When people think about Spanish wines, they mostly think of Rioja wines, which account for about 40 per cent of the total production of Spanish wines and more than 20 per cent of the Spanish wines exported.
But Spain is such a large country and has so many other wine producing regions.
Fortunately, wines from these other Spanish wine regions are readily available at B.C. Liquor Stores.
Catalonia wines
The Catalonia wine region is located in northeast Spain, near the French border and along the Mediterranean coast. The wine region includes Barcelona and its surrounding areas.
Since the region has almost 600 kilometres of coastline, it has a maritime climate. Catalonia contains one of the best red wine producing regions in Spain (Priorat) and is also where Cava, or the Spanish equivalent of Champagne, is produced (Penedes).
B.C. Liquor Stores sell great examples of these wines. If you want to try a Priorat wine, pick up a bottle of Scala Dei Cartoixa 2017 ($60.99), which is a blend of Grenache and Cariñena grapes. You will get a dark plums and violet tastes and aromas with a minerally/slate aftertaste.
For an affordable alternative to champagne, try the Freixenet Cava Cordon Negro Gran Seleccion Brut ($19.99). In general, I find Cava less sweet and fruity compared to champagne, with more mushroom tastes and aromas.
For something more obscure, try the Torres 2021 Costers Del Segre Purgatori ($57.99). Costers Del Segre is a wine subregion located in the province of Lleda. The wine is a blend of 50 per cent Carignan, 30 per cent Grenache and 20 per cent Syrah grapes. You will get strong tannins and oak influence along with black plums and raspberry on the palate and an iron and orange peel aftertaste.
Rais Baixas
This is a wine region located in Galicia, in northwest Spain near Portugal. It is home to the white wine grape varietal of Albarino. Galicia has a lot of rain and has a luscious green landscape. Albarino wines are deliciously crisp, acidic and have a salinity that reminds you of the ocean. These wines pair perfectly with seafood.
A great example at B.C. Liquor Stores is Adegas Valminor Davila 2023 Albarino ($24.99). You will get a tangy, fresh and salinic wine with apple and citrus flavours
Madrid wines
Does Madrid produce any wines? Madrid does produce some wines in the wine region of Vinos de Madrid.
B.C. Liquor Stores carries a number of different wines made by Las Moradas de San Martin. My pick would be either their Initio ($45.99 reduced this month to $39.99) or their Senda ($35.99). Both wines are made from the Garnacha grape varietal with the grapes used to produce Initio coming from older vines, meaning there is more complexity in the flavour of these wines.
Bierzo wines
Bierzo is a wine region located in the Spanish province of Leon. It is also in the north of Spain beside Rais Baixas. Here you will find wines made with the Mencia grape varietal. Mencia grapes produce medium bodied red wines with floral aromas and red fruit flavours.
A great example at B.C. Liquor Stores is the Dominio de Tares 2020 Baltos Mencia Bierzo ($32.99 reduced this month to $28.99). You will get a medium-bodied red with herbs, black cherry, blackberry and minerally aftertaste.
Spanish wines are not just about Tempranillo grapes or the Rioja wine region. If you open yourself to some novel wines, you will experience a variety of flavours at very reasonable prices.
Until next time, happy drinking!
Tony Kwan is a Richmond News columnist. Lawyer by day, and a food and wine lover by night, Kwan is an epicurean who writes about wine, food and enjoying all that life has to offer.
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