To be sure, most wine lovers are acquainted with Rioja and its centuries-old tradition of turning full-bodied tempranillo grapes into some of the world's finest red wines.
Yet Spain, with its diverse geographic and cultural regions, is being newly discovered for the multitude of regional wines produced outside better known domains such as Rioja and Ribera del Duero.
Spain's entrance into the European Union has coincided with a renaissance of sorts in its treasured wine industry. Blending tradition with innovation, a new generation of Spanish winemakers is reviving indigenous varietals and rejuvenating the nation's bodegas with modern winemaking techniques. The result has been an explosion of Spanish wine in the world market.
For those willing to experiment, Spain offers a bewildering variety of wine of remarkable quality at an affordable price, according to Brett Clifford, premium wine buyer for the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.
More than half of Spanish wines sold in Utah are priced less than $12, he says, and "it's difficult to beat the quality for that price."
Clifford says state-controlled stores in the past three years have more than doubled their offerings to meet growing demand. Italian and Australian wines still lead sales of nondomestic wine in the state, but he estimates sales of wine from Spain have increased 20 percent since 2003.
Such enthusiasm extends nationwide.
Spanish wine exports to the U.S. increased 15 percent from 2005 to 2006 to about $250 million, the strongest growth of any destination, according to Spain's Instituto Español de Comercio Exterior.
Spanish wine is alluring to U.S. consumers for many of the same reasons Americans love to visit the country, says Peter Grisley, a Salt Lake City-based wine importer who specializes in Spanish wine.
Spain is incredibly diverse geographically and culturally, and as such offers limitless opportunity for unique experiences, he says. That uniqueness certainly extends to wine. Because diverse geographic and climatic variables are in play in different regions, winemakers using the same varietals produce results that are different and interesting.
Plus, Spanish winemakers are singularly passionate about their craft, and it shows in their product, Grisley says. "They're not worried about anything other than making good wine."
Because Spanish wine offers such enormous variety, gaining familiarity with it does take some effort.
A good place to start is with a basic understanding of how premium Spanish wine is classified and how its aging is denoted. It's also helpful to learn a little about Spanish varietals (see accompanying stories).
In general, when choosing a Spanish wine, look for its Denominación de Origen, or DO, which signifies that the wine originates from a specific production area and has met rigorous standards regulating everything from use of authorized varietals to aging times. There are more than 60 DOs in Spain, and two Denominaciónes de Origen Calificada (DOCas), Rioja and Priorat, which are under even more stringent regulations. The Ribera del Duero region is expecting DOCa status in 2008.
The UABC's Clifford is newly fond of wine from DO Chacolí de Vizcaya (or DO Bizkaiko Txakolina) in the Basque region of northeastern Spain. The white wine is made from Hondarrabi Zuri grapes and is even more delicate than better known Spanish whites made from albariño grapes, he says.
Utah recently started selling a 2005 Berroja Bizkaiko Txakolina ($15.08), and "it's exquisitely fresh and wonderful this time of year," Clifford says, adding Utah is one of the first U.S. markets to carry the wine.
Grisley specializes in wine from Rioja and among the wines he imports, one he recommends is a crianza - wine that has aged for two years - made by Bodegas Ondalán (2003, $13.19). A blend of tempranillo and graciano grapes, the result, he says, is a wonderful wine with coffee and licorice tones and a clean, red currant-tobacco mouthfeel.
He says the best way to learn about Spanish wine is to choose a price point you can afford and start exploring, "one week to the next, or even better, one night to the next."
Utah operates three stores that specialize in wine at 255 S. 300 East, Salt Lake City; 1863 E. 7000 South, Cottonwood Heights; and 1550 Snow Creek Drive, Park City. All three offer the state's largest varieties of Spanish wine, and staff at the store can offer help in making selections.
"They're very knowledgeable," Grisley says.
UABC staff spends time tasting wine and preparing "shelf talkers" sharing ratings from Wine Spectator, Wine Advocate and other sources that Utahns can use to help guide their selections, Clifford adds.
He suspects consumers will be delighted with some of the new wines they'll discover, but shouldn't forget about wine from Rioja, which exported 6.8 million liters to the U.S. in 2006, an increase of nearly 13 percent from a year earlier, according to the Instituto Español de Comercio Exterior.
"Rioja has not lost anything" given all the attention on wines from other regions of Spain, Clifford says. "If anything, it's gained momentum."
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* LISA CARRICABURU can be reached at lisac@sltrib.com or 801-257-8716. Send comments about this story to livingeditor@sltrib.com.
Region, region, region!
When choosing wine from Spain, the region sometimes can be viewed as more important than the varietal because Spaniards for centuries have associated wines' quality with specific geographical areas or zones, according to Brian Murdock, author of Spanish Wine A Pocket Guide. Plus, the same varietal can yield markedly different results depending on its terroir.
* DENOMINACI"N DE ORIGEN (DO) There are more than 60 DOs in Spain, and for a wine to be classified under a particular DO means that strict regulations have been followed, from planting the vine to capping the bottle. For a complete list of Spain's DOs go to www.espavino.com.
* DENOMINACI"N DE ORIGEN CALIFICADA (DOCa) This classification means the wine has been produced under even greater strictures. Only Rioja and Priorat - Ribera del Duero is expected to qualify in 2008 - hold this status in Spain.
* VINOS DE LA TIERRA (VdlT) come from minor regions that aspire to earn the DO classification.
* VINOS DE CALIDAD make up a new classification that falls between VdlT and DO.
* VINO DE MESA is table wine that is mass produced. Its geographic origin is never revealed.
Wine maturity
Spaniards generally note the maturity of wine using the following terms:
* CRIANZA: Wine has aged for two years; typically six months to a year in oak barrels, and the rest in bottles
* RESERVA: Wine is three years old, having aged a minimum of one year in oak barrels.
* GRAN RESERVA: Wine has aged five years; two years in oak barrels and three in bottles.
Source: Instituto Español de Comercio Exterior
Some Spanish varietals
Red
Tempranillo: This aromatic varietal is considered the star of Spanish grapes. It is called Ull de Llebre in Catalonia, Cencibel in Castile-La Mancha and Madrid, and Tinto Fino and Tinto del Pais in Castile and Leon. It flourishes in Burgos, Rioja, Alava, Cuenca and Ciudad Real. Ruby in color, its characteristics include strawberry and spice aromas and fresh tobacco flavor. The varietal is often blended with other grapes because of its lower acid and alcohol levels.
Wines to try:
* 2001 Medrano-Irazu Rioja Reserva ($18.86). One hundred percent tempranillo.
* 2003 Muro Bujanda Rioja Crianza ($11.30). One hundred percent tempranillo.
* 2003 Ondalán Rioja Crianza ($13.19). Eighty-seven percent tempranillo, 13 percent graciano.
Garnacha tinta: A high-yielding grape that produces full-bodied wines redolent of cherries. This is the most widely grown red grape in Spain, especially in Rioja, Madrid, Navarre, Tarragona, Teruel, Toledo and Zaragoza.
Wines to try:
* 2004 San Alejandro Las Rocas Calatayud ($7.52)
* 2005 Vinos Sin-ley Montsant ($8.46). Flavors of black cherry.
* 2006 Marco Real Navarra Garnacha Rosado ($7.52). Raspberry pink in color, a perfect summer wine.
Monastrell: Known as Mourvedre in France, Monastrell is the second most widely planted grape. It produces wines with moderate color, considerable alcohol and low acidity. It is mainly found in Murcia, Alicante, Albacete and Valencia and is often blended with Garnacha tinta.
Wines to try:
* 2002 Castaño Solanera Yecla ($11.93). Sixty-five percent Monastrell, 35 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. Chocolate, licorice and blackberry nose.
* 2005 Castaño Yecla ($6.19). Flavors of plum and prunes. Pairs well with beef or lamb.
White
Albariño: Native to Galicia, this is a grape with small, sweet glyceric berries that produce high quality wines. It is the basic grape of the DO Rías Baixas. It has peach or apricot on the nose and an elegant finish.
Wines to try:
* 2005 Burgáns Rias Baixas Albariño ($9.41)
* 2005 Pazo Señorano Rias Baixas Albariño ($17.92) Stone fruit on the nose, crisp. Pairs well with seafood.
* 2004 Morgadío Rias Baixas Albariño ($16.99). Melon, coconut, tangerine aromas.
Macabeo: Also called Viura, this is the basic cava variety. Mainly found in Badajoz, Rioja, Tarragona and Zaragoza, the grape yields mildly acidic, young wine which is often blended with other varieties.
Wines to try:
* 1995 Viña Gravonia Rioja Crianza ($22.65). Vanilla, jasmine, honey on the nose.
* 2005 Lo Brujo Calatayud Macabeo ($7.79)
Source: Instituto Español de Comercio Exterior, The Wine Lover's Companion
