Think of Spain, and you think of hot, humid nights spent over hearty food washed down with plenty of luscious, robust red wine, right?
Made up of 70 regions with more than 600 indigenous grapes, Spain offers a combination of different conditions and climates that serve up a diverse range of wine for every taste and occasion, from Rioja and Tempranillo to Garnacha and Bobal, not to mention Sherry (fortified wine).
Much like France, Spanish winemaking is still controlled by traditional legislation in the form of Denominación de Origen (DO), but recent years have seen modern winemakers adopt a more open approach to produce the kind of diverse and dynamic bottles made elsewhere in the world. All of this means Spanish wine is so much more than simply the base for a pitcher of Sangria.
Ignacio Lopez, chief winemaker at Campo Viejo Wines, the Rioja brand with vineyards across its namesake region, tells us: “Spain, is a magical country where the passion of the people working on fields and farms and in wineries and vineyards transcends into delicious food and wine that can transport you to the terroir where it grows with a small bite or sip. The diversity of soils, valleys and altitude provide endless possibilities for wine lovers.”
He adds: “In Spain, you can find as many different styles of wine as you can imagine, from crisp sparklings and bone-dry whites to alluring rosés or light and full-bodied reds (and everything in between), plus dessert and fortified tipples to boot. The reason for such great variety is the incredibly long history and heritage of wine production in the peninsula and the close connection of wine to food with a strong link to culture and civilization. In Spain, pretty much every town and region has their own wine, and of course, for the people living there, theirs is always the best.”
Lopez continues: “In Rioja, we have the influence of both the Cantabrian and Mediterranean Seas with our grapes grown up to 900 metres above sea level in very different soils and conditions. This amazing mix makes Rioja a region to savour through its wine. Our Gran Reserva is a great example of a Spanish red that delivers complexity, elegance, freshness and a long persistence in the mouth based on the quality of the grapes careful ageing in barrels and bottle.”
Hot off the grapevine, here’s our pick of the best Spanish red wine, sure to pair well with tapas, gambas pil-pil, paella… or simply good old British grub.
Shop now
Campo Viejo Rioja Gran Reserva
Hailing from Campo Viejo, the recognisable brand with a clutch of quality wineries across Rioja in northern Spain, this Gran Reserva is elegant and complex with hints of chocolate, coffee and tobacco, while being seriously soft and velvety on the palate.
It’s made from a 2014 blend of Tempranillo, Graciano and Mazuelo grapes that have been aged for no less than five years – at least two of those in oak casks – to make for a mature red that can stand up to the robust flavours of game, stews and a good, old-fashioned Sunday roast.
A real corker.
Buy now £15.00, Sainsbury's
M&S Expressions Organic Garnacha
.jpg)
Light, vibrant and fruity, this Garnacha from trusty Marks & Sparks is made from high-altitude grapes grown in the Castile-La Mancha region of central Spain, resulting in a delightfully fresh and delicate sip.
At just shy of a tenner, the organic, sustainable and vegan wine is perfectly poised for everyday drinking, whether it’s with a midweek dinner or simply by itself in front of your next big Netflix binge. Unscrew and unwind.
Buy now £8.50, Ocado
M&S Collection Rioja Gran Reserva El Duque de Miralta
Having bagged Bronze at the 2023 Decanter World Wine Awards, M&S Collection Rioja Gran Reserva El Duque de Miralta – priced appropriately at £16 – is as full-bodied and flavoursome as you’d expect.
Mature and aromatic, it’s bursting with the distinctive taste of vanilla, coconut, berry and spice, while its nose is similarly complex. It’s made using Tempranillo grapes from Rioja, aged for two years in oak then cellared for a further three, meaning it can stand up to even the strongest ingredients like lamb and mushroom. Utterly glorious.
Buy now £16.00, Ocado
Cune Gran Reserva Rioja
Characterised by a dark cherry colour with evocative aromas of blackberry, raspberry and blackcurrant, Cune Gran Reserva Rioja is a complex and elegant Spanish red that’s positively rocking with fruity finesse. Cune, styled with a ‘v’ by the brand to replace the ‘u’, was founded in Rioja in 1879 and has become a marque of quality amongst those in the know and discerning oenophiles. This bottle, with subtle hints of spice and vanilla, is an excellent case in point.
Buy now £16.99, Amazon
Beronia Rioja Crianza 2019/20
Founded by a group of friends in 1973 with a shared love of food and wine from Rioja, Bodegas Beronia creates truly brilliant gastronomic bottles such as this Crianza, an easy and versatile choice for any day of the week or any dish in your repertoire. It’s characterised by bright and vibrant red-berry fruit flavours with touches of rosemary, cinnamon and theme, plus soft notes of vanilla from ageing for at least a year in oak barrels. We particularly loved this with razor-thin slices of charcuterie on a warm summer’s evening to recall lazy, hazy holidays in Spain. Gorgeous.
Buy now £9.99, Amazon
Tesco Finest Viña del Cura Rioja Reserva 2019
We’re fans of Finest, the premium range of handpicked products from Tesco, and their Viña del Cura Rioja Reserva 2019 is no exception. For just a tenner, you can enjoy an exclusive Rioja that’s blended from hand-harvested Tempranillo grapes then oak-aged and carefully matured in barrels for no less than 20 months, resulting in a concentrated wine brimming with raspberry flavours layered with subtle oak and spice – the kind of complexity you’d expect from a far more expensive bottle. Brilliant with beef on the barbecue.
Buy now £10.00, Tesco
ASDA Extra Special Old Vine Garnacha
This bargainous beauty – at just over £6 – hails from the sun-baked vineyards of Aragon in northeastern Spain, home to full-bodied Spanish reds, and offers concentrated and rich flavours that partner perfectly with roasted meats, casseroles or Mediterranean dishes. A lipsmackingly good Garnacha and a real crowd-pleaser for dinner parties with likeminded Hispanophiles.
Buy now £6.25, ASDA
Cune Imperial Reserva 2018
Expect wild berry and tangy liquorice on the nose with toffee and tobacco on the palate in this Imperial Reserva from Rioja-based winery Cune. It’s ruby-red in colour and is further characterised by its elegance, depth of flavour and velvety mouthfeel with a long and complex finish to wrap up a rather fabulous bottle. Luscious with roast lamb, amongst other things.
Buy now £23.25, Co-op
López de Heredia Viña Cubillo Crianza Rioja 2015
Reflective of its classy bottle, López de Heredia Viña Cubillo Crianza Rioja is an elegant and sophisticated sip, crafted from a blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano grapes aged in American oak barrels. The resulting wine is packed full of delicate savoury notes and a complexity that far exceeds traditional Crianza. With serious depth of flavour, it can stand up to both hearty and spicy dishes, meaning it's a great match for something like a lamb curry.
Buy now £22.95, Master of Malt
Altanza Rioja Crianza 2020
Made from purely Tempranillo grapes harvested in 2020 and aged for 12 months, this vegan Rioja from Altanza Bodegas serves up alluring notes of blackberry and blackcurrant on the palate with an herbaceous backbone, and pairs well with rich meats such as lamb or game. Fresh, smooth, intense and balanced, it reflects the kind of elegant and nicely-rounded bottles this winery specialises in.
Buy now £16.75, The Whisky Exchange
Faustino I Gran Reserva Rioja
This recognisable bottle is iconic for a reason – having scooped a number of awards in its time, from Silver at the International Wine Challenge 2024 to The Best Spanish Red Wine by Decanter magazine – and is a Gran Reserva through and through. Expect distinctive notes of stewed fruit, oak and spicy cinnamon with complex aromas characterised by balsamic. It’s a combination of Tempranillo, Graciano and Mazuelo grapes that are aged for over a decade in both barrel (26 months) and bottle (eight years) to create a fine expression of its kind.
Buy now £28.99, Amazon
Izadi Rioja Larrosa Negra 2021
A juicy Spanish red with aromas of fresh black fruit and notes of violet with hints of spice, Izadi Rioja Larrosa Negra is fresh, elegant and seriously flavoursome. It’s made from exclusively Garnacha grapes that are aged for seven months in French oak, making it warm but juicy with complex and ripe tannins. Bright and beautiful.
Buy now £18.55, Ahadleigh Wine
Celler l’Encastell ‘Marge’ Priorat
Sometimes, you really do get what you pay for, such as this powerful Spanish red that packs a serious punch with a spicy blend of Garnacha, Cariñena and international grapes.
Hailing from the hills of Priorat in Catalonia, home to some of Spain’s’ most-coveted wine, this bottle harnesses high-altitude vineyards and iron-rich soil to deliver personality, depth and minerality in spades. On the palate, expect dark cherry, cloves, mocha and five-spice with hints of pepper. Sublime.
Buy now £27.50, Amathus Drinks
Terra Organica Rioja
A medium-bodied Rioja from an award-winning, vegan, organic, sustainable and biodynamic winery with juicy cherry and blackberry flavours, plus the suggestion of vanilla spice from light ageing in oak barrels. No wonder Terra Organic Rioja was awarded Silver in The Drinks Business Global Rioja Masters 2022. Perfect with a bowl of piled-high (and piping hot) padron peppers sprinkled with rock salt.
Buy now £10.75, Amazon
Hacienda Zorita Abascal Crianza Ribera del Duero
Hailing from one of Spain’s most-celebrated wine regions in the north of the country, Hacienda Zorita Abascal Crianza Ribera del Duero is crimson in colour with rich, plum aromas and fruity, vanilla flavours. Incidentally, its grapes are slowly fermented at controlled temperatures to achieve maximum fruit extraction before being aged for 15 months in French oak barrels. It clearly works wonders with an intense wine that’s perfect with Spanish ham and chorizo.
Buy now £15.00, Ocado
