How to Read a Spanish Wine Label

Are you looking for a bottle of full-bodied red or fruity white Spanish wine but can't seem to find one because you don't know how to read the label? You don't have to be fluent in Spanish to read a wine bottle label. You just have to know a few important words.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Know the word "Bodega." The Bodega listed on a Spanish wine bottle label refers to the vineyard where the wine was produced. It is on the front of the bottle, similar to American wine labels.

2. Understand Spanish wine classifications. There are three: Vino de Mesa, referring to Spanish table wine; Vino te la Tierra, referring to the specific region where the wine was produced such as "Vino te la Tierra: Rioja"; and Vino de Calidad, stamped on labels of what are considered "quality" Spanish wines.

3. Learn that "joven" printed on the wine bottle label means the wine is young.

4. Look for the words "barrica" or "roble." Barrica on the label means the wine has been aged in barrels. Robles on the label refers to oak barrels.

5. Recognize that "Crianza" means the wine has been aged for two years. During these two years, it has spent six months in oak and 18 months in the bottle before it is available for sale.

6. Identify "Riserva" Spanish wines as those that have been aged for at least three years. During this time, Spanish wine spends one year in oak barrels and two years in the bottle before it is available for sale.

7. Understand that "Gran Riserva" bottles spend five years aging before they are available for sale. It spends two of those five years aging in oak barrels and three years aging in the bottle.

Tips & Warnings

• Check out the DO or DOCa. Both are designations of specific Spanish wine-making regions and denote higher quality wines. DO refers to Denominaciones de Origen and Denominaciones de Origen Calificada, both of which refer to the appellation where the wine was produced.
• Watch for "meses" when you are looking for Spanish wine aged in oak. Meses refers to months, meaning if the wine label reads "meses en barrica" it has spent only a few months in oak barrels. You won't get the oaky flavors you are searching for in wines carrying this label.

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[nielsenjohannes]

on 11/9/2008 Read some more Spanish wine labels at

http://www.klatcher.com/wine_labels/60_Spanish_Wine_Labels

Enjoy!