Spain is a land of breathtaking scenery, colourful history and a Deep and Complex culture in which wine has Long played an important role. Grapes have been grown on the Iberian Peninsula since at least 3000 BC, although it wasn't until 1000 BC that viticulture really began here - a skill brought by Phoenician traders from the eastern Mediterranean. Today, Spain is home to more vineyards than any other country in the world, and its national wine production is exceeded only by France and Italy.
All of Spain's seventeen administrative regions (communidades autónomas) produce wine to some degree, including the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands.
The greatest concentration of vineyards is in Castilla-La Mancha, but the finest and most famous wines come from Galicia (Rias Baixas), Catalonia (Cava and Priorat), Andalusia (Sherry), Castilla y León (Rueda, Toro and Ribera del Duero) and of course Rioja.
Geography and Climate together play a fundamental role in defining the many styles of Spanish wines. From cool Green Galicia and the snowy Pyrenees in the North, through the parched Central plateau, to sunny sandy Andalusia in the South, the Spanish landscape is very varied. The country spans seven degrees of latitude (36°N to 43°N), leaving 500 miles (800 km) between its Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts.
Between these two very different coasts are various mountain ranges, each of which has a particular effect on the local landscape and climate. The Cordillera Cantábrica, for example, creates dramatic contrasts between the lush green land on its northern, Atlantic side and the Dry, dusty Castile and Leon on its southern, inland side.
Among the mountain peaks and plateaus rise the rivers on which so many of Spain's vineyards depend. These are important not only as an indispensable source of water, but also because of their impact on local soils and mesoclimates.
natural sweet wines from the region of Spain go well with generally quite well with dishes of sweet desserts, blue cheese or mature and hard cheese such as recipes of very simple muffins, veal grenadins with pears and roquefort sauce or bacon and warm goat cheese quiche.
On the nose in the region of Spain often reveals types of flavors of oaky, banana or brown sugar and sometimes also flavors of red fruit, orange zest or cigar. In the mouth in the region of Spain is a powerful with a good balance between acidity and sweetness.
On December 10, 2020, four Hong Kong personalities discussed Chablis wines on a live webinar: Yang LU, Master Sommelier and Official Bourgogne Wines Ambassador, Debra MEIBURG, Master of Wine, Ivy NG, Official Bourgogne Wines Ambassador and Rebecca LEUNG, wine expert. In 80-second clip, Debra MEIBURG answers the question of an Internet user : what style should one expect from a good Chablis ? #Chablis #PureChablis ...
This film is the recording of a webinar on Chablis wines organized in December 2020 with four personalities from Hong Kong: Yang LU, Master Sommelier and Official Bourgogne Wines Ambassador, Debra MEIBURG, Master of Wine, Ivy NG, Official Bourgogne Wines Ambassador and Rebecca LEUNG, wine expert. They explain the purity of Chablis wines, discuss the latest vintages, and also talk about food and wine pairings, as well as global warming and the transition to more sustainable practices. #Chablis #P ...
The Bourgogne Wine Board (BIVB) invites you to enjoy this video in which Jean-Pierre Renard, Expert Instructor at the Ecole des Vins de Bourgogne, explains the topographical and geological characteristics of the appellation Mâcon plus geographical denomination . The tectonics and the very different nature of the rocks that make up the subsoil of this region explain the great variety of soils found in this part fo Bourgogne. It also explains why each wine offers a different personnality. This vid ...
