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Spanish Wine Regions – D.O. Denominación de Origen

Denominación de Origen

Spain has many “DO’s” or Denominaciones de Origen or Wine Appellations. It has 2 “qualified” DO’s, which means regions whose quality standards are a bit higher than the rest. Those are DOC Rioja and DOQ Priorat. DOC stands for Denominación de Origen Calificada or Qualified Appellation of Origin. DOQ is the same but derives from the Catalan dialect of Spanish, and uses Qualificada instead.

The most important DO’s for someone starting out in Spanish Wine are:

Red Wines

DOC Rioja – Old and traditional one on hand, and modernistic on the other. Suave reds based mainly on Tempranillo but also Graciano and Garnacha blends. Heavy use of oak for long ageing, which is a signature Rioja style.

DO Ribera del Duero – More modern, full-bodied and slightly more rustic wines than Rioja, though the regions are close in proximity. Ribera wines are mostly all tempranillo, darker and purpler, able to appreciate with age.

DO Toro – near Ribera del Duero, similar landscape, similar grapes, but Toro claims its own clone of Tempranillo the Tinta de Toro variety. Toro reds are chewy, inky reds, massive with oak, or unoaked, with a signature spicy Toro note. Home of very old vines as well.

DOQ Priorat – Old wine making region and yet a modern resurfacing in this tiny, mountainous region near Barcelona. Terraced hillsides of slate are common with very old vines of Garnacha and Carinena, typically blended with small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Massive, inky wines of distinct character and reputation.

DO Jumilla, DO Yecla – an area further South, on the Mediterranean coast and also home of the Monastrell, or aka in French Mourvedre. The variety thrives in this hot, arrid climate, most often in bunch vines. Monastrell wines are distinctive, often young, with a spicy, peppery character and affordable price.

DO Bierzo – in the NW corner of Green Spain, the cool climate is optimum for the native grape Mencia, which shares characteristics with Cabernet Franc. Not as common, but worthwile seeking out.

White Wines

DO Rias Baixas – in NW Green Spain as well, on the Coast where seafood is common comes the Albarino grape. Albarinos are usually unoaked, fresh, lemony white wines that are perfect with seafood or for quaffing on a summer’s day. Truly a Spanish great.

DO Rueda – towards the Ribera del Duero complex, Rueda is hilly and rocky, and predominantly produces native Verdejo grapes. Some Sauvignon Blanc is used here as a natural compliment to Verdejo. Verdejo is a bit wilder, often with a bitter end, grapefruit, peach, exotic fruits, truly one of the finest Spanish whites.

DO Rioja – though produced in many regions, wines based on the Viura are well expressed in Rioja. Oaked or unoaked, they are fresh and maybe somewhat similar to younger Chardonnay.

DO Valdeorras – In NW Spain and home to a very suave rich white, Godello. Wines made from Godello are found in relatively small quantity in the US. It is worth seeking out.

DO Cava – Cava is the Spanish term for sparkling wine. It is produced in the Traditional Method, such as in Champagne, where the wine ferments in the bottle, until it is ready to be corked. Cava is usually a blend of 3 grapes: Viura (aka Macabeo), Parellada, and Xarel.lo. It is yeastier and more rustic than Champagne, but can be a compelling sparkling quaffer. Another note about the DO Cava, is that is not just in one area in Spain. Multiple regions produce Cava, so as long as they adher to the Regulating Body for Cava’s recommendations, they can call Cava from multiple regions “Cava”.

There is of course Sherry wines, and in particular Fino, a light white, dry variety of Sherry. However, with the higher alcohol and different production method, Sherry is really its own category.

Here is a full list of Spanish wine D.O.’s with links, if available, to their websites.

DO Abona

none

DO Alella
www.doalella.com

DO Alicante
www.crdo-alicante.org

DO Almansa
www.jccm.es/agricul/paginas/comercial-industrial/consejosreguladores/vinoalmvinos.htm

DO Arabako Txakolina
none

DO Bierzo
www.crdobierzo.es

DO Binissalem Mallorca
www.binissalemdo.com

DO Bizkaiko Txakolina
www.bizkaikotxakolina.org

DO Bullas
www.bullas.es/vino/consejoregulador.htm
www.vinosdebullas.es

DO Calatayud
www.docalatayud.com/#