Tidings Magazine

Long gone are the days when Spanish wines were heavy clunkers, over-oaked, high in alcohol and frequently oxidized. Historically, hot arid conditions and rudimentary resources had given winemakers little choice. Long aging was needed to tame wines that were raw, tannic and heavily concentrated. But Spanish winemakers had learned to make a virtue of necessity and even the very finest wines were styled around long oak aging.

In Rioja, Spain's best known and most prestigious wine region, classic wines were noted for their oaky sandalwood perfume. As one distinguished wine writer put it, "In Spain, luxury is the taste of oak." These traditional styles still exist, thank goodness! Among them, you'll find some of the greatest wines in the world. In the brave new world of Spanish wine, though, traditional styles are starting to share the field with a wave of innovative, assertively fruit-driven wines.

Spain is home to a greater expanse of vineyards than either of the Big Two, Italy and France. However, total Spanish wine production lags well behind that of these giants, due to limited rainfall, poor soils in many areas and restrictive measures on irrigation. These harsh conditions throughout much of Spain have always been a huge obstacle to quality. New investment, better vineyard management and winemaking practices have all played a part in turning that around, however. The biggest single factor has been the use of stainless steel and controlled-temperature fermentation. Now, even blisteringly hot semi-arid regions are producing stunningly attractive, freshly fruity wines. Better still, since most of these regions have yet to establish a pedigree, prices can be incredibly reasonable.

Dynamic young winemakers have emerged - many of them women - to put a firm stamp on the wine map. Prestigious bodegas in Rioja and other premier wine regions, have seen that new technologies offer great potential and have begun to expand into long-neglected appellations. Then only twenty-five, Alvaro Palacios of Rioja's Palacios Remondo left the family firm in 1989 and joined other young winemakers to plough new furrows in Priorat. Venerable Rioja producers such as Marques de Riscal have established satellite operations in Castilla and Rueda.

Although classic international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay have played a large role in Spain's wine development, it is the magnificent rebirth of the country's native varietals that hold the greatest promise. And the leader of the pack is Tempranillo.

Always the mainstay of Rioja blends, this noble grape is appearing in a number of new guises. Its special qualities have been allowed to shine through as a single variety more often than in the more customary blends. Spanish regulators don't seem quite as hung up about specific grape varieties as the French or Italians and permitted combinations are not as restrictive. Interesting and uniquely Spanish blends are showing up, often featuring Tempranillo with other varieties in a supporting role. Amazingly, Spain claims some 600 native varieties, although only about 20 of these are widely planted.

Tempranillo can rightly claim its place of pride as the most widely grown and respected red grape, thriving as it does in so many different regions. Depending on where you are, it can appear variously disguised as Cencibel, Ull de Llebre and Tinto Fino. These days though, with the international consumer well in mind, most labels will carry the better-known Tempranillo name. Some remarkable examples of Tempranillo are emerging from the large Castilla-La Mancha area, smack dab in the semi-arid central Spanish plain, a remarkable departure for a region previously known only for crudely made rustic wines.