Red wine
Tinto: kräftig, vollmundig und fruchtig
Red wine
Spanish "Vino Tinto" is recognised as first class. It is produced all over the Spanish mainland and the two archipelagos of the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands. Spain has the optimum conditions for the production of quality red wine:
Some of the most important regions or denominations of origin of red wine in Spain are the following:
- Great variety of native red grapes. Tempranillo, Garnacha Tinta, Tinta de Toro, Monastrell, Mencía, Cariñena...
- Very fertile soils
- Multitude of climates even within each region, differentiating mainly between Mediterranean and Atlantic climates.
- Many hours of sunshine
Some of the most important regions or denominations of origin of red wine in Spain are the following:
- D. O. C. Rioja: It is the most famous Spanish wine region. It is the only region with Denominación de Origen Calificada, the highest possible category in Spain. The region of La Rioja has special natural conditions that are ideal for the cultivation of excellent vineyards. Its climate has Atlantic and Mediterranean influences.
- D. O. Ribera del Duero: Hardly any region producing quality wines has experienced a progress similar to that of Ribera del Duero, which has become a world quality reference. The secret of its reds is the dark colour, the wonderful fruity taste and the remarkable ageing capacity. The D. O. Ribera del Duero presents above all red wines of excellent quality, which must contain at least 75% of tinta del país or tinto fino grapes, the name given in this region to the tempranillo grape.
- D. O. Jumilla: Jumilla has almost 40,000 hectares of vineyards, being one of the most significant appellations in the country, not only from the point of view of quantity. Some of the region's winegrowers have managed to become one of the most important producers in Spain. For many wine experts, Jumilla is one of the regions with the most potential in the coming years, with avant-garde winemakers who love experimentation and innovation.
- D. O. Campo de Borja: With an extremely continental climate, with cold winters and hot, short summers, yields are very low. This means that the vines have to fight for their survival, resulting in a concentrated wine with structure. The main grape in the region is the red Garnacha, which produces full-bodied wines.
- D. O. Toro: Some of the most important Spanish winemakers have settled in this region to produce red wines of excellent quality with the tinta de toro grape. This variety produces dark wines with a high level of extract and tannin, and is responsible for the fact that this area is considered the new prodigy of Spanish viticulture.