How Spanish grape varieties are mirrors to their identity

It only took three decades for international grape varieties – then considered to be the silver bullet for the Spanish wine industry – to move to the backburner. They may not be bordering on extinction, but they certainly no longer spark limitless admiration or total dedication. People’s interest has shifted to a new space. Increasing numbers of winegrowers – often supported by scientific research which began the monumental task of listing and safeguarding native varieties – are deciding to focus on indigenous varietals, viewed as heritage showcases.

There are a number of differing reasons for this change of perspective but clearly the trend for overripe, over-concentrated and heavily oaked wines, which peaked in the 1990s, ultimately generated palate fatigue and led to a paradigm shift in emphasis among winegrowers and consumers alike. ‘Soulless’ wines have been superseded by styles where vines and vineyard sites are now of paramount importance. The aim is to show off the typicity of the wine, its unique character. Winegrowers are now turning to native grape varieties to emphasise the uniqueness of their wines.

They have also noticed that endemic grape varieties tend to show greater resistance to the challenges raised by climate change – extreme drought conditions, scorching heat and vine diseases for instance. They have made a compelling case for resurrecting heirloom grape varieties and showcasing typical Spanish varieties, offering a token of hope for tomorrow’s wine industry and upcoming generations. Justification for this move is to be found in the country’s fascinating array of grape varieties, featuring nearly 400 native cultivars. We met five Spanish bodegas where endemic varieties are placed centre stage in order to find out more about their motivations and their ethos.

Garnacha, the successful, multi-purpose grape

Garnacha is probably the most international of Spain’s grape varieties today. The on-trend cultivar ranks among the ten most widely grown varietals worldwide, rising to fifth place among reds, stresses Sigrid Guillem, brand ambassador for Celler de Capçanes, one of the most representative wineries in the Montsant appellation area in Catalonia. The easy-to-export grape variety “usually finds favour with consumers”, hence Celler de Capçanes’ particular focus on the variety, which accounts for 65% of its production. The choice of this endemic varietal is also supported by the fact that DO Montsant provides it with felicitous growing conditions. The region’s poor, dry, stony soils – formed of slate or limestone – are conducive to its development. “Garnacha is the ultimate local grape variety in our area”, confirms Guillem.

The variety is usually disease-resistant and thrives in hot climates, showing a substantial ability to adapt to the drought conditions which have affected Catalonia over the past three years. In the face of climate change, it has developed better than the region’s other traditional cultivar, Cariñena (Carignan), explains Guillem. 

These advantages come with another key trait, one that brings joy to winemakers, which is its versatility. Garnacha can be used to craft different styles of wine and makes the perfect blending partner. Boasting “substantial aromatic expression and good acidity”, the Garnachas made by Celler de Capçanes offer the winery an opportunity to produce both “very fruit-forward labels” and “particularly delicate, elegant pours with a lighter colour”. This stylistic variety hinges on “rigorous classification of the vineyards which determines the quality of the grapes and their potential”. Several aspects are factored into the equation, like vine age, the location and aspect of the vineyard, soil type, climate and biodiversity.

The different iterations illustrate the variety’s extensive aromatic and flavour spectrum but also its intrinsic bond with its terroir. The Taller de Terroirs range offers a very telling rendition of this – the four single varietal Garnachas are grown on four different soil types across the region: limestone, slate (known locally as ‘llicorella’), clay and ‘panal’ or loamy-sandy soils. They offer an impressive exercise in style.

Anna Rovira, the winemaker at Celler de Capçanes.

Garnacha is the variety that best identifies us and is associated with the winery" explains Sigrid Guillem.

Celler de Capçanes produces a wide variety of wines from Garnacha, including red wines matured in large barrels or French oak, young bottlings, rosés and ‘Blanc de Noirs’.

Bobal or the resurgence of a variety with great potential  

Bobal, a typical variety from Eastern Spain, is now sparking interest, and not just because of its unusual name. Stemming from the Latin ‘bovale’, which means ‘in the shape of a bull’s head’, it alludes to the outline of a cluster of Bobal grapes which resembles cattle. The variety is very much under-the-radar and occasionally given a wide berth by enthusiasts because it was long reduced to producing bulk wine. It is now experiencing a new lease of life, however, due to some of the region’s winegrowers who have successfully given it the attention it deserves.

The Coviñas co-operative, which manages in excess of 10,000 hectares of vines – including 65% Bobal – and has over 3,000 members, is among these inspired bodegas; it is the largest winery in the Utiel-Requena appellation. It has leveraged its many old vines – some of them over eighty years old – which are bush-trained to produce complex single varietals. Even after spending time in oak, they retain their hallmark fruit characters. At the same time, the winery has been mindful of increased market interest in appetising aromatic wines and has developed fresh, lifted rosés and reds from its youngest vines. Bobal is “a grape variety that is increasingly recognised and valued”, confirms the winery’s marketing manager Patricia Álvarez. The group currently exports over 80% of its wines to more than thirty countries.

Bobal has also provided the co-operative with a formidable ally for coping with climate change and the new challenges it has thrown up. It shows resistance to parasites and extreme weather conditions, retaining its substantial natural acidity. Bobal’s only downside is its “irregular ripening which requires constant monitoring to determine the most appropriate harvest window”, explains Álvarez. Ultimately, that’s perhaps not much of a trade-off for such a multi-talented grape variety…

Jorge Srougi, managing director of Coviñas.

Coviñas’ vineyards are home to some of Spain’s oldest vines still on-stream.

Coviñas boasts over 2,000 hectares of organically certified vines.

Tempranillo, the king of Spanish grape varieties

Tempranillo is not just the most widely grown grape variety in Spain, it has also carved out a reputation for Spanish red wines on the international stage. This uber-fruity, fresh grape has the ability to develop great finesse, particularly when it finds a site that allows it to thrive. “Tempranillo performs particularly well in cool, high-altitude sites”, explains winemaker Juan L. Quiroga, the sixth-generation incumbent at the helm of Bodegas Quiroga de Pablo, alongside his sister Maïté and brother Diego. “Tempranillo has average acidity and can lose its aromatic freshness and experience an increase in alcohol levels if it is grown in conditions that are too hot”. In Rioja Alta, where the prevailing influence comes from the Atlantic and not the Mediterranean, it thrives.

On the poor soils at Bodegas Quiroga de Pablo, over 500 metres above sea level, the Tempranillo vines flourish. They have a short growing season – ‘tempranillo’ means early in Spanish – and seem to have found perfect balance here. Twenty-five years ago, shares Juan, “when I started taking over from my father, we occasionally had issues with reaching peak ripeness due to the coolness of the area, but the increase in temperatures due to climate change has helped us produce better red wines”. The winery’s bottlings display trademark appetising red and black fruit notes such as strawberry and blackberry, floral aromas and silky tannins on the palate. “Alcohol content in our wines is in the range of 13.5% whereas in other regions it is tending to spiral upwards”.

Juan claims he is “very satisfied” with his Tempranillos tintos (red), but also with another iteration. The winery was among the first to take an interest in Tempranillo blanco, a Rioja grape variety stemming from the natural genetic mutation of a Tempranillo tinto cane, which was only discovered in 1988. As a student, Juan took an in-depth look at the variety. He was convinced of its untapped potential – it was only permitted in the DO in 2007 – and set off in search of a vineyard block boasting ideal conditions for it to develop. His quest lasted five years, but the family’s white wines are now recognised as some of the appellation’s finest.

Juan José Quiroga and María Teresa de Pablo with their three children who have taken over at the helm of the family-run winery in Azofra.

Showing distinctively high acidity, Tempranillo blanco produces very fresh white wines.

 Only organic fertilisers made from winemaking waste are used in the vineyards at Bodegas Quiroga de Pablo.

Verdejo, a grape variety with hallmark terroir characters

The Diez Siglos co-operative winery was established in 2010 with a single-minded objective: to produce quality wines that would showcase the pedigree of the outstanding grape variety Verdejo. “For Bodega Diez Siglos, Verdejo is not just a variety of grape – it is the spirit of our land and the essence of our work. This native grape variety is our identity and the pillar on which we build our wines”, confirms the company’s PR officer Teresa Heras.

Verdejo also epitomises its terroir because it demonstrates total synergy with its growing environment. Its home region of Rueda, in north-eastern Spain, offers perfect conditions for it to fully express its aromatic potential. In fact, it is not widely grown in other wine regions, even at global level. It is perfectly suited to the DO’s continental climate, and is particularly fond of the poor, stony, sandy soils that define the appellation. “These conditions allow the grapes to develop substantial aromatic complexity and balanced acidity, yielding fresh wines with a unique persona”.

The Verdejos made by the Diez Siglos winery display a pale yellow hue with green tints  and do indeed exude intense aromatics and white fruit-dominant aromas (such as pear) coupled with herbaceous, floral and lemony notes. On the palate, they offer vibrant acidity and a well-balanced structure with faint sourness on the finish which is typical of the variety.

At the co-operative, every stage of the winemaking process is approached with utmost care in order to enhance the inherent qualities of Verdejo. The fruit is usually picked by night to avoid oxidation of the must and preserve aromatic freshness. Once it has been destemmed, it is gently pressed then fermented at low temperatures in stainless steel tanks to preserve the fruit notes. Lees ageing lends greater complexity and structure to the wine.

This craftsmanship has secured a reputation for the co-operative’s wines outside Spain, coinciding with the varietal’s growing popularity “especially in countries where consumers are looking for alternatives to traditional white varietals. Verdejo is increasingly sought-after in markets like northern Europe, the United States and some Asian countries where people appreciate its potential with food”, explains Heras. Chardonnay and Italian Pinot Grigio had better watch out!

Antonio de Íscar, managing director of Diez Siglos.

Diez Siglos is investing over one million euros in 2025 to increase its range of low-alcohol wines, a market that shows promise. 

Teresa Heras, head of marketing and communications at Diez Siglos.

The winemakers at Diez Siglos, Noelia Santamaria and Laura Rubio.

Albariño and Godello, two iconic varietals that symbolise freshness

Mar de Frades, the benchmark Rías Baixas winery in Galicia, the famous appellation in North-West Spain, produces one of the country’s most celebrated Albariños, named after the winery. Mar de Frades was also the first to produce a sparkling wine from the variety, using the traditional method. “Albariño is our flagship wine. Since we founded the winery around forty years ago, it has been the focal point for development of our expertise”, explains the company’s winemaker Paula Fandiño. In its homeland of Rías Baixas, where the soils are granite and the climate has an ocean influence, it now shows “at its finest”.

That’s because the area is a “true paradise” for growing vines and for Albariño. The climate is mild and damp with very high rainfall and sandy soils on top of the granite bedrock. It is this unique terroir that lends the grape variety and the resultant wines their distinctive character. The complex, delicate pours “display a saline stamp, minerality and high acidity”.

Boasting substantial freshness, with notes of apple, pear, apricot and occasionally melon and mango, the Albariño grape variety is “increasingly renowned in export markets, primarily the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland and Latin America”, adds Fandiño. “It is now enjoyed by consumers who view it as an elegant, prestigious varietal”.

The situation for Godello, another grape variety farmed by Mar de Frades, is different. Although it has piqued greater curiosity over the past few years due to growth in white wine consumption and increased interest in endemic grape varieties, it is mainly shipped to the domestic market. Its tropical notes of lychee, mango and pineapple and its mellow palate are definitely appealing traits. “As a variety that is native to the continental climate of Galicia, we have sought to reveal its potential by growing it along the coast”. Once again, the influence of the Atlantic is not far away.

Paula Fandiño was recognised by British magazine The Drinks Business as one of the 10 most influential female winemakers in Spain.

Located in the heart of the ‘valle del Salnés’, Mar de Frades is one of the region’s most representative wineries.

Mar de Frades uses planet-friendly vineyard management techniques aimed at preserving balance in the soils and the environment.

Planted using the espalier system, the Godello vines are harvested and the fruit carefully sorted by hand.