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Spanish Wine: Classification Levels
Classifications:
There are four main levels of Spanish red wine and you will usually find them being referred to in the label. They are: Table wine, Crianza, Reserva, and Gran Reserva. Generally you will not find one of these labels listed with any other type of wine as it is the red wines that are held for longer periods of time in casks and then need these labels to describe how long. For example a white wine aged two years can be considered very old whereas a red wine can be drunk almost ten years after it was made.
The classification level then, generally speaking as there are many exceptions to this rule, is referring to the age but not necessarily the year the wine was made. The age or the classification level refers to the amount of time the wine was held in the barrels at the bodegas (wineries). As that time increases, so does the level of classification, usually the quality, and almost always the price.
- The first level is simply table wine. Usually you will find this type listed as the, "vino de la casa," or the house wine, which is common on most restaurant menus in Spain. Of course the vino de la casa could be a selection with a higher classification… It all depends upon the restaurant at which you are dining. And to confuse you further (but hopefully will become clearer in time) a table wine can either be very inexpensive (usually the case) or sometimes just as expensive as a wine from the highest level of classification. An example of the latter is a red Catalan table wine, Clos Martinet, which you should expect to pay at least 3,000 pesetas.
- Crianza is the second level wine. Crianza red wines are generally described as having a pleasant tartness, to being intense, spicy, have hues of dark ruby or cherry red and give off aromas of ripe black fruits. Some are reminiscent of violets or vanilla combined with a sense of tartness, which is one of the most common ways to recognize a crianza wine.
- Reserva wines, those at the third level, are generally described as having more of a complexity in its taste over that of a crianza. Of course personal opinion can change any general statement but usually Reservas are both strong and powerful possibly offering a richer more lasting taste, however, you be the judge!
- Gran Reserva is the fourth and highest classification among Spanish wines. As you probably might have guessed (from this general progression) they are the oldest variety among red wines and actually among the most rare as well; an important factor towards the general higher price. Most bodegas produce around one-third as many Gran Reserva varieties as they do Reservas.
"Nothing is so effective in keeping one young and full of lust as a discriminating palate thoroughly satisfied at least once a day."--Angelo Pellegrini from the The Unprejudiced Palate
Want to learn about Grapes grown in Spain? click here.
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