Spanish wine is considered to be a unique blend from a unique country. As the third largest exporter of wine, Spain is in the unique position of offering in excess of 600 species of grapes that grow natively throughout the country. Despite these numbers, almost all Spanish wine is derived from about 20 various grape varieties. Spanish wine has been in production from the estimated time period between 5000 and 4000 BC.
Spanish wine was largely assumed to be out of its league when compared to other wine producing countries. Suddenly in the 1950’s, however, Spain was able to provide enough stability throughout the region to increase the wine market through producing bulk, somewhat generic wine. Post 1975 the country was reestablished in the wine market through the production of sherry and economic development. Spanish wine became an honest competitor among the wine producing nations.
Unlike most wine rating systems, Spanish wine is divided into 5 class categories instead of 4. Recognizing these ratings can help anyone pick out a good quality Spanish wine. Vdm is the lowest quality wine but also the table wine that has the fewest blending restrictions. This offers some very unique tastes for those who enjoy table wine. VdlT is the second class of Spanish wine. The label indicates anticipated quality based on the region that the grapes were grown. VCPRD could be considered the mainstream wine with its higher quality but more reasonable price. DO rated wines are also considered mainstream and make up the largest percentage of exported wines. These are a little more costly but are also more closely regulated and are considered to be above average quality. Finally, DOCa or DOQ ratings mean the same thing. These wines are considered the prime quality wine that Spain produces. While more expensive than the other Spanish wines, these bottles are particularly fine considering that the stringent requirements are difficult for wineries to attain.
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