Expert's Choice: 18 of the best new-wave Airén from Spain

In the early 1990s, Airén was the world’s most widely planted wine grape, with almost 480,000ha in Spain. But according to the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, by 2023 the surface under vine had decreased dramatically to 190,000ha.

EU subsidies for grubbing-up and vineyard restructuring are to thank for this. In 2022, Tempranillo surpassed Airén as Spain’s number one variety.

Today, Castilla-La Mancha, the vast region covering Spain’s southern plateau, accounts for 187,045ha, according to ministry data to July 2023, followed by Madrid (2,248ha) to the north and Murcia (573ha) in the southeast.

Where do all these grapes go? Airén’s high yields and neutral aromatic character make it ideal for distillation. The practice was long driven by the brandy industry – legendary Sherry producer Pedro Domecq opened a distillery in Tomelloso (Ciudad Real, south of Madrid) as early as the 1870s – although it has lost some momentum since 2011, when European subsidies were withdrawn.

Other significant pillars include bulk wine, grape must and must concentrates, all often sustained by high-yielding, irrigated vineyards.

The wines featured here come from a very different scenery.