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111-528: Godello is a white variety of wine grape grown in northwestern Spain , in particular in Galicia . The Gouveio found in northern Portugal is thought to be the same grape variety. The origins of Godello variety are located in the town of Godella ( Valencia ) where this variety was first planted back in the 19th century by a local landowner in their plantation of Campo Olivar by the Baron of this township. In

222-586: A vinegar smell. In medieval Europe , the Roman Catholic Church supported wine because the clergy required it for the Mass . Monks in France made wine for years, aging it in caves. An old English recipe that survived in various forms until the 19th century calls for refining white wine from bastard—bad or tainted bastardo wine. Later, the descendants of the sacramental wine were refined for

333-919: A base of city-states along the Mediterranean coast centered around modern day Lebanon (as well as including small parts of Israel / Palestine and coastal Syria ); however, the Nuragic culture in Sardinia already had a custom of consuming wine before the arrival of the Phoenicians. The wines of Byblos were exported to Egypt during the Old Kingdom and then throughout the Mediterranean. Evidence for this includes two Phoenician shipwrecks from 750 BCE, found with their cargoes of wine still intact, which were discovered by Robert Ballard As

444-465: A combination of these three materials. This is probably one of the main reasons why wine derived from grapes has historically been more prevalent by far than other types, and why specific types of fruit wines have generally been confined to the regions in which the fruits were native or introduced for other reasons. Mead, also called honey wine, is created by fermenting honey with water, sometimes with various fruits, spices, grains, or hops . As long as

555-524: A common practice due to their resistance to phylloxera , a root louse that eventually kills the vine. In the late 19th century, most of Europe's vineyards (excluding some of the driest in the south) were devastated by the infestation, leading to widespread vine deaths and eventual replanting. Grafting is done in every wine-producing region in the world except in Argentina and the Canary Islands –

666-634: A dual system of region of origin and product quality. New World wines —those made outside the traditional wine regions of Europe—are usually classified by grape rather than by terroir or region of origin, although there have been unofficial attempts to classify them by quality. According to Canadian Food and Drug Regulations, wine in Canada is an alcoholic drink that is produced by the complete or partial alcoholic fermentation of fresh grapes, grape must, products derived solely from fresh grapes, or any combination of them. There are many materials added during

777-565: A few months oak wood aging. Depending on the producer, some of these wines will be meant to be consumed very young – often within a year of their release. Others will benefit from some time aging in the bottle. For the vintage year ( vendimia or cosecha ) to appear on the label, a minimum of 85% of the grapes must be from that year's harvest . The three most common aging designations on Spanish wine labels are Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva . Viticulture in Spain has developed in adaptation to

888-520: A filter allows the removal of bitter sediments that may have formed in the wine. Sediment is more common in older bottles, but aeration may benefit younger wines. During aeration, a younger wine's exposure to air often "relaxes" the drink, making it smoother and better integrated in aroma, texture, and flavor. Older wines generally fade (lose their character and flavor intensity) with extended aeration. Despite these general rules, breathing does not necessarily benefit all wines. Wine may be tasted as soon as

999-460: A mineral flavor due to the presence of water-soluble salts as a result of limestone's presence in the vineyard's soil. Wine aroma comes from volatile compounds released into the air. Vaporization of these compounds can be accelerated by twirling the wine glass or serving at room temperature. Many drinkers prefer to chill red wines that are already highly aromatic, like Chinon and Beaujolais . Spanish wine Major Spanish wine regions include

1110-644: A more palatable taste. This gave rise to modern viticulture in French wine , Italian wine , Spanish wine , and these wine grape traditions were brought into New World wine . For example, Mission grapes were brought by Franciscan monks to New Mexico in 1628 beginning the New Mexico wine heritage, these grapes were also brought to California which started the California wine industry. Thanks to Spanish wine culture, these two regions eventually evolved into

1221-440: A pale orange to a vivid near-purple, depending on the varietals used and wine-making techniques. There are three primary ways to produce rosé wine: Skin contact (allowing dark grape skins to stain the wort ), saignée (removing juice from the must early in fermentation and continuing fermentation of the juice separately), and blending of a red and white wine (uncommon and discouraged in most wine growing regions). Rosé wines have

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1332-526: A preference for the cheaper, and more strongly flavored, American oak . Winemakers in regions like the Rioja found that the Tempranillo grape, in particular, responded well to new American oak. In the 1990s, more winemakers started to rediscover the use of French oak and some wineries will use a combination of both as a blend. Most DOs require some minimum period of barrel ageing which will be stipulated on

1443-464: A strongly acid cation exchange resin in the sodium ion form, or a weakly basic anion exchange resin in the hydroxyl ion form. In the United States, for a wine to be vintage-dated and labeled with a country of origin or American Viticultural Area (AVA; e.g., Sonoma Valley ), 95% of its volume must be from grapes harvested in that year. If a wine is not labeled with a country of origin or AVA

1554-440: A wide range of sweetness levels from dry Provençal rosé to sweet White Zinfandels and blushes. Rosé wines are made from a wide variety of grapes all over the world. Sometimes called amber wines, these are wines made with white grapes but with the skins allowed to soak during pressing, similar to red and rosé wine production. They are notably tannic , and usually made dry. These are effervescent wines, made in any of

1665-399: Is also known under the following synonyms: Agodello, Agodenho, Agudanho, Agudelha, Agudelho, Agudello, Agudelo, Agudenho, Berdello, Godelho, Godella, Godenho, Ojo de Gallo and Trincadente. Wine Wine is an alcoholic drink made from fermented fruit . Yeast consumes the sugar in the fruit and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide , releasing heat in the process. Wine

1776-438: Is commonly used in champagne . Dry (low sugar) white wine is the most common, derived from the complete fermentation of the juice, however sweet white wines such as Moscato d'Asti are also made. A rosé wine gains color from red grape skins, but not enough to qualify it as a red wine . It may be the oldest known type of wine, as it is the most straightforward to make with the skin contact method . The color can range from

1887-494: Is either a borrowing from Proto-Indo-European or the lexeme was specifically borrowed from Proto-Armenian * ɣʷeinyo -, whence Armenian gini . An alternate hypothesis by Fähnrich supposes * ɣwino -, a native Kartvelian word derived from the verbal root * ɣun - ('to bend'). See * ɣwino - for more. All these theories place the origin of the word in the same geographical location, South Caucasus, that has been established based on archeological and biomolecular studies as

1998-597: Is fortified with brandy . In these latter cases, the term "wine" refers to the similarity in alcohol content rather than to the production process. The commercial use of the English word "wine" (and its equivalent in other languages) is protected by law in many jurisdictions. Wine is usually made from one or more varieties of the European species Vitis vinifera , such as Pinot noir , Chardonnay , Cabernet Sauvignon , Gamay and Merlot . When one of these varieties

2109-574: Is from the late 4th-century BCE writings of Chanakya , the chief minister of Emperor Chandragupta Maurya . In his writings, Chanakya condemns the use of alcohol while chronicling the emperor and his court's frequent indulgence of a style of wine known as madhu . The ancient Romans planted vineyards near garrison towns so wine could be produced locally rather than shipped over long distances. Some of these areas are now world-renowned for wine production. The Romans discovered that burning sulfur candles inside empty wine vessels kept them fresh and free from

2220-563: Is from the present-day Georgia (6000 BCE), Persia (5000 BCE), Italy , and Armenia (4000 BCE). New World wine has some connection to alcoholic beverages made by the indigenous peoples of the Americas but is mainly connected to later Spanish traditions in New Spain . Later, as Old World wine further developed viticulture techniques, Europe would encompass three of the largest wine-producing regions . Based on statistics gathered by

2331-460: Is known as marco real and involves having 2.5 metres (8 ft) of space between vines in all directions. These areas, mostly in the south and central regions, have some of the lowest vine density in the world—often ranging between 375–650 vines per acre (900–1600 vines per hectare ). This is less than 1/8 of the vine density commonly found in other wine regions such as Bordeaux and Burgundy . Many Spanish vineyards are several decades old, with

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2442-633: Is known throughout Spain under a variety of synonyms that may appear on Spanish wine labels including Cencibel, Tinto Fino and Ull de Llebre. Both Tempranillo and Garnacha are used to make the full-bodied red wines associated with the Rioja , Ribera del Duero and Penedès with Garnacha being the main grape of the Priorat region. In the Levante region, Monastrell and Bobal have significant plantings, being used for both dark red wines and dry rosé . In

2553-399: Is most often made from grapes , and the term "wine" generally refers to grape wine when used without any qualification. Even so, wine can be made from a variety of fruit crops , including plum , cherry , pomegranate , blueberry , currant , and elderberry . Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are major factors in different styles of wine. These differences result from

2664-442: Is the family of rare teinturier varieties, which actually have red flesh and produce red juice. To make white wine, grapes are pressed quickly with the juice immediately drained away from the grape skins. The grapes used are typically white grape varieties , though red grapes may be used if the winemaker is careful not to let the skin stain the wort during the separation of the pulp-juice. For example, pinot noir (a red grape)

2775-531: Is the largest wine producing region, producing 13 million hectolitres, a third of Spanish wine output. Catalonia is the second largest producer, producing 5.5 million hectolitres (14% of total), and La Rioja is the third largest, producing almost 5 million hectolitres (13% of total). These larger wine regions are further divided into smaller wine regions that are classified under the Spanish wine law system, with 138 identifiable wine regions. Spanish wine laws created

2886-405: Is used as the predominant grape (usually defined by law as minimums of 75% to 85%), the result is a " varietal " as opposed to a "blended" wine. Blended wines are not necessarily inferior to varietal wines, rather they are a different style of wine-making. Wine can also be made from other species of grape or from hybrids , created by the genetic crossing of two species. V. labrusca (of which

2997-656: Is used in the cheapest of wines. The bottles used for sparkling wine must be thick to withstand the pressure of the gas behind the cork , which can be up to 6 standard atmospheres (88 psi). This refers to sweet wines that have a high level of sugar remaining after fermentation . There are various ways of increasing the amount of sugar in a wine, yielding products with different strengths and names. Icewine , Port , Sauternes , Tokaji Aszú , Trockenbeerenauslese , and Vin Santo are some examples. Wines from other fruits , such as apples and berries, are usually named after

3108-567: The Denominación de Origen (DO) system in 1932 that were later revised in 1970, and recently updated in 2016 to be called DOP denominación de origen protegida ('protected denomination of origin'). The system shares many similarities with the hierarchical Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) system of France, Portugal's Denominação de Origem Controlada (DOC) and Italy's Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) system. As of 2019, there were 138 DOP and IGP areas across Spain. Within

3219-529: The Instituto Nacional de Denominaciones de Origen (INDO) based in Madrid . With updates in 2016, the five-tier became a six-tier classification and is as follows: Spanish wines are often labeled according to the amount of aging the wine has received. When the label says vino joven ("young wine") or Sin crianza , technically the wines have not been aged at all, but some will have undergone up to

3330-701: The Atlantic at the Sherry producing village of Sanlúcar de Barrameda. In addition to the Meseta Central, several mountain ranges are known as cordilleras serve to isolate and influence the climate of several Spanish wine regions. These include the Cantabrian Mountains that spur westward from the Pyrenees and protect regions like the Rioja from the rain and the cool of westerlies coming from

3441-520: The Bay of Biscay . The Cantabrian Mountains act as a rain shadow with the coastal regions of the Basque Country receiving an average of 59 inches (1,500 mm) while the winemaking region of Rioja, near Haro , around 62 miles (100 km) away receives only 18 inches (460 mm). In Galicia on the northwest coast, the region receives annual rainfall that ranges from 39 inches (990 mm) on

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3552-582: The Carthaginians introduced new advances to the region-including the teachings of the early viticulturist Mago . Carthage would wage a series of wars with the emerging Roman Republic that would lead to the Roman conquest of the Spanish mainland, known as Hispania . Under Roman rule , Spanish wine was widely exported and traded throughout the Roman empire. The two largest wine-producing regions at

3663-490: The Concord grape is a cultivar ), V. aestivalis , V. rupestris , V. rotundifolia and V. riparia are native North American grapes usually grown to eat fresh or for grape juice, jam, or jelly, and only occasionally made into wine. Hybridization is different from grafting . Most of the world's vineyards are planted with European Vitis vinifera vines that have been grafted onto North American species' rootstock,

3774-615: The English wine markets in Bristol , London and Southampton . The quality of some of these exported Spanish wines appears to have been high. In 1364, the court of Edward III established the maximum price of wine sold in England with the Spanish wines being priced at the same level as wines from Gascony and higher than those from La Rochelle . The full-bodied and high alcohol in most Spanish wines made them favoured blending partners for

3885-589: The International Organisation of Vine and Wine in 2022 the top five wine producing countries were Italy, France, Spain, the United States, and Australia. Wine has long played an important role in religion. Red wine was associated with blood by the ancient Egyptians , and was used by both the Greek cult of Dionysus and the Romans in their Bacchanalia ; Judaism also incorporates it in

3996-972: The Kiddush , and Christianity in the Eucharist . Egyptian , Greek , Roman , and Israeli wine cultures are still connected to these ancient roots. Similarly the largest wine regions in Italy, Spain , and France have heritages in connection to sacramental wine , likewise, viticulture traditions in the Southwestern United States started within New Spain as Catholic friars and monks first produced wines in New Mexico and California . The earliest known traces of wine are from Georgia ( c.  6000 BCE), Iran ( Persia ) ( c.  5000 BCE), Armenia ( c.  4100 BCE ), and Sicily ( c.  4000 BCE). Wine reached

4107-703: The Limes Germanicus in Germania . The quality of Spanish wine during Roman times was varied, with Pliny the Elder and Martial noting the high quality associated with some wines from Terraconensis while Ovid notes that one popular Spanish wine sold in Rome, known as Saguntum , was merely good for getting your mistress drunk. ( Ars amatoria 3.645-6). Following the decline of the Roman Empire , Spain

4218-511: The Mediterranean Basin in the early Bronze Age and was consumed and celebrated by ancient civilizations like ancient Greece and Rome . Throughout history, wine has been consumed for its intoxicating effects . The earliest archaeological and archaeobotanical evidence for grape wine and viniculture, dating to 6000–5800 BCE was found on the territory of modern Georgia . Both archaeological and genetic evidence suggest that

4329-536: The Mycenaean Greek 𐀕𐀶𐀺𐄀𐀚𐀺 me-tu-wo ne-wo (* μέθυϝος νέϝῳ ), meaning "in (the month)" or "(festival) of the new wine", and 𐀺𐀜𐀷𐀴𐀯 wo-no-wa-ti-si , meaning "wine garden", written in Linear B inscriptions. Linear B also includes, inter alia, an ideogram for wine, i.e. 𐂖 . The ultimate Indo-European origin of the word is the subject of some continued debate. Some scholars have noted

4440-581: The Okanagan Valley of British Columbia , and the Niagara Peninsula and Essex County regions of Ontario are the three largest producers. Some blended wine names are marketing terms whose use is governed by trademark law rather than by specific wine laws. For example, Meritage is generally a Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, but may also include Cabernet Franc , Petit Verdot , and Malbec . Commercial use of

4551-527: The Priorat region. The abundance of native grape varieties fostered an early start to viticulture with evidence of grape pips dating back to the Tertiary period. Archaeologists believe that these grapes were first cultivated sometime between 4000 and 3000 BC, long before the wine-growing culture of the Phoenicians founded the trading post of Cádiz around 1100 BC. Following the Phoenicians,

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4662-547: The Pyrenees to Rioja , Navarre and Catalonia , bringing with them their expertise and winemaking methods. One of these developments was the introduction of the 59 gallon (225 liter) oak barrica . Phylloxera eventually reached Spain, devastating regions like Malaga in 1878 and reaching Rioja in 1901. Its slow progress was due in part to the wide tracts of land, including the Meseta Central , that separated

4773-508: The Rioja and Ribera del Duero , which are known for their Tempranillo production; Jumilla , known for its Monastrell production; Jerez de la Frontera , the home of the fortified wine Sherry ; Rías Baixas in the northwest region of Galicia that is known for its white wines made from Albariño and Catalonia which includes the Cava and still wine-producing regions of the Penedès as well

4884-541: The Sierra Nevada mountains in the Guadalquivir Valley , temperatures often reach 113 °F (45 °C) in the summer. To adapt to these high temperatures, many Spanish vineyards will be planted on higher elevations, with many vineyards located over 2,000 feet (610 m) above sea level. These high altitudes create a large diurnal temperature variation with low night time temperatures that allow

4995-685: The Spanish Armada in the Anglo-Spanish War greatly reduced the strength of the Spanish navy and contributed to the country's debt incurred during the reign of Philip II . Spain became more dependent on the income from its Spanish colonies, including the exportation of Spanish wine to the Americas. The emergence of growing wine industries in Mexico , Peru , Chile and Argentina was a threat to this income, with Philip III and succeeding monarchs issuing decrees and declarations ordering

5106-503: The Spanish word elaborar (to elaborate) rather than fabricar (to produce/make) when describing the Spanish winemaking philosophy. This relates to the view that the winemaker acts as more of a nurturer of the grapes and wine rather than as a producer. For many years, Spanish winemaking was very rustic and steeped in tradition. This included the judicious use of oak with some wines, even whites, spending as much as two decades ageing in

5217-513: The aroma and taste influences of their unique terroir . However, flavor differences are less desirable for producers of mass-market table wine or other cheaper wines, where consistency takes precedence. Such producers try to minimize differences in sources of grapes through production techniques such as micro-oxygenation , tannin filtration, cross-flow filtration, thin-film evaporation, and spinning cones. About 700 grapes go into one bottle of wine, approximately 2.6 pounds. Regulations govern

5328-616: The "weaker" wines from the cooler climate regions of France and Germany though there were laws that explicitly outlawed this practice. Following the completion of the Spanish Reconquista in 1492, Christopher Columbus discovered the New World under the sponsorship of the Spanish crown . This opened up a new export market as well as a new opportunity for wine production. Spanish missionaries and conquistadors brought European grape vines with them as they colonized

5439-605: The DOP category, there is the Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOCa or DOQ in Catalan ) status for DOPs that have a consistent track record for quality. There are currently two DOCa/DOQ regions: Rioja and Priorat . Each DOP has a Consejo Regulador , which acts as a governing control body that enforces the DOP regulations and standards involving viticultural and winemaking practices. These regulations govern everything from

5550-503: The Moorish rulers held an ambiguous stance on wine and winemaking during their rule. Several caliphs and emirs owned vineyards and drank wine. While there were laws written that outlawed the sale of wine, it was included on lists of items that were subject to taxation in Moorish territories. The Spanish Reconquista reopened the possibility of exporting Spanish wine. Bilbao emerged as a large trading port; introducing Spanish wines to

5661-443: The Spanish economy. It wasn't till the 1950s that domestic stability helped to usher in a period of revival for the Spanish wine industry. Several large co-operative wineries were founded during this period and an international market was created for generic bulk wines that were sold under names like Spanish sauternes and Spanish chablis . In the 1960s, Sherry was rediscovered by the international wine market and soon Rioja wine

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5772-502: The Spanish wine industry has seen increased use of mechanical harvesting . In years past, most harvesting had to be done in the early morning with wineries often refusing grapes after mid-day due to their prolonged exposure to the blistering heat. In recent years, aided in part by the wider spread of the use of mechanical harvesting, more harvests are now being done at the lower temperatures at night. Some records estimate that over 600 grape varieties are planted throughout Spain, but 88% of

5883-399: The Spanish wine industry was falling behind those of other European countries who were embracing the developments of the early Industrial Age . A major turning point occurred in the mid-19th century when the phylloxera epidemic ravaged European vineyards – most notably those of France . With the sudden shortage of French wine , many countries turned to Spain, with French winemakers crossing

5994-531: The above styles (i.e, orange, red, rosé, white). They must undergo secondary fermentation to create carbon dioxide , which creates the bubbles. Two common methods of accomplishing this are the traditional method , used for Cava , Champagne , and more expensive sparkling wines, and the Charmat method , used for Prosecco , Asti , and less expensive wines. A hybrid transfer method is also used, yielding intermediate results, and simple addition of carbon dioxide

6105-427: The average wine drinker, the vintage year may not be as significant for perceived quality as had been thought, although wine connoisseurs continue to place great importance on it. Wine tasting is the sensory examination and evaluation of wine. Wines contain many chemical compounds similar or identical to those in fruits, vegetables, and spices . The sweetness of wine is determined by the amount of residual sugar in

6216-496: The barrel. This created distinctly identifiable flavors that were internationally associated with the wines from regions such as the Rioja. In the 19th century, wine writers held negative views about Spanish winemaking. Richard Ford noted in 1846 that the Spanish made wine in an "unscientific and careless manner" while Cyrus Redding noted in his work the History and Description of Modern wines that Spanish gave "rude treatment" to

6327-524: The bottle is opened to determine how long it should be aerated, if at all. When tasting wine, individual flavors may also be detected, due to the complex mix of organic molecules (e.g. esters and terpenes ) that grape juice and wine can contain. Experienced tasters can distinguish between flavors characteristic of a specific grape and flavors that result from other factors in wine-making. Typical intentional flavor elements in wine—chocolate, vanilla, or coffee—are those imparted by aging in oak casks rather than

6438-1363: The classification and sale of wine in many regions of the world. European wines tend to be classified by region (e.g. Bordeaux , Rioja and Chianti ), while non-European wines are most often classified by grape (e.g. Pinot noir and Merlot ). Market recognition of particular regions has recently been leading to their increased prominence on non-European wine labels. Examples of recognized non-European locales include Napa Valley , Santa Clara Valley, Sonoma Valley , Anderson Valley, and Mendocino County in California; Willamette Valley and Rogue Valley in Oregon ; Columbia Valley in Washington ; Barossa Valley in South Australia ; Hunter Valley in New South Wales ; Luján de Cuyo in Argentina ; Vale dos Vinhedos in Brazil ; Hawke's Bay and Marlborough in New Zealand ; Central Valley in Chile ; and in Canada ,

6549-411: The coast to 79 inches (2.0 m) near the mountainous border of Castile and León . The climate gets more extreme further inland towards the Meseta Central and is characterized by hot summers with temperatures that can reach 104 °F (40 °C) with drought conditions. Many regions receive less than 12 inches (300 mm) of rain annually with most of the rain falling during sudden downpours in

6660-496: The complex interactions between the biochemical development of the grape, the reactions involved in fermentation , the grape's growing environment ( terroir ), and the wine production process. Many countries enact legal appellations intended to define styles and qualities of wine. These typically restrict the geographical origin and permitted varieties of grapes, as well as other aspects of wine production. Wine has been produced for thousands of years. The earliest evidence of wine

6771-439: The country's wine production is focused on only 20 grape varieties. The most widely planted grape is the white wine grape Airén , prized for its hardiness and resistance to drop. It is found throughout central Spain and for many years served as the base for Spanish brandy . Wines made from this grape can be very alcoholic and prone to oxidation . The red wine grape Tempranillo is the second most widely planted grape variety. It

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6882-420: The course of the manufacture, such as yeast, concentrated grape juice, dextrose , fructose , glucose or glucose solids, invert sugar , sugar, or aqueous solutions. Calcium sulphate in such quantity that the content of soluble sulphates in the finished wine shall not exceed 0.2 percent weight by volume calculated as potassium sulphate. Calcium carbonate in such quantity that the content of tartaric acid in

6993-728: The earliest production of wine outside of Georgia was relatively later, likely having taken place elsewhere in the Southern Caucasus (which encompasses Armenia , Georgia and Azerbaijan ), or the West Asian region between Eastern Turkey , and northern Iran . The earliest known winery, from 4100 BCE, is the Areni-1 winery in Armenia . A 2003 report by archaeologists indicates a possibility that grapes were mixed with rice to produce fermented drinks in ancient China in

7104-466: The early 1920s the vineyards were transported by a Galician trader who took several samples up to Galicia . Godello can produce fine white wines, and yields the best results in Valdeorras , where plantations have increased after having previously been in decline. Total Spanish plantations of Godello stood at 1,153 hectares (2,850 acres) in 2008 (up from 880 hectares (2,200 acres) in 2004). Godello

7215-483: The early 1990s there was a resurgence in more active use of barrel fermenting whites as a throwback to the traditional, more oxidized styles of the 19th century. The use of oak has a long tradition in Spanish winemaking, dating back even centuries before the French introduced the small 59 gallon (225 liter) barrica style barrels. Gradually Spanish winemakers in the late 19th and early 20th century started to develop

7326-418: The early years of the seventh millennium BCE. Pottery jars from the Neolithic site of Jiahu , Henan , contained traces of tartaric acid and other organic compounds commonly found in wine. However, other fruits indigenous to the region, such as hawthorn , cannot be ruled out. If these drinks, which seem to be the precursors of rice wine , included grapes rather than other fruits, they would have been any of

7437-464: The finished wine shall not be less than 0.15 percent weight by volume. Also, sulphurous acid , including salts thereof, in such quantity that its content in the finished wine shall not exceed 70 parts per million in the free state, or 350 parts per million in the combined state, calculated as sulphur dioxide. Caramel, amylase and pectinase at a maximum level of use consistent with good manufacturing practice. Prior to final filtration may be treated with

7548-663: The first great traders in wine ( cherem ), the Phoenicians seem to have protected it from oxidation with a layer of olive oil, followed by a seal of pinewood and resin, similar to retsina . The earliest remains of Apadana Palace in Persepolis dating back to 515 BCE include carvings depicting soldiers from the Achaemenid Empire subject nations bringing gifts to the Achaemenid king, among them Armenians bringing their famous wine . Literary references to wine are abundant in Homer (8th century BCE, but possibly relating earlier compositions), Alkman (7th century BCE), and others. In ancient Egypt , six of 36 wine amphoras were found in

7659-534: The first modern wine industry was Japanese wine , developed in 1874 after grapevines were brought back from Europe. The English word "wine" comes from the Proto-Germanic *winam , an early borrowing from the Latin vinum , Georgian ღვინო ( ghvee-no ), "wine", itself derived from the Proto-Indo-European stem * win-o- (cf. Armenian : գինի , gini ; Ancient Greek : οἶνος oinos ; Aeolic Greek : ϝ οῖνος woinos ; Hittite : wiyana ; Lycian : oino ). The earliest attested terms referring to wine are

7770-446: The flagship wines of the producer. Superior vintages from reputable producers and regions will often command much higher prices than their average ones. Some vintage wines (e.g. Brunello ), are only made in better-than-average years. For consistency, non-vintage wines can be blended from more than one vintage, which helps wine-makers sustain a reliable market image and maintain sales even in bad years. One recent study suggests that for

7881-422: The flor yeast which will not thrive in alcohol levels above 16%. Sherry has a wide diversity of styles: Cava is a Spanish sparkling wine made in the traditional method of the French sparkling wine Champagne . The definition of Cava is Vino Espumoso de Calidad Producido en una Región Determinada ( VECPRD ). It originated in the Catalonia region at the Codorníu Winery in the late 19th century. The wine

7992-444: The fruit from which they are produced, and combined with the word "wine" (for example, apple wine and elderberry wine ) and are generically called fruit wine or country wine (similar to French term vin de pays ). Other than the grape varieties traditionally used for wine-making, most fruits naturally lack either sufficient fermentable sugars, proper amount of acidity, yeast amounts needed to promote or maintain fermentation, or

8103-451: The grape itself. Vertical and horizontal tasting involves a range of vintages within the same grape and vineyard, or the latter in which there is one vintage from multiple vineyards. " Banana " flavors ( isoamyl acetate ) are the product of yeast metabolism, as are spoilage aromas such as "medicinal" or "Band-Aid" ( 4-ethylphenol ), "spicy" or "smoky" ( 4-ethylguaiacol ), and rotten egg ( hydrogen sulfide ). Some varieties can also exhibit

8214-421: The grape skin, by allowing the grapes to soak in the extracted juice . Red wine is made from dark-colored red grape varieties . The actual color of the wine can range from violet, typical of young wines, through red for mature wines, to brown for older red wines. The juice from most red grapes is actually greenish-white; the red color comes from anthocyanins present in the skin of the grape. A notable exception

8325-473: The grapes to maintain acidity levels and colouring. Regions with lower altitude vineyards, such as along the southern Mediterranean coast are suitable for producing grapes of high alcohol levels and low acidity. Spain can be traditionally divided into 12 main wine regions. These wine regions somewhat follow the administrative borders of the 17 Autonomous Communities that make up the modern state of Spain. The central Autonomous Community of Castilla – La Mancha

8436-489: The grapes. Some of these criticisms were rooted in the traditional manners of winemaking that were employed in Spain. Crushing and fermentation would take place in earthenware jars known as tinajas . Afterward, the wine was stored in wooden barrels or pig skin bags lined with resin known as cueros . In the warmer climate and regions of lower elevation, the red wines tilted towards being too high in alcohol and too low in acidity. The standard technique to rectify those wines

8547-417: The influence of flying winemakers from abroad and broader acceptance of the use of international grape varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay . In 1996, the restrictions on irrigation were lifted which gave winemakers greater control over yields and what areas could be planted. Soon the quality and production volume of premium wines began to overtake the presence of generic Spanish bulk wines on

8658-460: The major Spanish wine regions from each other. By the time the Spanish wine industry felt the full force of phylloxera, the remedy of grafting American rootstock to the European vines had already been discovered and widely utilized. The end of the 19th century also saw the emergence of Spain's sparkling wine industry with the development of Cava in Catalonia. As the 20th century progressed,

8769-420: The market and Spain's reputation entering the 21st century was that of a serious wine-producing country that could compete with other producers in the world wine market. One of the dominant geographical influences of Spanish viticulture is the vast plateau known as the Meseta Central that covers much of central Spain. Several of Spain's principal rivers that are at the heart of many Spanish wine regions flow to

8880-491: The new lands . During this period Spanish exports to England began to wane as Spanish-English relations steadily deteriorated following the divorce of Henry VIII of England from his Spanish wife Catherine of Aragon . English merchants from the Sherry producing regions of Jerez and Sanlúcar de Barrameda as well as Málaga fled the area due to the fear of persecution by the Spanish Inquisition . The defeat of

8991-513: The northwest, the white wine varieties of Albariño and Verdejo are popular plantings in the Rías Baixas and Rueda respectively. In the Cava producing regions of Catalonia and elsewhere in Spain, the principal grapes of Macabeo , Parellada , and Xarel·lo are used for sparkling wine production as well as still white wines. In the southern Sherry and Malaga producing regions of Andalusia,

9102-473: The old vines producing even lower yields of fruit. In the Jumilla region of Murcia , for example, yields are often less than 1.1 ton per acre (20 hl /ha). In the 1990s, the use of irrigation became more popular after droughts in 1994, and 1995 severely reduced the harvest in those years. In 1996, the practice of using irrigation in all Spanish wine regions was legalized with many regions quickly adopting

9213-496: The oldest and largest producers, respectively, of wine of the United States . Viking sagas earlier mentioned a fantastic land filled with wild grapes and high-quality wine called precisely Vinland . Prior to the Spanish establishing their American wine grape traditions in California and New Mexico, both France and Britain had unsuccessfully attempted to establish grapevines in Florida and Virginia respectively. In East Asia,

9324-529: The only places not yet exposed to the insect. In the context of wine production, terroir is a concept that encompasses the varieties of grapes used, elevation and shape of the vineyard, type and chemistry of soil, climate and seasonal conditions, and the local yeast cultures. The range of possible combinations of these factors can result in great differences among wines, influencing the fermentation, finishing, and aging processes as well. Many wineries use growing and production methods that preserve or accentuate

9435-513: The origin of viticulture. Wine types: The types have such different properties that in practice they are considered different drinks. Wine is made in many ways from different fruits, with grapes being the most common. The type of grape used and the amount of skin contact while the juice is being extracted determines the color and general style of the wine. The color has no relation to a wine's sweetness —all may be made sweet or dry. Red wine gains its color and flavor (notably, tannins ) from

9546-424: The percentage requirement is lowered to 85%. Vintage wines are generally bottled in a single batch so that each bottle will have a similar taste. Climate's impact on the character of a wine can be significant enough to cause different vintages from the same vineyard to vary dramatically in flavor and quality. Thus, vintage wines are produced to be individually characteristic of the particular vintage and to serve as

9657-418: The practice. In the province of Toledo , Australian flying winemakers helped to popularize the use of underground drip irrigation to minimize the effects of evaporation . The widespread use of irrigation has encouraged higher density of vine plantings and has contributed to higher yields in some parts of Spain. While traditionally Spanish vineyards would harvest their grapes by hand, the modernization of

9768-512: The primary grapes of Cava today though some producers are experimenting with the use of the typical Champagne grapes of Chardonnay and Pinot noir . For most of its existence, the production of Cava was not relegated to a particular region of DOP but rather to the grapes and method of production. Upon Spain's acceptance into the European Union in 1986, efforts were undertaken to designate specific areas for Cava production. Today use of

9879-457: The primary substance fermented is honey, the drink is considered mead. Mead was produced in ancient history throughout Europe, Africa and Asia, and was known in Europe before grape wine. Other drinks called "wine", such as barley wine and rice wine (e.g. sake , huangjiu and cheongju ), are made from starch-based materials and resemble beer more than traditional wine, while ginger wine

9990-444: The principal grapes are Palomino and Pedro Ximénez . As the Spanish wine industry becomes more modern, there has been a larger presence of international grape varieties appearing in both blends and varietal forms, most notably Cabernet Sauvignon , Chardonnay , Syrah , Merlot and Sauvignon blanc . Other Spanish grape varieties that have significant plantings include Cayetana Blanca and Mencía . In Spain, winemakers often use

10101-699: The production of Cava would rival the Champagne region in worldwide production. Civil and political upheaval would mark most of the 20th century, including a military dictatorship under General Miguel Primo de Rivera . One of the measures instituted by Primo de Rivera was the early groundwork of the Denominación de Origen (DO) appellation system first developed in Rioja in 1926. The Spanish Civil War saw vineyards neglected and wineries destroyed throughout Spain with regions like Catalonia and Valencia being particularly hard hit. The Second World War closed off European markets to Spanish exports and further damaged

10212-417: The region, known as flor , will develop and distinguish certain styles of Sherry. The flor needs fresh wine in order to survive and is added by the use of a solera system that also gradually blends the wines of different vintages together. Palomino wine, by itself, typically ferments to an alcohol level of around 12% with Sherry producers adding brandy to the wine in order to increase the alcohol level or kill

10323-501: The region. Portugal has developed a system resembling that of France and, in fact, pioneered this concept in 1756 with a royal charter creating the Demarcated Douro Region and regulating the production and trade of wine. Germany created a similar scheme in 2002, although it has not yet achieved the authority of the other countries' classification systems. Spain , Greece and Italy have classifications based on

10434-593: The regional stamp of the Consejo Regulador on the label. Following Spain's acceptance into the European Union , Spanish wine laws were brought in line to be more consistent with other European systems. One development was a five-tier classification system that is administered by each autonomous region . Non-autonomous areas or wine regions whose boundaries overlap with other autonomous communities (such as Cava, Rioja and Jumilla ) are administered by

10545-624: The sea from that central area. These include the eastward flowing Ebro river that runs through the Rioja and several Catalan wine regions; the Duero which flows westward through the Ribera del Duero region in Spain before crossing the border into Portugal 's Douro Valley which is at the heart of Port wine production; the Tajo which runs through the La Mancha region; Guadalquivir which flows into

10656-530: The several dozen indigenous wild species in China, rather than Vitis vinifera , which was introduced 6000 years later. In 2020, a 2,600-year-old well-preserved Phoenician wine press was excavated at Tell el-Burak, south of Sidon in Lebanon , probably devoted to making wine for trading in their colonies. The spread of wine culture westwards was most probably due to the Phoenicians, who spread outward from

10767-525: The similarities between the words for wine in Indo-European languages (e.g. Armenian gini , Latin vinum , Ancient Greek οἶνος, Russian вино [vʲɪˈno] ), Kartvelian (e.g. Georgian ღვინო [ˈɣvino] ), and Semitic ( *wayn ; Hebrew יין [jajin] ), pointing to the possibility of a common origin of the word denoting "wine" in these language families. The Georgian word goes back to Proto-Kartvelian * ɣwino -, which

10878-435: The spring and autumn that can pose the risk of flash flooding . Winters in these regions are characterized by cold temperatures that can often fall below freezing around −8 °F (−22 °C). Towards the southeast, around Valencia , the climate is more moderate with the strong Mediterranean influence . In the south, the Sherry and Malaga producing regions of Andalusia contain some of the hottest parts of Spain. North of

10989-547: The term Meritage is allowed only via licensing agreements with the Meritage Association. France has various appellation systems based on the concept of terroir , with classifications ranging from Vin de Table ("table wine") at the bottom, through Vin de Pays and Appellation d'Origine Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieure (AOVDQS), up to Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) or similar, depending on

11100-600: The time were Terraconensis (modern-day Tarragona ) in the north and Baetica (modern-day Andalucia ) in the south. During this period more Spanish wine was exported into Gaul than Italian wine , with amphorae being found in ruins of Roman settlements in Normandy , the Loire Valley , Brittany , Provence and Bordeaux . Spanish wine was also provided to Roman soldiers guarding border settlements in Britain and

11211-474: The tomb of King Tutankhamun bearing the name "Kha'y", a royal chief vintner . Five of these amphoras were designated as originating from the king's personal estate, with the sixth from the estate of the royal house of Aten . Traces of wine have also been found in central Asian Xinjiang in modern-day China, dating from the second and first millennia BCE. The first known mention of grape -based wines in India

11322-464: The towns of Jerez, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, and El Puerto de Santa María . In the 1990s, the European Union restricted the use of the name "Sherry" to the wine made from this region. It is mostly made from the Palomino grape, accounting for nearly 95% of the region's plantings, but Moscatel and Pedro Ximenez can also be used. While the wine is aging in the barrel, a naturally occurring yeast native to

11433-449: The types of grapes that are permitted to be planted, the maximum yields that can be harvested , the minimum length of time that the wine must be aged and what type of information is required to appear on the wine label . Wineries that are seeking to have their wine sold under DOP status must submit their wines to the Consejo Regulador laboratory and tasting panel for testing and evaluation. Wines that have been granted DOP status will feature

11544-493: The uprooting of New World vineyards and halting the production of wine by the colonies. In some countries, like Chile , these orders were largely ignored; but in others, like Argentina , they served to stunt growth and development until independence was gained from Spanish rule. The 17th and 18th centuries saw periods of popularity for various Spanish wines, namely Sherry (known in Britain as "sack"), Malaga and Rioja. However

11655-473: The varied and extreme climate of the region. The dry weather in many parts of Spain reduces the threat of common viticultural hazards like downy mildew and powdery mildew as well as the development of Botrytis cinerea . In these parts, the threat of drought and the poor fertility of the land has encouraged Spanish vineyard owners to plant their vines with widely spaced rows so that there is less competition between vines for resources. One widely adopted system

11766-477: The wine after fermentation, relative to the acidity present in the wine. Dry wine , for example, has only a small amount of residual sugar. Some wine labels suggest opening the bottle and letting the wine "breathe" for a couple of hours before serving, while others recommend drinking it immediately. Decanting (the act of pouring a wine into a special container just for breathing) is a controversial subject among wine enthusiasts. In addition to aeration, decanting with

11877-445: The wine label by the designations-Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva depending on how long it spends in the barrel. The tradition of long barrel and bottle ageing has meant that most Spanish wines are ready to drink once they hit the market. A new generation of winemakers have started to produce more vino joven (young wines) that are released with very little ageing. Sherry is a heavily fortified wine produced in southern Spain around

11988-468: Was in demand. The death of Francisco Franco in 1975 and the Spanish transition to democracy allowed more economic freedom for winemakers and created an emerging market with the growing middle class of Spain. The late 1970s and 1980s saw periods of modernization and a renewed emphasis on quality wine production. The 1986 acceptance of Spain into the European Union brought economic aid to the rural wine industries of Galicia and La Mancha . The 1990s saw

12099-629: Was invaded by various barbaric tribes -including the Suebi and the Visigoths . Little is known about the progress of viticulture and winemaking during this period but there is evidence that some viable form of the wine industry was present when the Moors conquered the land during the early 8th century AD. While the Moors were Muslim and subjected to Islamic dietary laws that forbid the use of alcohol ,

12210-586: Was originally known as Champan until Spanish producers officially adopted the term "Cava" (cellar) in 1970 in reference to the underground cellars in which the wines ferment and age in the bottle. The early Cava industry was nurtured by the phylloxera epidemic of the late 19th century, which caused the destruction and uprooting of vineyards planted with red grape varieties. Inspired by the success of Champagne, vineyard owners started to replant with white grape varieties like Macabeo , Parellada , and Xarel·lo to use for sparkling wine production. These grapes are still

12321-498: Was the addition of white wine grapes which balanced the acidity but diluted some of the fruit flavors of the red grapes. The advent of temperature control stainless steel fermentation tanks radically changed the wine industry in warm climate regions like Andalucia, La Mancha, and the Levante, allowing winemakers to make fresher and fruitier styles of wine-particularly whites. While many producers focused on these crisp, fresh styles in

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