Expert’s choice: High street Spain
It’s not hard to find interesting Spanish wines on UK shelves when money is no object but, in these constrained times, where should you look to find the best value? Here we recommend 18 excellent Spanish wines made in a variety of styles – all of which are easy to track down, and very well priced.
Finding excellent Spanish wines at under £20 – even under £10 – is in one sense an easy task, since there are so many candidates to choose from. In these days of rampant, generationally unprecedented inflation, in which wine prices are heading, fast, in just one direction, I’m not sure I could say the same about wines from many other countries. There is plenty of sub-£20 wine from all over the world. It’s the ‘excellent’ part of the brief that’s the challenge.
Spain’s generous fund of good-quality, low- or lower-cost wines makes the task difficult in other ways, of course: there are several shadow lists to the one you have in front of you, involving numerous alternative candidates for each of the 18 slots. Choosing the final wines for this selection was, in this sense, not in the least bit easy.
Things were ever thus in Spain: for as long as I can remember, the country’s winemakers have been among the world’s best at making attractive, drinkable wines that are, by any reasonable measure, undervalued.
Scroll down for a selection of 18 Spanish wines to try
The range in Spain…
What’s changed, at least in my 25 years of wine writing, is the quality, stylistic range and regional spread of those good value wines – a development that makes this list so much more diverse than one I might have put together around the Millennium. That quarter-century period has seen the exponential improvement of Spanish whites such as Albariño and Godello from Galicia and Verdejo from Rueda, as well as the lesser-spotted likes of Basque Txakoli, Catalan Xarel·lo and many more.
On the red side, meanwhile, the country’s winemakers have been making much better use of their stocks of old-vine Garnacha (notably, for value, in Aragón), Bobal (in Utiel-Requena and other DOs around Valencia) and Monastrell (Jumilla), in a much brighter, fruitier, less oak-dependent style.
To narrow things down, and to respond to the pressures that all of us are currently feeling on our drinking budgets, I’ve tried to include as many wines as possible in the bracket around the £10 mark, with several coming in under that psychologically crucial marker. Just one, the reliably excellent Contino Reserva Rioja, comes in above £20: a weekend treat that is nonetheless, on a pound-for-pound basis, exceptional value.
The wines here are all available from large, national, bricks-and-mortar retailers: the supermarkets plus Majestic, essentially. Needless to say, another exciting set of Spanish shadow lists, comprising entirely affordable wines stocked by independent merchants, could be put together with the same combination of ease and difficulty.
Tasting notes and scores for 18 high street picks
Related articles
- Best Spanish wines under £20
- Godello: panel tasting results
- Garnacha is on a roll in Rioja: 10 wines to try
Juvé y Camps, Reserva de la Familia Gran Reserva Brut Nature, Cava, Penedès, Spain
91
Xarel·lo, the king of Catalan white grapes, is the backbone of this consistently excellent non-vintage Cava at 55% of the blend, along with Macabeo (35%) and Parellada (10%). Long ageing (36 months) also plays its part in shaping a family-produced wine that is highly evocative of its place, with subtle garrigue and fennel notes among the yellow plum, apple, toast, lively mousse and fine acidity.
Juvé y CampsCava
Codorníu, Waitrose Blueprint Brut, Cava, Penedès, Spain
88
<p>Given the distinctive character and quality of their best wines, it’s not surprising that leading Cava producers get annoyed when their output is blithely dismissed as cheap and cheerful. Yet Cava remains, by far, the best traditional-method bet below £10. Made by big-hitter Codorníu, this is remarkable value, with green apple, stylish mousse, racy citrus acidity and hints of herb and toast.</p>
CodorníuCava
Bodegas del Palacio de Fefiñanes, Albariño, Rías Baixas, Galicia, Spain, 2021
94
One of the oldest and most respected Albariño producers in Rías Baixas, Fefiñanes no longer has the field to itself, but its wines are still a cut above most of the competition on the high street. This is Albariño at its most beguilingly refined, with a moreish contrast of concentrated stone-fruited fleshiness, delicate blossom, mint and classic Albariño saline freshness.
2021
Bodegas del Palacio de FefiñanesRías Baixas
Ailalá, Treixadura, Ribeiro, Galicia, Spain, 2020
91
In terms of the grape varieties used and their briskly floral style, the whites of Ribeiro are closer to the wines of Vinho Verde from across the border in Portugal than anything in Spain. This is a lovely example of the local Treixadura grape, fit to burst with orange blossom, orangey citrus juice and pithy grapefruit, plus a crystal-clear trickle of acidity.
2020
AilaláRibeiro
Agricola Fuster, Dardell Organic White, Terra Alta, Catalonia, Spain, 2020
89
Garnacha Blanca (Garnatxa Blanca in Catalan) has become the signature white grape of Terra Alta DO in southwestern Catalonia, and this joint-venture production between Catalan vigneron Pep Fuster and British MW Ed Adams, which also includes a dollop of Viognier, is a brilliant-value introduction to its softly sculpted charms. Notes of baked and juicily fresh peach mingle on a sumptuous palate.
2020
Agricola FusterTerra Alta
Beronia, Verdejo, Rueda, Castilla y Léon, Spain, 2020
At its best, Verdejo (the singular white grape variety of Rueda) has an uninhibited, unoaked tropical fruit tanginess that makes comparisons with the more pungent...
2020
BeroniaRueda
CVNE, Barrel-Fermented Blanco, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 2019
89
One of Rioja’s most reliable producers, CVNE is inevitably best known for the red wines that make up the lion’s share of its production. But the company’s skilful way with a barrel is no less evident in this terrific-value white, where the Viura fruit is fermented in 50% new American oak. The result is soft, ripe apple and cream, with a smudge of toasted nut, oak and a hint of fresh acidity.
2019
CVNERioja
Pagos del Rey, Tesco Finest Viñas del Rey Albariño, Rías Baixas, Galicia, Spain, 2021
89
For my money, this is the best of the current crop of own-label supermarket versions of the UK’s favourite Spanish white grape variety, Albariño. It’s on the fresher, brisker end of the scale, with a real sense of Galician Atlantic breeziness, while the white peach and pear is juicy, the subtle floral notes attractive, and the racy citrus and subtle saltiness are made for shellfish.
2021
Pagos del ReyRías Baixas
Bodegas Ramón Bilbao, Rosado, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 2021
88
Few Spanish producers take rosé as seriously as Ramón Bilbao: the Rioja bodega’s elegant Lalomba single-vineyard rosados are among the finest pink wines made anywhere in the world right now. That house style is also apparent in this significantly cheaper bottling, which has the desired subtle strawberry creaminess, soft melon fleshiness and a wash of gentle acidity to make it an ideal apero.
2021
Bodegas Ramón BilbaoRioja
Contino, Reserva, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 2017
91
Dark cherry, mushroom and wood spices on top of cherry can and dark cherry liqueur. After two years of ageing in American and French oak, the tannins are fine-grained in texture. Sweet spiced prunes are balanced by great acidity, followed by a long finish.
2017
ContinoRioja
Viñedos Singulares, Corral del Obispo, Bierzo, Castilla y Léon, Spain, 2020
93
Barcelona-based brothers Luís and Carlos Barrero teamed up with winemaker Raúl Pérez to make this brilliant-value version of Mencía from Bierzo. Using 60- to 90-year-old vines, it positively sings with violet-floral aromas, the palate reminiscent of Cabernet Franc or the more fragrant end of Syrah in its crunchy black berries, currants and subtle aniseed spiciness.
2020
Viñedos SingularesBierzo
Altolandon, Organic Bobal, Manchuela, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain, 2020
90
Long-underrated, Bobal (Spain’s second most planted red grape) has been gaining respect in recent years. It seems to do especially well when planted at higher altitudes – and no Spanish winery, at least on the mainland, has higher vineyards than Altolandon (1,100m). Those vines yield wine of intense cherry-berry succulence with just enough rasp and tang of cherry and plum skins for food-matching contrast.
2020
AltolandonManchuela
Cal Grau, La Petite Agnes, Priorat, Catalonia, Spain, 2019
90
The intense, solar-powered, but mineral red wines made from old-vine Garnacha and Carignan grown at high altitude on the famous llicorella slate soils of Priorat have a reputation for being among some of Spain’s finest – but also the most expensive. In context, this is superb value, with freshness underscoring the brambly fruit, spicy oak, liquorice and appetisingly savoury tannins.
2019
Cal GrauPriorat
La Rioja Alta, Definition Viña Majestica Reserva, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 2018
90
There are some reliably good (and good-value) own-label choices for lovers of traditional oak-aged Rioja, with Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose gran reservas all hitting that mellow spot. My pick, however, is a reserva from Majestic’s Definition range, made in a typically suave and savoury style by La Rioja Alta, with coconut and soft tannins balanced by still-perky red and black fruit.
2018
La Rioja AltaRioja
Sainsbury's, Taste the Difference Garnacha, Campo de Borja, Aragón, Spain, 2020
89
Sainsbury’s has made a wise choice in turning to Aragon-based Scottish MW Norrel Robertson for this explosively juicy but balanced Garnacha. Produced from very old vines planted at 600m-800m on the slopes of Mount Moncayo, it’s a wine of uninhibited, tumbling berry juiciness with just a hint of paprika spice (there’s 10% Syrah in the blend). Excellent value.
2020
Sainsbury'sCampo de Borja
Bodegas Eguía, Marks & Spencer Found Mazuelo, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 2019
88
Tempranillo is always going to be king of Rioja, but one of the more significant trends in Spain’s leading wine region of late has been an increased focus on other parts of its portfolio, such as red grape Mazuelo. Also known as Carignan, it represents just 3% of the Rioja vineyard, but it deserves more. Expect lots of dark blackberry and cherry, with peppery, meaty tones and supple tannins. Good value.
2019
Bodegas EguíaRioja
Bodegas Hidalgo, Pastrana, Manzanilla, Pasada, Jerez, Spain
94
Manzanilla – typified by Hidalgo’s excellent best-seller La Gitana – is generally the lightest of the Sherry styles. But this offering takes things in an altogether deeper, more intense direction. A single-vineyard (Pastrana) bottling, it is aged for 12 years (rather than the customary five), and suggests essence of salted almond, with brisk apple, sourdough and Marmite. Great value.
Bodegas HidalgoManzanilla
Emilio Lustau, Sainsbury's Taste the Difference, Oloroso, Jerez, Spain
93
Highlighting the frankly absurd value offered by Sherry has become a bit of a wine writerly cliché. Apologies, then, for the following: this oloroso is absurd value for money. Made by the ever-consistent Emilio Lustau, it’s a wonderfully brisk, concentrated, racy orange-citrus example of the flor-free style. A perfect cheese-course partner and aperitif with complex flavours of nuts, dried apricots and figs.
Emilio LustauOloroso
