On April 23rd, we celebrate the International Day of the Spanish Language, and to do it properly, you can find a selection of the best wines from Spain at Vinha.
The date commemorates the death of the greatest genius of Spanish literature, Miguel de Cervantes, on April 23, 1616. Interestingly, on that day, the great playwright William Shakespeare also died. And that’s why the International Day of the Spanish Language coincides with the International Day of the English Language.
But aside from the curiosities, have you heard of Ribera del Duero, Priorat, or Rioja? Or the Tempranillo, Albariño, Garnacha, or Verdejo grape varieties? If you’re a wine lover, you probably have.
Spain has been a winemaking powerhouse from Roman times to the present day, producing and exporting to the world a wide variety of internationally famous wines.
Spain boasts an impressive variety of native grape varieties, with about 600 varieties, although the main production is based on approximately 20% of them, distributed across various regions.
Some of the most renowned wine regions include:
Rioja: located in the north of the country. This region is known for its robust and elegant red wines, primarily made from the Tempranillo grape. Rioja wines are often aged in oak barrels, giving them flavors of vanilla and spices.
Ribera del Duero: also in the north, the wines from this region are full-bodied, with firm tannins and intense flavors of dark fruits and spices.
Andalusia: in the south of Spain, it is known for producing the world’s most famous fortified wine, sherry or Jerez.
Catalonia: home to various DOs, including Penedès, known for its sparkling wines, Cava, and Priorat, which produces memorable wines, mainly reds, made from Garnacha on slate soils.
Rías Baixas: known for its fresh and aromatic white wines, especially those made from the Albariño grape.
La Mancha: It is known for its vast expanse of vineyards and large-scale production of table wines. Currently, La Mancha is gaining recognition for its higher-quality wines, especially those made from varieties such as Tempranillo, Garnacha, and Syrah.
But, beyond being the largest Denomination of Origin in the world, La Mancha is also the land of the mythical character from Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quixote.
So, on this Day of the Spanish Language, we suggest that you read or reread the work “Don Quixote of La Mancha” accompanied by the best wines from Spain that you can find here.
