Are fresher reds the future of Spanish wine?

Spanish wine’s evolution towards the lighter side encompasses gentler reds, less oak and a refocus on terroir-driven wines from sustainably conscious vineyards, reports Jessica Mason.

As tastes adapt, so too does the wine sector. Examples of this can be seen from the shifts occurring across Spanish wine. While global demand for full-bodied, oaked reds wanes, lighter, fresher reds continue to gain ground. Looking at how the trend for lighter styles has seen the Spanish wine sector figuratively lean in, it’s recognisable how the demographic for such trends is helping the wine industry to gain appeal from a more youthful drinker.

Speaking about this, Raventós Codorníu, which was certified B Corp earlier this year, has been observing how the trend has been developing. Raventós Codorníu chief marketing officer Helena Jaumandreu explains to db that “interest in lighter, fresher red wines has been growing steadily in recent years, particularly in export markets and among younger consumers”. She observes that this is because “many drinkers today are looking for wines that are versatile, approachable and suited to a wider range of occasions”.

Bodegas Martínez Lacuesta, situated in Haro, in the southwest corner of the La Rioja region of Spain, has views on this. The family-owned winery’s CEO and general manager Javier Bañales points out that “there is a growing trend towards finer, more well-balanced wines that are easy to drink”.

Banales pinpoints that when he says “finer” he is not referring to the category but instead to “finished” and “balanced wines” that are more “gentle”. Banales explains these are wines “without opulence or exaggerated tannins” and admits that the hope is to produce “the most subtle version of wines that are not exempt from enormous complexity”. Bañales adds that “today we want to live in a more fluid, fresh and balanced way”, mirroring the style of wine we increasingly like to drink. Or, in other words: life imitates art.

Recognising that there are distinctions between wines that are lighter in body and wines that are lighter in alcohol is critical. Manuel Iribarnegaray, technical director of Bodegas Marqués de Cáceres, which has vineyards in Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa, observes that there is more to light reds than initially meets the eye.

He explains that “of course a wine can be both lighter and lower in alcohol, but the two characteristics do not necessarily go hand-in-hand”.
Iribarnegaray asserts that “a light red is not a cheap wine”, and says that, in fact, “it is a wine that tends to explore the more primary characteristics of the grape, aroma and palate in greater depth”. He points out that such wines tend to exude “nuances of fermentation and fruit, with bright colours and marked acidity”, plus they are also “wines that are less reliant on long ageing”, adding that “to provide the fruity character, grapes should be perfectly ripe”.

Iribarnegaray notes that while some people might think that the key to producing a light wine with low alcohol is harvesting early, “if the vinification is not well controlled, you may find green and unpleasant characteristics”.

Familia Torres, which has recently reinforced its commitment to decarbonising its wines and reaching net zero by 2040, identifies that Spanish wines can be more than one thing at the same time. Torres’ chief winemaker, Josep Sabarich, highlights that “from a stylistic point of view, I wouldn’t say these [lighter in body and lighter in alcohol] are two rigid, self-contained categories with a sharp boundary between them. A wine can easily sit in both worlds”.

But, as Sabarich considers this, he adds: “Everything revolves around four key elements: polyphenols, alcohol, acidity and aromatic ripeness, and winemakers play with these components in different proportions and through different winemaking choices”.

RIOJA INNOVATIONS

Rioja, for one, is increasingly focusing on balance – where oak supports the wine, rather than defining it. Bodegas Sonsierra, the second largest bottling cooperative in Rioja, believes people are looking for balance above all else. Considering this, the winery’s CEO Luis del Águila explains: “There has been a trend over many years to create wines with a more balanced profile in terms of fruit and oak, and now there is a tendency to also blend in more fruit from higher-altitude sites. For example, Sonsierra Crianza is sourced from 20- to 30-year-old vineyards in the foothills of the Sierra de Cantabria for additional freshness, while still remaining faithful to the classic Rioja crianza style.” All the winery’s 1,400 parcels are from the hills around the village of San Vicente de la Sonsierra and are located between 420 and 750 metres altitude. The Crianza is made from a blend of many of these different sites.

Agreeing with the view of looking forwards while still remaining faithful to classic priciples, Rosana Lisa, technical director and head of R&D at Ramón Bilbao chimes in to remind how evolution can emerge while still showing respect for heritage. Ramón Bilbao is no stranger to this sentiment and has recently introduced a new global campaign encouraging consumers to slow down and rediscover everyday moments through wine.

Lisa unpacks the idea that classic Riojas still “adhere to the traditional philosophy of multi-vineyard blending and the hallmark influence of American oak”, but insists there has been a shift towards an evolving paradigm in the region, with winemakers prioritising precision of site over stylistic artifice”. Notably, as Lisa points to how things are evolving in Rioja, she explains that “these contemporary expressions prioritise varietal purity and parcel-specific identity, characterised by a more restrained, sympathetic approach to cooperage”.

Codorníu’s Jaumandreu highlights that “wines that sit outside the traditional ageing classifications can give winemakers more flexibility to focus on style and vineyard expression, rather than following a specific ageing category”. With this in mind, she explains that “this can allow producers to experiment with different blends, extraction levels or ageing approaches, and ultimately create wines that respond more directly to the character of the vintage or the vineyard”. The process can essentially be a show of the winemaker’s skill.

Underscoring this, Ramón Bilbao’s Lisa explains: “The Genérico classification has served as a strategic tool for winemakers to categorise a diverse spectrum of wines, notably those formerly termed Vinos de Autor, which sit outside the region’s traditional hierarchy. “This category facilitates the use of alternative vessels for maturation and refinement – such as concrete and amphorae – signalling a stylistic evolution in Rioja”. Continuing, Lisa adds that: “This shift prioritises varietal typicity and freshness, proving particularly transformative for late-ripening varieties like Garnacha and Mazuelo, which are now achieving unprecedented levels of ethereal precision and poise”.

ELEGANCE AND BALANCE

Priorat was once primarily associated with powerful wines, but Codorníu’s Jaumandreu observes: “Many producers today are focusing more on elegance and balance.”

At its Scala Dei winery in Priorat, the Codorníu team is working with Garnacha and Cariñena grapes sourced from higher-altitude vineyards – a move that allows the company’s winemakers to emphasise freshness, finesse and a stronger sense of place, while still maintaining what the company describes as the depth that defines the region’s wines.

In the case of Torres, the winery has moved towards a more tense and fine style of Priorat wine, even exploring the more extreme end of this spectrum with wines such as Mas de la Rosa. Sabarich explains: “This is another authentic expression of Priorat, one that focuses on fruit purity and on the character of the terroir, rather than on sheer power or extraction.”

TECHNICAL ADVANCEMENTS

In addition to the methods of choosing more northerly latitudes and using concrete, stone and stainless steel, there are other possibilities to help achieve a lighter red wine. For instance, Martínez Lacuesta’s Bañales suggests “avoiding excessive extraction during production, controlling temperatures, pumping over, and maceration’. Plus, he adds, “an interesting practice is to look at how vineyards were co-planted in the past, mixing red grapes with white grape varieties and producing them together”.

Bañales says: “The contribution of white grapes to red wines refines the style and adds a lot of freshness”. He adds: “This is an increasingly common practice” in Spanish winemaking.

Lisa at Ramón Bilbao points out that “precise canopy management and earlier picking windows are instrumental in preserving primary fruit aromatics and moderate potential alcohol”, because everyone already knows that “cooler fermentation temperatures and gentle extraction regimes, coupled with the use of vessels such as amphorae, concrete and large-format foudres, are the technical keystones for achieving this new paradigm of freshness”.

LIGHTER RED GRAPE VARIETIES OF MERIT

Looking at what works well for such trends, several Spanish grape varieties are especially suited for making fresher, lighter styles. For example, Garnacha, particularly from cooler or higher-altitude vineyards, can produce vibrant and elegant wines. Mencía is another variety that naturally offers freshness and aromatic complexity.

“Spain also has interesting indigenous grapes such as Trepat, which produces very elegant and aromatic reds,” says Codorníu’s Jaumandreu.
In addition, Spain showcases Monastrell, especially in southern regions such as Jumilla, which produces wines with lots of colour and freshness, as well as Graciano, Tempranillo and Maturana Tinta.

“In my experience, Mediterranean red varieties such as Garnacha and Cariñena lend themselves particularly well to producing lighter-style Spanish reds,” says Torres’ Sabarich, who also highlights “several recovered indigenous varieties – including Pirene, Moneu and Gonfaus” as being perfect for the pursuit.

EFFECTIVE MARKETING

Knowing how to effectively market these grape varieties that are perhaps less well-known on the international stage, is also part of the challenge.

Jaumandreu points out that “one effective way of marketing these [lighter] wines is to focus on occasion and versatility, particularly in the on-trade – positioning them as food-friendly wines that can even be served slightly chilled”.

But there are other ways of garnering attention. For instance, as Sonsierra’s del Águila says, different styles “can co-exist and serve different segments of the market, or different usage occasions”, which might look like serving “lighter reds chilled in summer, and classic warming reds in autumn and winter”. Added to this, del Águila highlights that “there are plenty of cues that can indicate style to ensure that consumers know what to expect”.

Martínez Lacuesta’s Bañales insists that perspectives need to change, and says that “the concept of lighter, more dynamic Spanish wines can also be found in aged wines such as reservas and gran reservas…despite their great complexity.” Indeed, as he points out: “Sometimes an aged wine can actually be lighter in texture than a young one.”

Torres’ Sabarich further builds on this argument by observing that, to some extent, marketing Spanish wine differently is “not about moving away from the classics”, so much as demonstrating that the country is now “offering new styles that respond to evolving consumer expectations”.

Sabarich believes that “there is absolutely room for both” and says that “the great tradition of reservas and gran reservas can happily co-exist with a new generation of lighter, fresher Spanish reds”. Why? Because, as Sabarich says: “They address different occasions and preferences, and together they show just how diverse Spain can be.”