How Spaniards Preserve Wine
The Spaniards have always been very cultured and traditional in making wine and food of top quality. Whether you prefer red wine, rose, or white wine, Spain produces and regulates so many to choose from. In addition, Spaniards have unique ways of storing wine, including using wine coolers that keep wine at an ideal temperature, humidity, and stability. For example, wine refrigerators such as the Vinotemp wine cooler will regulate the age of your wine and ensure that it doesn’t age too quickly.
6 Common Types of Spanish Wine
If you likeideal wine, you will be pleased to know that the Spanish put their hearts and souls into producing wines from extensive roots of their culture. 6 common wines you might not have heard of that are regulated under a classification system of Denominacion de Origen (DO) including:
- Vino de Pego – is the most exclusive and valuable available in the Spanish nation.
- Vino Joven – named after the Spanish word “young” and named because of its shortage of time spent in the wood barrel.
- Crianza – made in red or white wine where red must age for two and six months in an oak barrel and white must age for one year and six months in an oak barrel.
- Vinos de Mesa – table wine that is not required to show its vintage year, the grapes used, or where the winemaker made it
- Reserva – must age for a minimum of 3 years and one year in an oak barrel
- Grand Reserva – must age for a minimum of 5 years, 18 months in an oak barrel, and 36 months in a bottle.
What Distinguishes Spanish Wine from Others?
Spanish wineries age your wine for you, in oak barrels and in a bottle which means you have the privilege of tasting cellared wines that have already aged to the point of being ready to taste, rather than investing in space in your home for a wine cellar. In addition, when you look at a Spanish wine bottle, you will often see the primary grape used to make the wine on the front or back of the wine bottle. Furthermore, Spanish winemaking does not fall short of passion, dedication, and resilience, which has ultimately made it one of the leaders in the world market. At the same time, it produces wine that reflects its consistent innovation and tradition.
Top Techniques Used By Spaniards to Preserve Wines
The Spanish store their wine in oak barrels, making it rich and textured. In light of this, the law allows them to go beyond and use non-traditional grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon while also going beyond their aging requirements. Furthermore, you will find that modern Spanish winemakers tend to use French oak barrels with hints of vanilla and baking spice, whereas older wines are aged in American oak barrels with hints of coconut and dill.
How Weather Shapes Wine
As you may know, Spain is a peninsula whose climate varies hugely between regions. For example, central Spain scorches in the summer with frigid weather. On the other hand, the northwestern part has cool ocean breezes with few rivers running along its coast. At the same time, southern Spain has some arid land with wailing winds that may be overwhelming for the grapes’ growth. Central Spain is the largest winemaking region in Spain, with a mix of its dry heat and cool breezes from the west in regions such as La Mancha in the southeast.
