What Spanish Wine Terms Mean

The three Spanish wine terms (Crianza, Reserva, Gran Reserva) refer to the length of time the wine has been aged.

  • Crianza red wines these are aged for 1 year in oak barrels.
  • Crianza whites and rosés must be aged for at least 6 months in oak barrels.
  • Reserva red wines are aged for at least 3 years with at least 1 year in oak barrels.
  • Reserva whites and rosés must be aged for at least 2 years with at least 6 months in oak.
  • Gran Reserva wines typically appear in above average vintages with the red wines requiring at least 5 years aging, a minimum of 2 years in oak and a minimum of 3 years in the bottle.
  • Gran Reserva whites and rosés must be aged for at least 4 years with at least 6 months in oak

Major Traditional Grapes of Spain

Red Wine Grapes

  • Airén
  • Tempranillo
  • Garnacha (sometimes referred to as Cencibel, Tinto Fino, and Ull de Llebrein)
  • Monastrell
  • Bobal
  • Cariñena
  • Graciano
  • Mencía
  • Loureira
  • Treixadura

White Wine Grapes

  • Albariño
  • Verdejo
  • Macabeo
  • Parellada
  • Xarel·lo
  • Palomino
  • Pedro Ximénez
  • Godello

International Varietals

  • Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Chardonnay
  • Syrah
  • Merlot
  • Sauvignon Blanc
Base material courtesy of Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_wine
Wordpress Theme by ThemeZee