Spain features almost 100 recognized areas for wine production, a range of regional and international grapes, and distinctive geographical and climatic conditions, which means that diversity is key to understanding and enjoying the country's wines. This week's Tasting Highlights offers just a small snapshot of this variety, highlighting sparklers as well as reds from Rioja and Campo de Borja.
Rioja is Spain's most well-known area for wine, with most of its reds based on the Tempranillo grape. Examples from Lentisco and CVNE, both from Rioja's Alavesa subregion, illustrate the ongoing exploration of more specific terroirs here. Meanwhile, crianza bottlings from Ramirez and Montecillo, also featured below, are prime examples of Rioja's traditional system of aging: Crianzas are aged for at least 24 months, including 12 months in barrel.
This lineup also includes Bodegas Alto Moncayo's Garnacha-Shiraz Campo de Borja Gruñón 2018, the top scorer, which is bright with strawberry and olive notes. Read on to get our score and full tasting note for this fantastic Spanish wine and nine others.
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