Sarah Jane Evans MW: My top 10 Spanish wines of 2023

2023 has been a great year for lovers of Spanish wine. The choice of wines is terrific. For me, in particular, it’s been a year of properly returning to normal, being able to get out and about and meet producers across the country and the islands, walk the vineyards, taste their wines.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for Sarah-Jane Evans MW’s top 10 wines of 2023

I have travelled this year to the USA, Greece and Japan, and co-chaired the global diversity of the Decanter World Wine Awards. However, I’m limited here to choosing just 10 wines from Spain only. How difficult that is!

My selection began with something that Spain does really well: wines with moderate alcohol and vividly fresh acidity. Red, white and the occasional pale red clarete, all made from local varieties. It’s a surprise for many, when thinking about this apparently hot country, but these are wines that refresh. Galicia excels in them. Cool parts of Catalunya too.

The Xarel-lo variety from Penedés has definitely earned its place on my shelves this year. I’ll be raising a glass of Gramona III Lustros – which is 70% Xarel-lo (30% Macabeo) – to toast the memory of the late Javier Gramona of Gramona winery, who drove the creation of Corpinnat, and who died so suddenly and sadly this year. Also to his son Leo Gramona and nephew Roc Gramona, separately successful with L’Enclòs de Peralba, who are now taking on extra responsibilities as a result.

Southern stars

My choices continue with wines from what has been a year of discovery. My study trip to the welcoming producers of Montilla-Moriles was an eye-opener this year; the history and excellence of the wines from this region have for too long been obscured by their neighbour Jerez.

From Jerez I had to include the extraordinary González Byass Amontillado 1975, a discovery that I savoured in August. It was the final wine in a memorable tasting of aged wines that I hosted with two fellow MWs at Texsom, the international wine conference. It’s a privilege of working in wine to be able to taste and share such treasures, if only very occasionally.

Sparkling performance

Cava is sure to be in my fridge this year. In November I discovered the most recent specialist category of Cava: Elaborador Integral. In the fine chocolate world we would call them ‘bean to bar’ producers: these are winemakers who control the whole process from grape growing to estate bottling. There are 15 of them. One of the most delicious – if the most difficult to store in the fridge because of its awkward height – is Alta Alella. It’s the winery closest to Barcelona, in sight of the sea. The winery’s floral, mineral, saline, single-vineyard Mirgin Exeo Paratge Qualificat Vallcirera is 60% Pansa Blanca (Xarel-lo) with 40% Chardonnay, grown on sauló, granitic sand. It’s a treat.

To finish? I had room for jewels from Rioja and Ribera del Duero. But there’s so much more to enjoy: Spain is a treasure store.

Sarah Jane Evans MW: my top wines of 2022

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