Ben Pawlowski
RIOJA, Tempranillo, Albariño and Cava – with just four examples, it is no wonder that Spanish wine is renowned all over the world for its quality, rich flavour and texture.
In fact, Spain is the most widely planted wine-producing nation in the world, second for wine exports, and third for wine production.
The New York Times have said that Spanish vinos are more ‘exciting and compelling’ than any other country’s produce – and now the American newspaper have named 10 bottles which ‘represent its increasingly common high level of quality and pure pleasure’.
This is their list:
- Viña Zorzal Navarra Garnacha 2022, 13%
It may be the cheapest bottle on the list at €13, but the NYT’s reviewers insist this Basque red is bursting at the seams with vibrant floral and fruity aromas sure to be a hit at any dinner table.
- Cantalapiedra Castilla y Leon Lirondo 2023, 13.5%
This entry-level white is made entirely of verdejo, the local grape found in the Rueda region of Castilla y Leon. It is described as ‘bright, distinctive and graceful, yet richly flavoured and tangy’.
- 4 Monos Viticultores Sierra de Gredos GR-10 Tinto 2022, 13.5%
4 Monos – literally ‘4 monkeys’ – was founded by a group of friends who met whilst hiking in the Sierra de Gredos, a mountainous region west of Madrid. Their wine has similarly lofty ambitions, rooted in the high-altitude vineyards which have produced a delicate, graceful vino layered with hints of tannins, flowers, and red fruits.
- Cosmic Vinyaters Catalonia Vitalitat 2023, 10.5%
A biodynamically harvested cava from the heart of Catalonia, this bubbly sensation is praised as ‘bone dry, refreshing and full of energy’.
- Ponce Manchuela Blanco 2023, 12.5%
This dry, floral and lively white wine is grown in Manchuela, just north of Albacete and near Valencia. The vineyard normally makes reds – but this white is praised by the NYT, particularly for how it compliments a fillet of fish.
- Luis Anxo Rodriguez Vazquez Ribeiro A Torna Dos Pasas 2021, 12.5%
A classically vibrant red, this bottle comes from Ribeiro, the famous winemaking region tucked in the southwestern corner of Galicia. The wine is ‘superb, bright, lively and refreshing’.
- Akutain Rioja Reserva 2017, 14%
It wouldn’t be a Spanish wine list without the trusty Rioja – this 2017 number hits all the right notes, helped by a process which ensures the wine is aged a minimum for three years before going on the market. Perfect with a leg of lamb, or other fatty, rich foods.
- Veronica Ortega Bierzo Cobrana 2021, 12.5%
Various types of grape are blended to create this earthy red, described as ‘fresh and vivacious’. The wine is richer than others, but equally superb.
- Envinate Vinos Atlanticos Palo Blanco 2021, 11.5%
This white wine is made from centuries-old vines on Tenerife in the Canary Islands. Reviewers have noted that it is ‘pure, energetic and dry, with a lovely texture’.
- Enric Soler Catalonia Istiu 2020, 12.5%
The most expensive wine on the list but, according to the NYT’s resident reviewer, arguably the best. This Catalan number, from esteemed sommelier Enric Soler, ‘twangs with lively acidity and deft use of oak’.
