TRAVEL & TASTE

Spain has a relatively large number of winegrowing regions. More than half of said regions are classified under a Designation of Origin (DO) and most of the others fall under the designation of Vinos de la Tierra (VdlT, i.e. Local Wines).

Two regions are classified as Qualified Designations of Origin (DOCa): La Rioja and El Priorat, the leading regions of the Spanish winegrowing industry. La Rioja is possibly the most famous winegrowing region in Spain and produces mainly red wines. El Priorat is a relatively new winegrowing region set in the hills to the east of Tarragona.

The most famous regions with the DO classification include:

Jerez: wine can be a very powerful reason for visiting Andalusia and if it comes from the Jerez Designation of Origin, the experience can be unbeatable.

Penedès: this region is near Barcelona and is famous for its sparkling Cava wines. The most popular red wines are also made here.

Rías Baixas: this region is located in Galicia, in Northwest Spain. This DO is famous for its Alabariño, which is Spain’s number-one white wine. The grape varieties grown in the region include Treixadura, Loureiro, Caíño Blanco and Torrontés; with Caíño Tinto and Sousón as grapes for making red wine.

Ribera del Duero: this region is located to the south of  La Rioja, with which it competes in terms of red-wine quality. Almost all its wines are made using the Tempranillo variety.

Rueda: located in the western area of the Ribera del Duero region. It makes good red and white wines that are cheaper than the produce of La Rioja and Ribera del Duero.

Cider, txakoli, pacharán, cava and a wide selection of local wines are also considered as traditional Spanish  produce.