When I arrived in Spain over 6 years ago, Robert Parker and his team were just starting to pay attention to the wines in a big way.  Since then I have seen awareness of him take off in the wine sector…frequently these days, winery professionals talk about the ratings they’ve received from the Wine Advocate.  I often ask my groups of wine tasters if they’ve heard of Robert Parker, and though many of the foreigners have, very few of the Spanish groups have. The concept of wine ratings still hasn’t really filtered down to the typical Spanish wine consumer…he or she still rely on the recommendations of family, friends, or their local wine merchant.  There are quite a few wine guides and magazines in Spain that rate wines, but ratings are a tool that is just starting to be used as a marketing tool by wineries, distributors and wine merchants. 

I was researching some wine prices online and discovered an interesting Parker phenomenon that showed how quickly things are changing…Robert Parker is becoming a more mainstream presence here in Spain.  Vinissimus.com is a website that delivers wines throughout Spain and I discovered a fascinating new offer on their website. For only 5,395€ (!) you can buy the first five Spanish wines that Parker rated 100 points.  On the 2007 list, for the first time five Spanish wines were all rated 100 points….a very impressive feat, but especially so because only one Spanish wine had been rated 100 points previously. 

It is still too early days to have much of the controversy that Parker inevitably brings…but no doubt it will arrive here too.  Certainly the styles of wine in Spain are changing dramatically and an intense dialogue about it is underway….they just haven’t started blaming Parker for it yet!   

These are the top five wines in Spain according to Robert Parker:  

1. Pingus 2004:  One of Spain’s most famous Tempranillo’s from the hand of Peter Sisseck.  Wine region Ribera del Duero.  Spain’s most expensive wine….between 600 and 1400 euros depending on vintage and availability.
2. Clos Erasmus 2004: From the tiny boutique region of Priorat…a wine that is rarely seen in Spain as most of it is exported.  Super intense liqueur fruit and mineral, it is made from Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah.  The 2004 is selling for around 450€ here in Spain, but other vintages can be had for 200€.
3. Viña El Pison 2004:  Elegant old-vine Tempranillo from the classic region Rioja.  Artadi was one of the wineries that paved the way to modern Rioja styles.  Around 150€ retail.
4. Contador 2004:  The Contador was the only Spanish wine to have received 100 points from Parker previously…the 2003 vintage also was rated 100 pts.  Benjamin Romeo is one of the most innovative wine-makers in Rioja, stressing terroir above all else. Prices can range from 350 to 500 euros depending on the vintage.
5. Termanthia 2004:  One of the top wines from Toro, an emerging region where a local variant of Tempranillo, Tinta de Toro, makes powerful, concentrated wines.  The Eguren family helped lead the way to modern styles in the region.  This is the bargain wine of the group, ranging between 100 and 180€, though I remember a few years ago it was only about 50€!