2017 New Releases From Spain, Part 1

BY JOSH RAYNOLDS | JANUARY 24, 2017 

Overall quality of Spanish wines continues to rise, as does their availability in export markets. The result is a rapidly increasing number of wines that are worthy of consumers’ attention. Covering the Spanish wine world thoroughly with even a semblance of efficiency is endlessly frustrating because of the country’s disparate regions and capricious release schedules. Unlike, say, France, where virtually every region releases its wines in a predictable rhythm, Spain in a given year might have new offerings of white and red wines that span up to a decade of vintages, and that’s not even including the Reserva and Gran Reserva bottlings that can be held back even longer before being released by the bodegas. It’s not uncommon today, for example, to find a newly released Rioja from the 2015 vintage alongside new 2005, 2008, 2009 or 2010 bottlings from the same bodega. While that is beneficial in terms of consumer choice, it can be a logistical nightmare for critics who attempt to cover Spain comprehensively every year. 

In the heart of Ribera del Duero, pre-harvest

Then there’s the geographic diversity of Spain, with its cooler Atlantic-influenced northern zones, its continental center and its Mediterranean east and south. Italy’s regional diversity is similar to some extent, as is France’s, but neither country, in my opinion, offers such a wildly diverse range of wine styles that hit the market in such a dizzying fashion. Reviewing the wines of Spain is like covering a multitude of countries that each march to their own beat.

For these reasons, we will publish several articles throughout the year. Rather than accumulating notes in an effort to put together single comprehensive articles on individual DOs or larger areas, this year reviews will be published as wines become available in the market.

The Highly Anticipated 2015s and Variable 2014s and 2013s

The 2015 vintage yielded ripe, fleshy, usually approachable whites and reds from across the country. Fans of more classically proportioned wines will find plenty to like from the 2014 and 2013 vintages, which across the country were cooler and wetter than 2015 – with 2014 in some areas saved by a warm, dry September and good harvest conditions. But generalizations about vintages in Spain only go so far.