Even the most fervent beer drinkers among us (myself included) are able to hazard a good guess at the most famous wine producing region in Spain.

Before those classy little numbers from Toro and Ribera del Duero found their way to these shores, Rioja was the only Spanish wine most of us really considered or were familiar with. As a result, prices sneaked up to reflect demand, but they seem to have found their level now. It has a long tradition of producing unique, aged wines of incredible drinkability, and despite being challenged from rival regions in terms of value for money, great buys are really quite easy to find.

The red Tempranillo is the key grape variety, and is often blended with other popular varietals. To name the three main grapes - Tempranillo for acidity and elegance, Garnacha (aka Grenache) for spice and luscious berry fruit flavours, and Graciano for structure and ageing potential.

Grapes and the terroir are not the only things to have their say on the characteristics of the wine. The traditional winemakers of Rioja are very keen on using American oak, which is generally more powerful than French oak, adding sweet vanilla-like overtones. Those of us with a keen nose may also be reminded of tobacco, cedar and smoky oak. Crianza is aged for at least two years, one of which is in oak. Reserva is aged for three years, with at least one year in oak, and Gran Reserva has at least two years in oak and three years in bottle.

Whilst the traditionalists will age in oak and bottle for lengthy periods, the standard Rioja, young and usually inexpensive, many of which are aged in French oak and released after 3-4 years, are more about the rich, ripe, vibrant fruit characteristics. Perhaps more of a drink now proposition.

Rioja is not without its whites, with Viura (Macabeo), Malvasía and the Garnacha Blanca reigning supreme. There are many lovely examples, but the reds will always dominate for their sheer brilliance.

You’ve still got time (last day Sunday 28th February) to avail of our Spanish wine sale with 20% off, including the wines of Rioja, Rías Baixas, Ribera del Duero and more. Prices will revert to normal on Monday 1st March.

Home of one of my favourite grape varieties, Rías Baixas lies in Spain’s north west corner and is Galicia’s top wine producing region. It is responsible for some of Spain’s most popular dry white wines, many of which are from the Albariño grape.

They have those monks to thank again, as they were the first to introduce and harvest Albariño in the 12th century. The white grape variety now covers around 90% of vineyard area. Crisp and fragrant, the wines have bags of flavour, some which may remind you of stone fruits, such as apricot and peach.

Rías Baixas achieved DO status in 1988. It was joined by a few other big wine producing regions around this time, as the country finally geared themselves towards leaving the devastation of Phylloxera behind them. For years after the pest had ravaged vines across Europe, the region had been producing a lot of low quality wine from high yielding hybrids (a cross between two grape species).

In the late 1970’s, however, growers were encouraged to replant native varieties and in turn they were given incentives from the government and the EU to help build more modern wine making facilities. From here, Rías Baixas grew from strength to strength and their fantastic wines are now widely available from good stockists worldwide and here in Ireland. Adventurously, a few wineries have started to experiment with the use of oak in Albariño, including Valdamor.

The DO is divided into 5 sub-regions, all offering something a little different in terms of terroir. Godello and Torrontes are among a few other grape varieties that are permitted to be grown.

There’s no better time and place to take advantage of the treasures of Rias Baixas than here, with 20% off all Spanish wines for the month of February (while stocks last).

The white grape Viura, also called Macabeo, is widely grown in the Rioja region of northeastern Spain. This 100% Viura of Rioja is cultivated in vineyards at an altitude of 400 metres above sea level and the vines are, on average, 20 years old.

To view product page and for more details, click on Valliciergo Viura.

An easy drinking, superb food wine with easily dissectable aromas and flavours that linger on and on. It’s been aged in American oak casks for 3 months prior to bottling. I’m quite a big fan of American Oak since trying this wine, for the unique vanilla and coffee flavours it imparts into the wine.

To view product page and for more details, click on Legado Muñoz Garnacha.

Toro, a red wine zone in Castilla Y Leon, is another little pocket of Spanish gems. Famous throughout Spain since medieval times, the region boasts some of Spain’s oldest vines.

Tinta de Toro, like Tinto Fino of Ribera del Duero, is a variant of Tempranillo that has adapted to the harsh climatic conditions of the area (temperatures can drop as low as -11 degrees C in the winter!). If left to ripen during the warmest months, the grapes can produce wines with very high alcohol levels, so DO regulations put a cap of 15% on all wines. As a result, winemakers are careful to pick at the right time.

The thick-skinned grapes make for character-filled reds famous for their colour and strength. Most of Toro’s best-known wines are 100 percent Tinta de Toro, although wines with just 75 percent of the variety can still qualify for DO status. Other varieties grown here include Garnacha and Cabernet Sauvignon (although only Garnacha is allowed to be blended with Tinta de Toro in DO-certified wines). A few white wines are made as well, mainly from the varieties Malvasía and Verdejo.

Toro was a key wine region during the Phylloxera crisis at the end of the 19th century. The sandy soils in the area restricted the spread of the destructive insects, so the vines were relatively well protected. As a result, exporting to France and further afield became a big business. The region was officially granted DO status in 1987.

For a piece of Toro magic, check out our Decanter Silver Medal winner, Quinta el Refugio Tinta de Toro. Selling at €8.39 (for the month of February), this is easily drinking like a €12 or €13 wine.

Sticking with our Spanish theme for the month of February, and continuing our love of matching great wine with great food, we’ve got some our most lovely Spanish wine and the Bible of Spanish Cooking to give away in this month’s competition.

From Phaidon Press comes Simone Ortega’s 1080 Recipes, the definitive book on traditional and authentic Spanish home cooking, and a bestseller in Spain since its publication almost forty years ago. Add in two bottles of our splendid Valliciergo Rioja, a red and a white, and you’re all set for the perfect Spanish night in.

How to Enter: All you have to do to enter the contest is join (or already be a member of) our monthly newsletter. We’ll draw a winner at random in March when our next newsletter goes out. You are of course completely welcome to un-join the minute after the draw is done, but we like giving discounts, special deals and free stuff to our members, so we hope you’ll stick around!

This youthful Rioja is 100% unoaked, and represents a very good expression of the varietal. The Tempranillo grapes are cultivated in hillside vineyards in the best parts of Rioja Baja and fermented in stainless steel tanks for 15 days before being bottled. The result is an easy-drinking, fruity red, which is medium-light in body.

To view product page and for more details, click on Valliciergo Tempranillo.

Yo no hablo español, so I’ll stick to English. It’s Spain month here on Curious Wines, and to further celebrate 20% off our fabulous Spanish range, we’re conducting a four part feature for February on some of the country’s most popular and up and coming wine regions, starting with the historic white wine DO of Rueda.

Located north west of Madrid and south west of Ribero del Duero, the DO lies in the province of Vallidolid on a flat elevated plain around 700 metres above sea-level. Referring to recent times, the potential of the area was discovered in the 1970’s by Bodegas Marques de Riscal of Rioja, who made a delicate white wine from the Verdejo grape to partner its red Rioja. By 1980, Rueda had earned DO status, which helped to further establish itself as a source of quality white wine.

The Verdejo grape is most at home in Rueda, despite originating (or so it’s thought) in South Africa. This white grape produces wines that are fairly aromatic and full bodied, yet very fresh, fruity and elegant. Viura (also known as Macabeo) and Sauvignon Blanc are also permitted within the DO, as well as the lesser grown reds of Tempranillo, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Garnacha.

Despite going from strength to strength in the past 40 years, Rueda has been commercially producing wines since the 11th century, when monastic orders settled in the area and founded vineyards. For hundreds of years the winemakers of the region enjoyed being part of a relatively healthy industry, until Phylloxera struck at the end of the 1800’s. They ultimately suffered the same fate as the rest of the European wine industry.

Recovery was slow until the 1970’s, but modern-day Rueda is getting it right in the vineyard and in the winery, rightfully earning a name for their signature fruity whites, much of which is being compared to the finest from Sancerre and New Zealand.

For a taste of Spain’s best Verdejo and Sauvignon Blanc, check out our Rueda wines, with 20% off indicated prices.

To help kick off our sale on our Spanish range, Mike is tasting the Valdamor Albarino from Rias Biaxas. This vintage picked up a Gold Medal in Decanter’s World Wine Awards in 2008. If you’re not familiar with this grape variety, or if you want a truly great example, the Valdamor is well worth a shot.

To view product page and for more details, click on Valdamor Albarino.

Today Mike is tasting a great, inexpensive alternative to Rioja. This Toro picked up a Silver Medal in Decanter’s World Wine Awards last year, and it left our guests at the Recession Busters wine tasting in awe of its superior price / quality ratio.

To view product page and for more details, click on Quinta el Refugio Tinto Toro.