|
In addition to the wines looked at in part 1 there are a number of Spanish white wines made from foreign grape varieties such as chardonnay, riesling and gewürztraminer as well as sauvignon blanc (see Part of Spanish White Wines).
Before looking at these wines it is worth pointing out that the taste of a wine is affected by grape variety, climate, soil and the way it is made. For example, a wine made from the chardonnay grape in the north of France, where the climate is temperate, can differ markedly from a wine made with the same grape in Spain, where the climate is warmer. Altitude, however, can lessen some of the extremes of high temperature.
In the same way a wine made from chardonnay grapes that has been fermented in oak barrels (fermentada en barrica) will be different from one that has not, because flavours from the oak will be absorbed into the wine.
The most successful white wines made from foreign grape varieties can be found in the north-west of Spain in the foothills of the Pyrenees. Wine regions such as Somontana, Navarra and those around Barcelona in Catalonia are areas which produce good to very good white wines from foreign (and indigenous) grape varieties. Indeed all over Spain white wines are being produced that are improving year on year.
Finally, Spanish white wines are made to be drunk young, which shows them to their best advantage, so be sure you purchase the most recent vintage possible.
Comer sin vino o es miseria o es desatino eating without wine is either poverty or folly
This Article on Spanish Dry White Wine was written by Steve Bannell of Alegria Wines. Telephone 0034 626 469 154
Spanish White Wine Spanish Dry White Wine Spanish Wine Labels Spanish Wine Bottles Spanish Rose Wine Spanish Sweet Wine Ribera del Duero Wine Spanish Rioja Wines Spanish Tempranillo Wines Spanish Garnacha Wine Spanish Mencia and Monastrell Wine Spanish Foreign Grape Varieties
|