Spain is the country having the most significant number of wineries and vineyards in the world. There are about 4000 vineyards all over Spain that produce still wines, sparkling wines and liqueur. Almost a three million-acre area is used for growing grapes for making Spanish wines. Spain has the largest surface area reserved for the cultivation of wine. When it comes to producing wine Spain has top 2nd place.
The history of Spanish wines is ancient, long and complex. Many civilizations have affected it in one way or other. As one civilization came after another, they added their uniqueness to it. 100s of years ago, from Phoenicians and Romans to French, when the phylloxera bugs destroyed their vineyards, all these cultures contributed their specialties to the Spanish wine culture, and here we have the world’s best wines.
Best Vineyards in Spain
As a wine country, it has become quite challenging to narrow down the list of best vineyards. But with the knowledge of Spanish history and its wine culture, we can indeed track down some of its best vineyards and wineries. Some best vineyards in Spain are:
- Bodegas Torres – Vilafranca del Penedès.
- Marqués de Riscal – El Ciego, Rioja Alavesa.
- Dinastia Vivanco – Briones, La Rioja.
- Ramón Bilbao – Haro, La Rioja
- Campo Viejo – Logroño, La Rioja
Bodegas Torres
Bodegas Torres is situated at Vilafranca del Penedès near Barcelona. This vineyard produces the best wines in the world, as claimed by international drinkers. The vineyard has a great climate that aids in bringing about the best conditions for the cultivation of different grape varieties. Therefore, the wines produced are of high quality, giving Spain recognition for its wines.
A bottle of wine is as good as its grapes; it’s the simple and straight fact. The Bodegas Torres has made a considerable contribution to developing enology in Spain. The vineyards have a mostly fully organic environment with little to no chemicals, pesticides and insecticides used.
The grapes grown in this vineyard are Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Garnacha, Cariñena, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat Blanc, Monastrell, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Syrah, and Tempranillo. These grapes are used to make delicious wines with an experience of over 300 years. This vineyard produces the best white, red and rose wines. Winemakers have a wide variety of wines, including pure wines, brandy, and cocktails, by mixing two or more different varieties.
They are making use of renewable energy sources like solar panels and wind energy. They have started research programs regarding using forest biomass in vineyards to enhance the quality and quantity. Winemakers are also researching the grape varieties that went extinct over the past years and getting them back to life. They are very attentive towards environmental safety and believe that the more care we put into the earth, the better wine we get.
Marques de Riscal
Marques de Riscal is one of the oldest and most famous wine estates. It is found in the Rioja region. Here ancient Spanish wine culture is merged with modern techniques to achieve innovation in making wines having better quality and taste. All wines produce here have an original authentic taste. Fresh and exquisite wines are a specialty of this vineyard.
This vineyard makes use of an elegant combination of French wine-making techniques and Spanish traditional wine-making techniques. A wide range of traditional styled Rioja wines is prepared from a Tempranillo variety of grapes, and white wines are prepared from a Rueda variety.
The Marqués de Riscal estate has vineyards established over 5oo hectares for the plantation of Tempranillo, Graciano, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Mazuelo varieties of grapes. These are usually planted around the region Elciego on chalky clay soil made by the Ebro River. This unique climate affects the grapes in a very positive way. It helps the vines to grow vigorously. The grapes are healthy, more extensive and juicy. The warm and humid environment helps the juveniles to attain maturity at just the right stage. And thus, when these grapes are fermented, exquisite and exotic wines are prepared that even at the smell and sight of them, your mouth will water.
The exquisite floral notes are the flagship in terms of production. This winery affiliated with this vineyard produces almost 5 million wine bottles per year. After two years, the wine is perfect for serving after ageing in American oak barrels and tanks representing the old traditional styled Rioja. Marques de Riscal Reserva, Marques de Riscal Gran Reserva, Marques de Riscal ‘Baron de Chirel’ Reserva, Marques de Riscal ‘Arienzo’ Rioja Crianza, Marques de Riscal Verdejo are some of the wines you don’t want to miss if ever get a chance to taste them.
Dinastia Vivanco
The vineyard is located on the base of the hills of Sierra de Cantabria alongside the bank or Ebro River in Briones. The light climate and extra chalky grounds are what make it so unique. The right amount of nutrients in the soil and humid environment is best suited to grow precious varieties of grapes of high quality. Tempranillo, Graciano, Garnacha, Mazuelo, Viura, Malvasía are the varietals used for making most of the wine here.
Ramon Bilbao
The vineyard Ramón Bilbao belongs to Grupo Zamora. It is wholly based upon formulas, civilizations and traditions of liqueurs and beverages from thousands of years ago but still preserved in all their aspects.
In present-day Bodegas, Ramón Bilbao has vineyards that cover over 50 hectares of land. These also include its recently established vineyards and the vineyards that are being used for the production of elegant wines for more than 30 years. These are established in nearby villages of Ábalos, San Vicente de Son sierra, Cihuri, Anguciana and Cuzcurrita del Río Tirón. The vines are accustomed to changing environments and grown on different stony, gravel, sandy, calcareous, and rocky soils. These vines are exposed to other surroundings and seasonal changes. All this hard work is done only to enhance and enrich the quality of current wines to a new level and enhance the diversity of currently growing vines. Every step is keenly monitored, from planting vines to cultivating them and harvesting grapes to processing to making fine wines.
The affiliated winery with Ramon Bilbao is more inclined to use modern technology to prepare its wines. The barrelhouse of this winery has up to 7500 units made of pure oak from the best forests of the United States and France with different degrees of toasting. Other wines are aged for different periods in various oak barrels. Taking into consideration the traditions of wine culture the quality control is their top priority. It has international certificates of quality control and environmental certification and was the first to produce still wines in Spain.
Ramón Bilbao Rosado is a pure wine fermented out of 100 percent grenache variety of grapes, recovered as a traditional and classy wine from this region. It contains pale floral tones of rose with subtle power. The higher notes are of fresh fruits, a hint of Amalfi lemon, freshly cut flowers and cherries. It has a light and fresh taste as it unruffled on sensitive taste buds with a silky touch at the finish that will leave you wanting more.
Campo Viejo
This vineyard is built on a rising plateau over some 100 meters above the surface of Erbo valley. Its climate has a temperament moderately excellent and humid suited for various grapes to be grown there. Tempranillo grape is the king in this region. Many other unique varieties are also planted there like Garnacha, Mazuelo (Cariñena), Graciano and many different new emerging varieties giving rise to new ideas for new wine styles.
Red wine, rose wine, white wine, and many other different types of wine specialty this vineyard. Campo Viejo Tempranillo, Campo Viejo Reserva, Campo Viejo Dominio etc. are some of its exotic wines.
Wine Tourism in Spain
Excellent and quality wines have a large audience worldwide, and Spain never fails to serve them. The Spanish wine culture has made its form of tourism where tourists worldwide come to visit and taste spectacular and elegant wines. The delicate aroma, rich flavors and enigmatic fragrances hooked tourists to keep coming again and again. The great vineyards are also very refreshing and eye-catching and are a feast for sore eyes.
