Spain

Discover the wines from Spain

The very first Spanish vineyard appeared in Andalusia, 3,000 years ago. The Phoenicians understood that the weather was ideal for winegrowing and started to plant grapevines and to sell wine all over the Mediterranean Basin. Later on, around the 3rd century AD, the Roman Empire settled in Spain and perfected what they saw as outdated winemaking techniques, paving the way for more aromatic, fine wines. When the Empire was no more, permanent barbarian invasions ended the wine business in the country. At least, for a time.

The Wisigoth tribes came to Spain in 270-275 AD. Their arrival marked a renewal for the vineyard. Then, in 1474, the crowning of King Ferdinand II of Aragon became the beginning of a new golden age for winemakers. Thanks to him, legions of monks were now cultivating their own little vineyard in the country and wine was once again the drink of choice for every occasion. Decades later, in the 19th century, the wine business started to emulate what happened in Bordeaux. As a result, many winemakers decided to modernize their equipment and change their methods.

Many Spanish winemakers struck gold, such as Luciano de Murrieta, Don Camilo Hurtado de Amezaga or Don Eloy Lecanda y Chaves (the founder of the famous Vega Sicilia Estate). Exportations were at an all time high… And then came the phylloxera crisis, as well as two world wars. The country was in shambles, but that didn’t stop the local winemakers. As soon as the 1950s came around, the vineyard was back on track. In 1970, the DOC (Denominazione de Origen, the equivalent of the French AOC) was created. The plan was now for Spanish wines to focus on quality instead of quantity. This explains why they can now rival even the finest Burgundy, Bordeaux, or foreign wines.

Check out our selection of Spanish wines.