Spanish Steps - Fact file - Wine

Spain has been making vino, wine, for centuries, and the popularity of the drink has spread right across the Spanish-speaking world. Producing everything from sweet sherries to sparkling wines, countries like Spain, Chile and Argentina have grown in stature on the world wine stage. Indeed three million tons of grapes are bottled each year. However Spain is also very keen to shake off the image of producer of cheap plonk, which it had for some time.

Spain's major wine growing regions are strictly designated and quality controlled, and each bottle will carry its denominación de origen, region of origin, on its label. There are 5 regions - Calificada Rioja and Navarra to the north, Penedés and Cava to the east, Ribera Del Duero in the northwest, and Rias Baixas in Galicia. Aside from the old favourites Rioja and Valdepeñas, Spain also produces some very fine and expensive wines, for example Priorato wine from Tarragona, as well as many from the Ribera del Duero region.

Visitors to Spain will find that wine, either tinto, red, blanco, white, or rosado, rosé, is relatively cheap, however the Spanish also love el jerez, sherry, the more refined tipple named after its home region Jerez in the province of Cádiz. Its four main types are best served chilled or at the temperature of la bodega, wine cellar: fino is pale and dry and drunk as a white wine in the south, amontillado is slightly darker, next comes oloroso, literally 'scented' or 'fragrant', and finally dulce, sweet. Sanlúcar de Barrameda and Puerto de Santa María are other towns famous for their sherry and well worth visiting.

Today Chilean and Argentinian wines are giving the Spanish more than a run for their money. Chilean wine now accounts for some 18% of wine bought in the UK, and much like in neighbouring producer Argentina, benefits from the snow-capped Andes to provide the necessary moisture for cultivation. Key producing regions include Casablanca and Bío Bío, where Chardonnay and Sauvignon wines are bottled and exported to the eager European market.

Argentina has enjoyed the greatest success with classic European varieties such as Malbec, a hearty wine produced in the most important wine making region of Mendoza, that goes well with that most typical of Argentinean meals, a large steak.

Links

Los vinos rioja - learn about rioja wine

Spain and Portugal for Visitors - Cava - The Spanish Champagne

Wine Online - guide to Chile

Wine Online - guide to Argentina

These links are included for educational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement by the BBC of the products or services featured.