Spanish Grape Varieties

Spain has some wonderful indigenous grape varieties and you can see below for information on the major ones. Foreign grape varieties, especially French ones are being used more and more. Such grapes as Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Syrah, and many others are all on the rise.

White varieties

Airén

Most planted white grape in Spain
So widespread in La Mancha
- Most planted white grape in the world
Low quality grape
With modern techniques can make acceptable wine
Being replaced

Albariño

Important grape in Galicia
Very trendy
Many styles: from a more peachy, fruity style to a lean, steely profile
Generally made to be consumed young
Some interesting aging experiments being done
Another trend is barrel fermentation and/or aging.

Godello

High quality, aromatic grape native to Galicia
Good acidity and often shows mineral notes
Backbone of the Valdeorras and Bierzo Dos
Quickly gaining popularity
Experiments with aging and oak are underway

Macabeo

Also known as Viura
Macabeo is cultivated all over northern Spain
In the DO Cava regions it is combined with Xarel-lo and Parrelada
It is the dominant white grape in Rioja and Navarra
Can appear in these regions in an oak-aged style
Criticized for its neutral characteristics, but with care it can make attractive herbal wines.

Moscatel

This grape is the Muscat d’Alexandrie of the Muscat family
Used in the Levant, Cataluña, and Andalucia to make sweet dessert wines
These are generally excellent value wines
Very distinctive grape: highly aromatic, floral

Palomino

This is the main dry sherry grape
It does extremely well on the chalky soils near Jerez
Planted elsewhere produces largely unremarkable wines.

Parellada

One of the primary Cava grapes
Also used in Cataluña for soft everyday drinking whites.

Pedro Ximenez

This is the grape that makes the great sweet wines of Andalucia
Dried to raisins and then pressed to make a thick, sweet wine
Ages extremely well

Verdejo

Principle variety of Rueda
With modern wine-making techniques makes a top quality crisp and citric flavoured wine
Pleasant bitter finish
These wines are among some of the best in Spain and best value
Experiments are underway with barrel fermentation and aging

Xarel-lo

The third of the primary Cava varieties
Adds weight and alcohol to the blend

Red grape varieties

Bobal

Highly colored grape found in the Levant
Gives hearty rosados and reds
Previously known for being coarse
Careful modern techniques can make very interesting wines

Cariñena

Also called Mazuelo in Rioja
A robust grape that is an important part of the Rioja blend
- Gives color and body
Also used in Cataluña, where it is also used as a natural partner to Garnacha

Garnacha

Likely the most widely planted red grape in Spain
High yielding variety that makes a great blending grape
At low yields and with older vines, it can produce stellar wines
Oxidizes easily

Graciano

A low-yielding grape that is a high quality part of the Rioja blend
It is seeing a resurgence
It has thick skins that give wines with a lot of tannin
The wines can be tough early on but they age extremely well

Mencía

High quality grape that is seeing a surge in popularity
Many high quality examples are being produced in the Bierzo DO and the Valdeorras DO
It gives fresh, tannic wines with an elegant profile

Monastrell

High yielding variety that produces highly colored, alcoholic wines
In the right hands it can produce excellent wines
Its new reputation for quality wines is being led in Murcia
It is also used to make some interesting sweet wines.

Tempranillo

Spain’s top native red grape
It is cultivated throughout Spain and has many names depending on the region:
- Cencibel in southern Spain
- Tinto Fino, Tinto del Pais and Tinta de Toro in Castile Leon
- Tinta de Toro in Toro
- Ull de Llebre in Cataluña
It gives high quality wines at all levels, with great strawberry fruit
Many diverse styles…it is sometimes criticized for lacking a dominant varietal character.