The Basque region is a foodie’s paradise, a cradle for some of the finest fish, meat and dairy in the world. Casa Julián is a bona fide institution, and will certainly be one of my top meals of 2025.

Located in Northwest Spain, Galicia is home to wines with an Atlantic soul. Among the region’s white wine DOs, Rías Baixas and Ribeiro present contrasting yet equally intriguing styles. From Albariño to Treixadura, the 300 wines reviewed in this report offer a journey through Galicia's diverse terroirs.

Ribeira Sacra and Bierzo share a climate and dominant red grape variety, and yet they produce two very different versions of Mencía. In this report, I survey over 300 wines to provide a comprehensive overview of the wine country that spans the mountains between Galicia and León.

Priorat and Montsant are the two main red-wine-producing DOs in Catalunya, but they are quite different from one another. In the 1990s, Priorat enjoyed a resurgence that led to a golden era before its regional style began to shift, while Montsant was only formally established in 2002. I visited the two regions in the spring of 2024, thoroughly touring most of the towns and vineyards and tasting a range of wines that reflect the past, present and future of an area of great character.

Within a surface area that only accounts for 6% of Spain, Catalonia bottles a wide range of Mediterranean and continental wines in two distinct styles. White and sparkling wines rule the roost on the coast–which is the main focus of this report–where the ethereal Xarel·lo fills glasses with sun and energy. In a land rich in native varieties, this dispatch takes readers on a tour of Mediterranean flavors and attempts to offer a lucid guide to the tangled mess of categories and classifications that hold sway in the region.

Rosé remains in full swing. Ever the popular quaff as the weather warms and the dog days of summer approach, there’s more pink wine on store shelves than ever. However, new releases, mostly from the 2023 vintage, are a bit more variable than usual.

Rioja finds itself at a crossroads. Like many a great story, Rioja is being challenged by small and mid-size producers over its identity. A dynamic and fascinating scenario is unfolding as a result, reflected in the almost 800 bottles that make up this report. Certain producers' enthusiasm and stylistic exploration are inspiring amidst a general decline in sales, defining a wine landscape as diverse as it is attractive. Rioja is currently an adventure of contrasts and discoveries.

A region famous for simple, fruity whites that are ideal for casual summer drinking, Rueda is increasingly producing wines of greater depth and sophistication. The effort put in by producers is beginning to pay off, although it is still early days. In this report, I review some of the bottlings that offer a glimpse into that promising future.

Unico is Spain’s most iconic and historical wine. You don’t need me to tell you that. Though Unico has been bottled for many decades, the consensus is that the 1960s is the decade during which its reputation was really consolidated through a string of outstanding vintages bookended by the brilliant 1962 and 1970.

Renowned for producing wines with good structure and energy since medieval times, Toro is a small but proud DO located in Castilla y León that focuses mainly on reds. With vines that date back to pre-phylloxera times and soils that temper the region’s sunny climate, several of the labels found in Toro offer breathtaking energy and flavor.

Forty years after its official inception, the Ribera del Duero DO is experiencing a period of change, with a wide range of new wines and styles that run the gamut from traditional to strikingly forward-thinking. Whether its producers are focused on expressing the identity of a region or looking to push the boundaries of what can be done with premium red wines in the higher areas of Castilla y León, the DO offers a diverse range of reds along with a handful of whites whose character is defining the area’s transition from the past into the present.

Rosé has never been as exciting as it is today. This year's Rosé coverage takes an in-depth look at the wines of Italy, France, Spain, the United States and Austria. Recent tastings unveil a stunning array of regional styles and flavors. Watch this space as we add more selections from our team of editors in the coming weeks.

A Spanish rarity, the 1971 Gran Coronas Reserva from Torres was one of several splendid bottles proffered at a recent dinner The Harwood Arms.

Álvaro Palacios is rightly regarded as one of Spain’s foremost winemakers, credited with putting Priorat back on the map. This brief piece focuses on the 2022 releases from Álvaro Palacios and Descendientes de J. Palacios.

Stretching from Galicia in the far northwest and along the Atlantic Ocean and the Bay of Biscay to the Basque Country, Atlantic Spain is the country’s coolest winegrowing region. Mostly indigenous varieties that are grown virtually nowhere else in Spain are the rule. The almost universally ocean-influenced climate and the intrinsic character of those local grapes define vibrant wines that are increasingly capturing the attention of wine lovers across the globe.

Change comes slowly in Rioja. Many of the winemaking practices that were in place when the region was established in the third quarter of the 19th century are widely used today. Grapes are pressed traditionally and most of the best wines are aged, sometimes for many years, in oak barrels of various sizes, with a preference towards American oak. Many winemakers see oxidation during aging as an asset, not a flaw, that when done correctly, brings the unique perfume, complex flavors and supple texture that make serious Rioja among the world’s greatest wines.

In recent vintages, the Mediterranean wine-producing regions in Spain have produced a large number of outstanding wines. The range of wines influenced by the sea is staggering, from bone-dry bubblies to structured, world-class reds and some of the most decadent sweet wines in the world.

While serious wine fanatics are well acquainted with Ribera del Duero, Toro and Rueda, much of the world consumes millions of gallons of wine a year made in the less lofty nearby regions, especially La Mancha and the far-reaching Castilla y León, both of which often deliver excellent value. Then there are unsung DOs like Campo de Borja, where readers will find some of the biggest bang-for-the-buck Grenache in the world.

Two extraordinary 1959-themed dinners at the end of last year presented a mouthwatering opportunity to examine this legendary vintage. This article looks at those wines and some of the stories that lie behind them.

This half-bottle of 1899 Rioja Blanco from Marqués de Murrieta concluded a memorable supper at Oswald’s private club in London just after the New Year, when a friend was visiting from East Asia.

I met winemaker Pepe Raventós at a dinner for artisan Spanish winemakers at Noble Rot that preceded the Viñateros tasting this past February. We never met during my short tenure as reviewer, however it was his wines alongside those of Gramona, that blew apart my preconceptions of what Cava can achieve.

Rioja has always held a special place in my heart. I discovered pretty early on that l liked reds with bottle age, but I could hardly afford any of the heavy hitters of that time. Any time I needed a wine with a bit of age for a special occasion, it was always Rioja.

This is an institution that goes about its business in discreet fashion, doing what it has done for decades: serving delicious seafood and providing a memorable evening out.

It was a pleasure to take a break during a period of alternating between Bordeaux and Burgundy and attend a tasting of one of my favorite Rioja producers: Marqués de Riscal.

From northeastern Catalonia to the country’s southeast corner and all the way west to Andalusia, Spain’s Mediterranean Ocean–influenced winegrowing regions have been experiencing a run of almost uniformly very good to epic vintages.