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Spanish Red Wine: Flavor that conquers palates

do you know Spanish Red Wine, price, where to buy? Spain is known not only for its great gastronomy and beautiful landscapes, wine is one of the attractions that make this Iberian country a special place.

Its red wines made with the best grapes grown in soils that give unique characteristics to wines full of pleasant aromas and delicious, make them stand out becoming the favorite of all lovers of good wine.

what is Spanish Red Wine?

It is a wine made with red grape varieties such as Tempranillo, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Mencia among others, which thanks to the characteristics of the soils in which they are grown and the climate, give rise to delicious wines full of fruity aromas and special flavors that make them elegant, enveloping and full of tannins that give them the perfect touch to stand out.

Origin and History of Spanish Red Wine

Archaeological studies seem to indicate that grapes were first cultivated between 4000 and 3000 B.C., long before the Phoenicians founded the city of Cadiz.

Later the Carthaginians introduced new advances in grape growing, and the Punic Wars between Carthage and the emerging Republic of Rome led to the Roman conquest of the peninsula which was later called Hispania.

Quality that has managed to endure over time

During Roman rule, Spanish wine was extensively traded and exported, and the need to supply the vast empire and its legions, contributed to intensify the commercial traffic that Spanish wines had reached.

After the fall of the Roman Empire, Hispania was invaded by Germanic hordes that destroyed most of the vine plantations in the region.

But with the reconquest, the possibility of exporting Spanish wine was opened, and Bilbao emerged as a great commercial port, through which Spanish wines were introduced into the English markets of Bristol, London and Southampton.

Characteristics of Spanish Red Wine

Spanish red wines are versatile wines full of flavor and well-defined aromas, which make them a great wine to drink

  • Full-bodied wines
  • Made from red grape varieties grown throughout Spain
  • They have a bright color full of intensity
  • Fruity aromas in which red and ripe fruits stand out
  • Rich in balsamic and mineral notes
  • Wines with balanced acidity

Color, taste and aroma of Spanish Red Wine

Spanish red wine is lively with flavors and aromas that make them stand out.

  • Appearance: Intense and bright ruby red, cherry and garnet color.
  • Nose: Aromas of ripe red and black fruit with balsamic and spicy aromas of licorice, also presents notes of cocoa, aromatic herbs and spices thanks to its time in oak barrels.
  • Palate: Juicy, fresh, balanced, silky with a long finish with red and black fruit flavors, cocoa and toasted notes.

Alcohol Content of Spanish Red Wine

Spanish red wine is a fresh, lively and full-bodied wine, its alcohol content is between 14% and 15%.

Types of Spanish Red Wine

Spanish red wine can vary thanks to its elaboration process, which makes it a very versatile wine, ideal to surprise any kind of palate. Spanish red wine comes in 5 types:

Young

Wine elaborated and bottled without having passed through barrels or any type of aging

Young wine with oak aging

Wine elaborated and that has spent a short period of about 5 months in oak barrels before being bottled

Crianza

Wine that has been aged for at least 24 months, of which at least 6 months have been in oak barrels

Reserve

Wine that has been aged for a minimum of 36 months, of which 12 must have been in oak barrels

Gran Reserva

Wine which is aged in oak barrels for a minimum of 60 months of which 24 must be in oak barrels and then spends 36 months in bottle before sale

Spanish Red Wine Pairing

Spanish red wine is a pleasant wine, its fruity aromas and well-defined flavors make this delicious wine an ideal companion for meat dishes.

An ideal red wine to accompany meats
  • Red meats: Especially with grilled dishes as the flavors are balanced
  • Lechazo: An ideal companion for this tender meat
  • Stews: Especially with game stews, as the flavors are enhanced
  • Cured cheeses: Delicious combination that balances each of the flavors
  • Sausages: Perfect accompaniment to any sausage
  • Pasta: Especially with spicy and powerful sauces

how is Spanish Red Wine made?

Spanish red wine is made with grape varieties grown within their lands such as Tempranillo, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Mencía, Graciano, Manzuelo, which then undergoes a vinification process in wood or stainless steel depending on the characteristics of the vintage.

Depending on the type of red wine, it may be aged in French or American oak barrels for several months before being bottled and then taken to the market, it is a wine that can even have time for aging to enhance its qualities,

Characteristics of the grapes used to make Spanish red wine

Spanish red wines are made with grape varieties that provide characteristic aromas and flavors typical of the soils in which they are grown, which give wines of excellent quality

Grape varieties that give rise to tasty red wines

Tempranillo Grape

It is one of the most widely planted and most important grape varieties in Spain.

  • Large clusters with pronounced shoulders
  • Medium to large berries
  • Thick skin
  • Short cycle variety with mid-season budbreak and early ripening
  • Highly susceptible to codling moth, leafhoppers and mites

Merlot grape

Variety that has spread worldwide and is one of the most planted grape varieties in the world today.

  • Medium to small clusters
  • Small berries of uniform size
  • Non-pigmented flesh
  • High vigor strains
  • Some sensitivity to spring frosts

Cabernet Sauvignon Grape

A red wine grape variety that is widespread throughout the world.

  • Small cone-shaped clusters
  • Small berries with thick skins
  • Hard and juicy, with intense herbaceous flavor
  • Very vigorous vines with upright growth habit
  • Fairly resistant to wood fungus complex, excoriosis and especially botrytis

Mencía Grape

A red grape variety that produces high quality wines.

  • Small clusters
  • Small berries difficult to detach from their pedicel
  • Medium vigorous strains
  • Sensitive to wood diseases

Graciano Grape

A grape variety grown mainly in La Rioja, and which is being introduced in other wine-growing areas of Spain due to its great potential.

  • Large, compact clusters with very marked shoulders
  • Small size berries and thick skin
  • Vigorous vines with upright growth habit
  • Quite resistant to mildew and powdery mildew
  • Adaptable to all types of soils, although it behaves better in clay or fresh calcareous soils

Syrah grape

A grape variety of Jordanian origin that has spread throughout the world thanks to its great quality.

  • Medium-sized, compact clusters with long, slightly lignified stalks
  • Small to medium sized berries
  • Very vigorous vines with upright growth habit
  • Variety very sensitive to eutypiosis and not very sensitive to excoriosis
  • Does not tolerate excessive soil moisture

Manzuelo Grape

Varieties that have ancient data on their characteristics and cultivation.

  • Clusters are large in size with marked shoulders
  • Large berries with greening of the epidermis and irregular color development
  • Late budding and mid-season ripening strains, tending to late ripening
  • Very sensitive to powdery mildew, which can cause heavy losses due to late attacks on bunches
  • Little affected by drought to which it is quite tolerant, it is not very sensitive to wind

Spanish Red Wine Temperature

Spanish red wine is a very pleasant wine thanks to the power of its aromas and flavors that give it freshness. It is recommended to be served at a temperature between 14°C and 16°C (57°F and 61°F).

Price and best brands of Spanish Red Wine

The Spanish red wine has a large number of followers who prefer it thanks to its great taste and aromatic power, its price can range from €10 to €2000.

Porrera 2014 Vi de Vila

This is an intense cherry colored red with a garnet rim, full of mountain herb aromas that make it complex, balanced and mineral, so in the mouth it results with good acidity, ripe tannins and balsamic touches €14.01.

Marques de Griñon 2013 syrah

An intense apricot red wine, very well covered with a layer typical of a wine of long life, its complex aromas, combining ripe fruit and spicy, balsamic and floral notes such as violets, make it a powerful wine, well balanced, tasty, silky, with soft acidity and abundance of ripe tannins 25.50 €.

Gran Reserva 890 2004

A medium-depth cherry red with a pale pink rim, intense aroma, clean, dominated by balsamic and spicy notes such as vanilla, caramel, English bonbon, spices on a background of prunes and dried apricots, which make it balanced, with elegant acidity, structure and polished round tannins 390 €.

Alabaster 2015

Purple-black red wine, with aromas of black fruit, liqueur, Asian spices and floral background that make it velvety, well-balanced, elegant, powerful and complex, with long finish and persistence 139 €.

Aalto PS 2016

A deep red wine with aromas of very ripe black fruit, licorice, Chinese ink, with elegant mineral notes and spices provided by the barrel that generate a good harmony, its passage through the mouth is powerful, structured and with soft and round tannins that provide considerable elegance 72.50 €.

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