sources: Wine Guide(Wines from Spain, ICEX), Encyclopedia of Grapes, Oz
Clarke.
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