Every spring and summer we taste through literally thousands of Spanish wines for the International Wine Cellar’s annual coverage of this most varied of wine-producing countries. We routinely find world-class versions of everything from bone-dry sparkling wines to exotic fortified wines that are still made according to centuries-old techniques. As impressive as the great wines of Rioja, Ribera del Duero and Priorat can be—not to mention those from Spain’s cool northwestern regions and the country’s matchless Sherries—the wines that most often deliver the most pleasant surprises for us are outrageously delicious and exuberantly fruity garnachas (grenache in France and most of the rest of the world) as well as some made from monastrell (a.k.a. mourvèdre), both of which are widely produced in the hot and arid south and southeast of Spain. READ MORE »
