Spanish wine regions
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The majority of wine regions in Spain are referred to as denominaciónes (similar to the French appellation) whose wine is regulated for quality according to specific laws.
The denominación is part of a wider hierarchy of quality-graded descriptors for Spanish wine regions, as follows (highest quality first):
- Denominación de Pago (DO de Pago): Recently revived by the Spanish government, los Vinos de Pago aspire to the very highest standards with extremely strict geographical criteria, centering on individual single-estates with an international reputation.
- Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOCa/DOQ - Denominació d'Origen Qualificada in Catalan): Regions with a proven track record of consistent quality. There are only 2 wine regions with this status, Rioja and Priorato.
- Denominación de Origen (DO - Denominació d'Origen in Catalan): mainstream quality-wine regions. There are 62 wine regions with this status.
- Vino de Calidad Producido en Región Determinada (VCPRD - Spanish translation of the EU QWPSR): a 'starter home' for wine regions climbing the quality ladder. There are currently just 5 wine regions with this status, all in Castilla y León.
- Vino de la Tierra (VdlT) "Country wines" which do not have EU QWPSR status but which may use a regional name. There are 55 Vino de la Tierra regions in Spain.
- Vino de Mesa (table wine) is bulk-grown, usually drawn from a wide variety of regions and hence has no vintage or area designation on the label, apart from "Produce of Spain". Production of this low grade of Spanish wine is falling year on year. In 2006 a new Vino de la Tierra "region" was created called Viñedos de Espana (not listed below) which is also permitted to blend wines from any number of Spanish regions.[1]
Although the majority are confined to specific centres of production, some of the top Denominaciónes, Cava and Rioja in particular, are the product of more than one Autonomous Community. This is in contrast to Denominaciónes de Pago, where the location criteria are very strict indeed, often centering on specific plots of land and admitting only those wines produced in their immediate vicinity.[2]
[edit] List of Spanish Dominiaciónes de Origen and Vinos de la Tierra by Community
| Autonomous Community |
Dominiaciónes de Origen (DO) (DOCa and DO de Pago in bold) |
Vinos de la Tierra (VdlT) (VCPRD in bold) |
|---|---|---|
| Andalusia | Condado de Huelva Jerez-Xeres-Sherry Manzanilla de Sanlúcar de Barrameda Montilla-Moriles Málaga y Sierras de Málaga |
Bailén Cádiz Contraviesa-Alpujarra Córdoba Desierto de Almería Granada Sur-Oeste Laujar-Alpujarra Los Palacios Norte de Granada Ribera del Andarax Sierra Norte de Sevilla Sierra Sur de Jaén |
| Aragón | Calatayud Campo de Borja Cariñena Somontano Cava |
Bajo Aragón Ribera del Gállego-Cinco Villas Ribera del Jiloca Valdejalón Valle del Cinca Ribera de Queiles |
| Asturias | (none) | Cangas |
| Cantabria | (none) | Costa de Cantabria Liébana |
| Castilla y León | Bierzo Cigales Ribera del Duero Rueda Toro Cava (one producer in Aranda de Duero) |
Arlanza (VCPRD) Arribes (VCPRD) Castilla y León Tierra de León (VCPRD) Tierra del Vino de Zamora (VCPRD) Valles de Benavente (VCPRD) |
| Castilla-La Mancha | Almansa Dominio de Valdepusa (DO de Pago) La Mancha Manchuela Méntrida Mondéjar Guijoso (DO de Pago) Ribera del Júcar Valdepeñas Jumilla |
Castilla Gálvez Pozohondo Sierra de Alcaraz |
| Cataluña | Alella Ampurdán-Costa Brava Cataluña Conca de Barberá Costers del Segre Montsant Penedés Pla de Bages Priorato (DOCa) Tarragona Terra Alta Cava |
(none) |
| Comunidad de Madrid | Vinos de Madrid | (none) |
| Comunidad Valenciana | Alicante Utiel-Requena Valencia Cava |
Castelló El Terrerazo |
| Extremadura | Ribera del Guadiana Cava |
Extremadura |
| Galicia | Monterrey Rías Bajas Ribeira Sacra Ribeiro Valdeorras |
Betanzos Valle del Miño-Orense |
| Islas Baleares | Binissalem-Mallorca Pla i Llevant |
Formentera Ibiza Illes Balears Isla de Menorca Serra de Tramuntana-Costa Nord |
| Islas Canarias | Abona La Gomera Gran Canaria Monte Lentiscal El Hierro La Palma Lanzarote Tacoronte-Acentejo Valle de Güímar Valle de la Orotava Ycoden-Daute-Isora |
La Gomera |
| Navarra | Navarra Rioja Cava |
Ribera del Queiles |
| País Vasco | Chacolí de Álava Chacolí de Vizcaya Chacolí de Guetaria Rioja (Alavesa) Cava |
(none) |
| Región de Murcia | Bullas Yecla Jumilla |
Abanilla Campo de Cartagena |
| La Rioja | Rioja (DOCa) Cava |
Valles de Sadacia |
