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CLICK HERE FOR ALL THE WINES OF THIS REGION
Geography: Spain's geography and climate is dominated by its vast central plateau or meseta. In northern Spain, lying outside this plateau is the wet and temperate north west coast from wild, remote Galicia to the rugged Pyrenees. Over the Cantabrian mountains and into the outer ring of the dry, flat plateau in the west off the country is the Upper EbroValley, protected from high rainfall by the mountains and where we find the wine producing regions of Rioja, Navarra, Cariņena and Somontano. South and west of here are the wine regions that run along the Duero Valley - Toro, Rueda and Ribera del Duero - where, as the effect of being further into the meseta starts to bite deepeer, the climate is correspondingly more harshly continental, with extremes of hot and cold. Finally, Cataluņa in the north east of the country has a far more varied mountainous and hilly landscape with a very varied coastline and, critically, a more Mediterranean rather than continental climate.
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Key Wine Styles: Powerful full reds is what everyone associates with Spain through the ubiquitous Rioja. And though there is a common wine style through much of the northern half, it is by no means the full story. Delicate aromatic whites from Galicia, exciting and innovative red and white blends and excellent sparkling Cava from Cataluņa, thrillingly fresh whites from Rioja and Rueda as well as beautifully soft, fruity and light red vino joven (young wine) also from Rioja are just some of the pleasant surprises in the varied and increasingly experimental wine Spanish wine scene.
Key Grape Varieties and their wines: Tempranillo is the heart of the Rioja blend. Tempranillo also plays a major role in the wines of Navarra, Cariņena, Toro and Ribera del Duero - but is also blended with Garnacha (Grenache) and, in Ribera del Duero, the Bordeaux varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec. Viura and a tiny amount of Malvasia is found as white Rioja, while Verdejo accounts for the wonderfully crisp whites of Rueda. There is immense variety in the grape varieties found in Cataluņa from the regional (Tempranillo, Garnacha, Viura, Monastrell - Mourvčdre) to the international (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc). Parellada, Xarel-lo and Macabeo make up the blend for Cava. Albariņo is the wonderfully crisp and distinctive white variety behind the Rias Baixas wines of Galicia.
Matt's 'Must-Trys' from this region: Rias Baixas Albariņo is delicious and not well known. We have two examples - one fresh and unoaked Pazo Pondal, 'Leira' Albariņo ,the other with a touch of wood Bodegas Valminor, 'Davila'. They are lovely. You should also check out the delicious white blend of Verd Albera from Costa Brava producer Marti Fabra, and finally, my absolute favourite, the deliciously spicy and lively red blend of Vilosell from the Costers del Segre region, also in Cataluņa.
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