The Wines Of Spain

Once internationally renowned only for Sherry and Rioja, Spain has in recent years come to be known for fine wines produced in Costers del Segre, Navarra, Penedes, Priorato, Ribera del Duero, Rias Baijas, Somontano and many other regions. Based on two years' travel all over the country, researching the wines as well as tasting all those the author could find on the United Kingdom market, this is an account of vineyards in remote places, and their produce.

Wine lovers everywhere are starting to realize what the pros have known for some time: Spain delivers some of the world's highest-quality wines for the money. The big question many consumers have, though, is where to start in their Spanish wine journey.Decoding Spanish Wine: A Beginner's Guide to the High-Value, World-Class Wines of Spain cuts through the jargon and complexities to present the grapes, regions and culture of Spain in a concise, approachable format that will have beginning and middle-stage wine consumers on their way to becoming Spanish wine pros. Learn about the different types of grapes used in Spanish wines, along with the classifications listed on the bottle. Understand the main regions producing wine and how their culture and methods differ so you can better find wines that suit your tastes. Discover how you can visit a wine shop or restaurant and uncover some of the best bargains. Most importantly, have fun while you're doing it. Broadening your wine horizons doesn't have to involve bulling your way through a dense collection of mindnumbing facts. Written in an entertaining, easy-to-digest fashion, Decoding Spanish Wine includes the core info you need to get started on your journey to enjoying a new world of exciting, high-value wine from one of the planet's greatest wine-producing countries.

This brand-new, second edition of The New Spain is the only up-to-date, illustrated reference to Spanish wines. John Radford takes the reader on a region-by-region tour of Spain's rapidly changing vineyards and wineries. All aspects of Spanish wines are covered in depth, from soil types and vineyard classification to the most innovative bodegas and newest styles of red, white, and sparkling wines. There are comprehensive producer profiles for each wine region, as well as tips on the best wines available and an easy-to-use glossary of Spanish wine terms. More than 150 color photographs and detailed maps showing the location of all wine regions complete this indispensable book.

- Much needed thorough and up-to-date analysis of the wines of northern Spain - Author is a leading authority on the wines of Spain and has received honors from many of its wine regions for her work championing the wines - Spain is currently one of the most exciting and dynamic wine-producing countries in Europe and its third largest wine exporter Although rightly famed for the wines of Rioja, the north of Spain has even more to offer the wine adventurer. Criss-crossed by rivers, its landscape ranges from the dramatic Pyrenees in the north-east to the low inlets of the Atlantic coast in the west. Growers - and consumers - can enjoy a diversity of terroirs and an exciting array of native varieties. This introduction to the wines of northern Spain explores the changes, starting in the west, where the wineries of Galicia - from Rías Baixas to Valdeorras - have multiplied, while Bierzo is building a reputation for aromatic, refreshing reds, and Castilla y León is home to a growing number of individual, top quality producers. Traveling east, the success of Ribera del Duero has attracted investors from outside the region, all eager to gain a share of the limelight, while Aragón is busy building an international reputation for its venerable bush vine Garnachas. Across the country, a new generation is joining established producers in a remarkable blossoming of fine wines. Extensive producer profiles and established and well-known estates mingle on the page with newer makers and small producers to provide a thoroughly up-to-date and indispensable reference. For all wine enthusiasts keen to explore this region - whether in person or from a favourite armchair - The Wines of Northern Spain is essential reading.

"I traveled over the course of almost two years with photographer Estanis Núñez, an old friend of mine, just like we used to in our rock'n'roll days, taking photos, eating and drinking together. This book contains 14 profiles of vignerons, each of them different, spanning most of the wine-producing regions of Spain. There are others, but this is my personal selection. Their profiles talk about the history, landscape, vineyards, cuisine, passion and tradition of their region. You won't find tannins, anthocyanins, vintages, points or tasting notes here. I am hardly going to talk about wine at all. But you will find the often-forgotten human side and the context of what is in the bottle, including local cuisine (where wine plays an important role) as well as each winegrower's personal take on it. . Their main aim in life is to portray the uniqueness of their vineyards, villages and landscapes through a bottle of wine. Wine that can transport you back to the time and place it was produced the moment you drink it. These are the new vignerons. A new generation of Spanish winegrowers."

The transformation of the Spanish wine industry over the last 20 years has been astonishing. From a state of very considerable decay it has re-invented itself with great vigour and style. Four decades ago such reputation as the wines of Spain had rested on the declining quality of Sherry and the occasional majestic Rioja towering above the surrounding sea of mediocre, oxidised table wines. "How things have changed!" exclaims Julian Jeffs in the introduction to his valuable The Wines of Spain, the latest addition to Faber and Faber's series of wine books. Over the course of two years Jeffs put in a great deal of intensive research in Spain, travelling the length and breadth of the country, visiting growers and tasting their wines. The effort has paid off in a wealth of engrossing detail. The volume is organised into sections dealing with the main provinces or geographical regions--Aragon, Catalunya, Andalucia and so on--then within those by the individual Denominacion de Origen (DO). Within each DO the leading or most interesting bodegas are profiled, allowing Jeffs to build up a cumulative portrait of the regional characters. Especially evocative are the portions of the book dealing with the ancient and distinguished Sherry houses in Andalucia, many of them of course founded in the 18th or 19th centuries by British or Irish merchants. The account of the great Bodegas Vega Sicilia in Castilla is emblematic of the progress of the entire Spanish wine industry: Producing some of the world's finest wine up to the 1920s, it fell into poor practices and the quality and reliability of the wine suffered badly. Under the modernising current owners the wine has regained its former reputation. According to Julian Jeffs, Vega Sicilia "is on a Wagnerian scale, with all that master's subtlety and complexity." --Robin Davidson --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Wines of Spain covers everything a wine enthusiast needs to know about the wine regions of Spain and their producers. In the introductory section the anatomy of Spanish wine is explained, alongside information on the laws and labels, demystifying the large range of official seals and wording found on Spanish wine labels. Also provided are helpful tips for visitors when ordering wines and other drinks in Spain.