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<\/p>\nA historic ros\u00e9 style and a little-known La Mancha sub-region are among the names tipped for wider acclaim, as db discovered during a discussion at Taste Spain in February.<\/p>\n
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During a podcast on the best aspects to Spanish wine during the Taste Spain<\/a> event in London, db quizzed a couple of professionals on the below-the-radar gems of their native country.<\/p>\n The people were Ferran Centelles, former head sommelier at the legendary El Bulli, and now the drinks manager at the restaurant\u2019s foundation, and Maria Naranjo, the director of food and drink at Spanish trade organisation ICEX.<\/p>\n For Naranjo, the spotlight fell first on northwestern Spain. She pointed to Galicia \u2013 particularly the historic region of Ribeiro \u2013 as a source of \u201crefreshing whites\u201d made from grapes such as Godello, Albari\u00f1o, Loureira, and Treixadura.<\/p>\n Closer to her home area of La Mancha, Naranjo championed La Manchuela, a relatively young denomination that gained independent status in 2000. Situated between Utiel-Requena and Ribera del J\u00facar, and bordered by Almansa and Jumilla, the region produces wines from high-altitude vineyards dominated by the Bobal grape.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a very special region, that produces very different wines, offering something different to the world,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n High-voltage whites<\/p>\n Centelles broadened the discussion, pointing to a diverse range of exciting developments across Spain.<\/p>\n \u201cSo there are many of them, starting from Xarel\u00b7lo grape variety in Catalonia, which has this kind of high voltage and this bitterness that it\u2019s super, super interesting,\u201d he began.<\/p>\n Continuing, he said, \u201cAnd there\u2019s La Mancha, where we have very old Airen vines, and they are providing great, delicate wines.\u201d<\/p>\n He also highlighted a revival in unfortified wines from Jerez in the far south of the country: \u201cAll these Sherry wines that are not today fortified: we call them Vinos de Pasto, or Vinos de Albariza, and they\u2019re very promising, even reaching very top restaurants.\u201d<\/p>\n Delicate reds<\/p>\n Turning to reds, he praised Garnacha from northeastern Navarra and the increasingly refined expression of Menc\u00eda from Bierzo and Ribeira Sacra, which he said, \u201cProvide this kind of more delicate profile of wines.\u201d<\/p>\n Partner Content<\/p>\n Looking ahead, both experts expressed optimism about Spain\u2019s trajectory, with Centelles commenting, \u201cSo I\u2019m very excited, because there are so so so many wine regions that I have enjoyed visiting and discovering wines; so it\u2019s a beautiful future for Spanish wines, for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n When the conversation turned to fine wine investment potential, Centelles suggested a new contender could soon join Spain\u2019s elite regions of Rioja and Ribera del Duero.<\/p>\n \u201cI would love to see Priorat there, because it\u2019s already built a reputation \u2013 it\u2019s well-structured in terms of villages and crus and there are lots of great names behind the behind the labels,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n He added, \u201cSo probably the third one [after Rioja and Ribera del Duero] will be Priorat\u2026 I think it can really reach the prestige market.\u201d<\/p>\n Historic rosado<\/p>\n But perhaps the most unexpected highlight of the discussion was a historic style now being rediscovered: clarete.<\/p>\n \u201cSorry, guys, yes, there is a word I need to say\u2026 it\u2019s clarete,\u201d Centelles interjected. \u201cIt\u2019s a very important name\u2026 the word ros\u00e9 didn\u2019t exist in Spain until the 20th century\u2026 but there is a word \u2013 clarete \u2013 that from the 16th century appears in our dictionary.\u201d<\/p>\n He described clarete as a traditional co-fermented wine made from both red and white grapes, now gaining a following in high-end gastronomy in Spain.<\/p>\n \u201cIn top restaurants, we start to see some people betting on clarete\u2026 there are some very interesting claretes out there.\u201d<\/p>\n One region leading this revival is Cigales, known for producing structured, deeply coloured versions of the style, by co-fermenting red grapes Tempranillo and Garnacha with white Verdejo and Albillo.<\/p>\n \u201cThey are super tasty, and I see them as the future of Spanish Rosado\u2026 very special,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n To listen to the podcast in full, please click here.<\/a><\/p>\n Related news<\/p>\n \n \n ![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Villa-Rosina_Bottega-headquarters.jpg\"\/)
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