Spanish Wine
|
Spanish classification of wines
1.- Regulations governing wine
The Spanish wines have been adapted to European standards, and they have been classified into two groups: Table Wine (Vinos de mesa) and Quality Wines Produced in Specified Regions (Vinos de Calidad Producidos en Regiones Determinadas).
- Quality Wines Produced in Specified Regions -QWPSR-
(Vinos de Calidad Producidos en Regiones Determinadas -VCPRD-):
- Qualified Denomination of Origin Wines -QDO-
(Vinos de Denominación de Origen Calificada - DOCa)
The top level of quality and monitoring of wine production.
The basic requirements:
- High levels of quality over a long period of time. The first designated wine to enter was Rioja, 1991.
- The production area is required to have been recognized over at least the previous 10 years as status "Denomination of Origin (DO)".
- All products must come to market bottled in wineries located in the region where they are produced.
Click hero to see the Spanish Qualified Denomination of Origin Wines
- Denomination of Origin Wines -DO-
(Vinos de Denominación de Origen - DO)
The basic requirements:
- Each DO must be regulated by a Governing Body (Consejo Regulador)
- Spanish wines produced in a demarcated production area using grapes grown in that same region.
- The reputation or characteristics are due to the geographic environment, the human factor or both, as regards the production of the fruit and the making or ageing of the wine.
- The production area is required to have been recognized over at least the previous five years as a region producing "Quality Wines with a Geographical Indication".
- Quality Wines with a Geographical Indication
(Vinos de Calidad con Indicación Geográfica)
The wines made in a certain spanish region using grapes grown in that same region whose reputation or quality are due to the geographic environment.
- Wines estate.
This wines of recognized prestige made from grapes grown under climatic and soil conditions distinctive to a certain rural place.
- Table Wine (Vinos de mesa)
- Country Wines - CW (Vinos de la Tierra - VT)
- Table Wines
2.- Ageing characteristics classification:
- Gran reserva
- Red wines aged for a minimum of 60 months, include at least 18 months in oak.
- Rosé and white wines aged for 48 months, include at least 6 months in wood.
- Reserva
- Red wines aged for a minimum of 36 months, include at least 12 months in oak.
- Rosé and white wines aged for 18 months, include at least 6 months in wood.
- Crianza wine
- Red wines aged for a minimum of 24 months, include at least 6 months in oak with a capacity of 330 litres maximum.
- Rosé and white wines aged for 18 months.
- Old wine
- Old wines aged for a minimum of 36 months.
- Aged wine (Añejo)
- Old wines aged for a minimum of 24 months.
- Quality wine (Noble)
- Old wines aged for a minimum of 12 months.
|
