Wine-Searcher: Spain's Most Wanted Wines

In the world of wine, when it comes to real authentic high-quality versus price, few countries offer such a classy deal as sunny Spain.

Spain, like many of the old European winemaking countries, has a rich complex relationship with wine that dates back centuries – the first records appear roughly around the 11th Century BC.

Although grapes have grown in Spain for millennia, it was the Phoenicians – the ancient coastal people of the Eastern Mediterranean – who brought their knowledge of winemaking when they came to Spanish shores.

The Romans then enthusiastically kept up winemaking traditions until a viticultural blip between the collapse of the Roman Empire and the arrival of the Moors – who were far less thirsty in nature – took the wind out of production.

However, the Christians – after displacing the Moors – took up drinking again with gusto. It was during the Age of Exploration – when Christopher Columbus had his many voyages – that Spain began to export its wine.

Often heady, heavy and sweet, these early exports were typically oxidized. By the 16th Century, however, barrels had entered the fray – although the basic method for wine production had not changed much since Roman times, they now included a slight dash of oak.

The 19th Century saw the rise of Rioja and Catalonia's sparkling Cavas and – with the influence of French winemaking techniques – Spanish wine began to come into its own.

It wasn't all plain sailing, however, as both the phylloxera outbreak and, 50 years later, the advent of the Spanish Civil War caused considerable damage to both the vineyards and export market.

Limp attempts to revive production in the 1950s produced an excess of forgettable plonk which were ultimately rejected by the European Union. By the 1970s, however, the production of high-quality wine once again took off – and Spain has never looked back.

When it comes to Spain's most wanted wines, this year's list is awash with red Tempranillo and Rioja, with only one white breaking the wine-dark sea.

The World's Most Wanted Spanish Wines on Wine-Searcher:

First up, is the granddaddy of Spanish wine, Vega Sicilia Unico Gran Reserva. Vega Sicilia owes its heritage to Don Eloy Lecanda y Chaves who swapped the cereal crops traditionally grown in the Ribera del Duero to the best vine stocks 19th-Century Bordeaux had to offer.

Since then, Vega Sicilia has established itself as one of Spain's top producers of rich, complex Tempranillo is known for its incredibly rich and complex wines made from Tempranillo, and no wine displays that more than their flagship, Unico Gran Reserva.

With an aggregated critic score of 95 points, the 2012 vintage was described by Wine Enthusiast as having "rich flavors of black plum, black cherry, chocolate-covered espresso bean and lavender". Although, at USD 501 it certainly knows its worth.

Number two is the Reserva from R. López de Heredia Vina Tondonia. Regarded as one of Rioja's finest estates, R. López de Heredia Vina Tondonia has gone through four successive generations over 147 years, since its founding by Rafael López de Heredia y Landeta.

The Reserva has a grand aggregate of 93 points, and the 2011 vintage was described by Guia Penin as classic in style while having "pleasant, defined aromas, with personality". It also comes in at the bargain price of USD 56 – not bad going for one of the world's greats.

Third is the Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva from the Marqués de Murrieta estate, another great Rioja powerhouses. Don Luciano Murrieta, who studied Bordeaux winemaking, wanted to make ageworthy Rioja capable of being shipped – his inaugural 1852 vintage went to both Mexico and Cuba.

Their flagship Rioja – with its curling scarlet and gold calligraphy – is only made in certain years and inevitably sells out. Falstaff described the 2011 as having "notes of warm raspberry, plum, blueberry and dark cherry". With an aggregated score of 93 points, this popular little number comes in at USD 234.

Number four is the Tinto Valbuena 5 from Vega Silicia. This complex Ribera del Duero wine focuses predominantly on Tempranillo, although some Merlot is also found in the blend. After fermentation, the wine is then aged for five years – in both barrel and bottle – hence the name Valbuena 5.

With an impressive aggregated score of 94 points, the 2017 vintage was described by Wine Enthusiast as having "polished tannins and flavors of cherry, pomegranate, purple fig, milk chocolate and a dusting of floral and spice notes". All for USD 201.

Number five is the Gran Reserva 904 by La Rioja Alta. La Rioja Alta came about as a collaboration in 1890 by five Riojan and Basque families and has since built a reputation for classic spicy reds. The Gran Reserva 904 is predominantly Tempranillo with a dash of Graciano.

A hit with the critics, the wine boasts an aggregate of 93 points, and the 2015 vintage was described by Falstaff as "a real classic! Dried fruit and plum on the nose, hints of mushroom and aromatic wood. Sweet spices, some tobacco and orange zest." All for a relatively modest USD 90.

Sixth in line is the Ribera del Duero classic, Dominio de Pingus which is easily the most expensive on the list. Founded by Peter Sisseck, a Danish enologist who had spent considerable time in Bordeaux, each small parcel of vines has an average age of more than 65 years.

The inaugural 1995 Pingus vintage was met with rave reviews from Robert Parker, and naturally the wine acquired cult status from there on in. However, it's not just Parker who is in awe, the wine has an aggregated score of 97 points. Guia Penin described the 2021 vintage as "exuberant, full of life. Complex, expressive, spicy, mineral, red berry notes, ripe fruit, creamy oak." However, all that exuberance costs a whopping USD 1064.

Number seven sees yet another entry by Vega Sicilia, this time the Alión – a pure Tempranillo that is aged between 12 to 14 months in new French oak. Again, with an aggregated score of 92 points, Vega Sicilia doesn't fail to impress.

As Wine Enthusiast sums up with regards to the 2018 vintage, "the more accessible entry from Ribera del Duero icon Vega Sicilia, this wine has aromas of blackberry preserves, Turkish delight and clove. It fills the mouth with flavors of cherry pie, plum pudding, dark chocolate..." All for USD 112.

Lucky number eight is the Viña Ardanza Reserva from La Rioja Alta. The Viña Ardanza is 80 percent Tempranillo from 30-year-old vines, with the rest made up by Garnacha. All the grapes are hand-picked and the resulting wine is said to be bright cherry in color.

With an aggregated score of 92 points, it's certainly proved a hit with the critics, with Wine Enthusiast describing the 2016 as "ruby colored to the eye, this wine has a bouquet of blackberry, saddle leather and clove." It also costs a very appealing USD 41.

In penultimate place is another from R. López de Heredia Vina Tondonia but this time the Blanco – the only white to make it onto this list – a majority blend of Viura with a dash of Malvasía.

Again, this wine has scored well with the critics boasting an aggregate of 94 points. Guia Penin described the 2009 vintage as being bright yellow with notes of "sweet spices, faded flowers, dried flowers, dry nuts and candied fruit". Available for a relatively sunny USD 138.

Last but not least is the Pintia by Vega Sicilia. Young and intense by nature, the Pintia is pure Tempranillo that has been hand-picked before fermentation followed by aging in both French and American oak for 12 months.

The resulting wine has an aggregated score of 92 points from the critics, with Wine Enthusiast describing the 2017 vintage as having "aromas of black cherry, black currant, sage and black-olive paste … flavors of blackberry, cassis, coffee bean, dark chocolate and clove". All for USD 81.

When it comes to Spain's most wanted wines – the scores are resolutely high while the prices remain resolutely modest – defying the dizzying heights seen elsewhere. Proving that although Spain has a rich history of trade, voyages and expeditions, the real gold lies very much on its own shores.

Source: Wine-Searcher