Best Spanish wines 2023, expert-ratedWhat are the different grades of Rioja?
Unlike the hundreds of appellations in France, or Greece’s hard-to-pronounce grape varietals, the rioja classification system is a doddle to get your head around. So next time you’re in the wine aisle, just remember the following…
Rioja/Joven — Although you’ll rarely see joven (meaning “young”) on the label, any wines simply labelled as rioja tend to be a joven-style. Applying to inexpensive, entry level bottles, you can expect simple fresh and fruity wines with little to no oak ageing.
Crianza — Crianza is aged for at least one year in oak and another year in the bottle. An excellent, everyday table wine, crianzas are still fruit-forward and not too rich.
Reserva — Requiring a total of three years’ ageing (one of which must be in oak), you can expect a little more complexity from a reserva. This tends to be the sweet spot for most people, and our top-rated wine fell into this category.
Gran Reserva — For those who love the influence of oak in the glass, a gran reserva is your best bet, as they require a minimum of five years’ ageing (two in oak). The best grapes will be selected for these wines, and for serious wine aficionados, many can be aged too.
How we test Spanish wine
As part of the Good Housekeeping Institute’s annual Wine Awards, our panel of 10 WSET-accredited experts and consumers sampled 11 bottles of Spanish wine.
They considered a range of styles, looking for wines that were a good representation of their grape variety. Each was assessed on its complexity, flavour and finish. Here’s our pick of the best Spanish wine for 2023.
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1
Best Spanish wine
Baron de Ley Club Privado Reserva Rioja
Score: 89/100
It will come as no surprise that rioja features so heavily in our Spanish wine category, but this reserva was the stand-out favourite with the panel. Expect an enticing combination of bold black fruit, mushroom and smokey cloves.
2
Runner-up Spanish wine
Finca Manzanos Seleccion de la Familia Rioja
Score: 86/100
In second place is a more youthful example, with pronounced cherry, hints of blackcurrant coming through and spicy black pepper. The vibrant acidity keeps each sip fresh, making this a good table wine for midweek meals.
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3
Solar Viejo Rioja Reserva
Score: 85/100
Made from the intensely aromatic graciano grape, testers loved the telltale rich and fruity scent of this reserva. This complexity builds further on the palate, with initial notes of mulberries and leather, supported by the sweet spice and vanilla that comes from oak ageing.
4
Best crianza
Orube Rioja Crianza
Score: 82/100
Although often considered a little simpler than longer aged riojas, this crianza is the perfect bottle to accompany an informal bowl of pasta. You can expect ripe, dark fruit, a touch of chocolate and delicate oak in each sip — delicious!
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5
Barón de Barbón Oak Aged Rioja
Score: 80/100
This is one of Laithwaites’ best-selling riojas, and we can see why. Blackcurrant, black pepper, leather and cinnamon burst out of the glass, with acidity and hints of vanilla following on the palate. Try it with charcuterie or alongside a grazing platter of Spanish cheese.
6
Best Spanish rosé
Selfridges Selection Vegan Organic Rosé
Score: 80/100
This organic Spanish rosé sits under Selfridges’ Project Earth umbrella, which champions sustainable brands. You can expect lots of lovely minerality and thirst-quenching acidity here, alongside notes of strawberry, pear and vanilla, all wrapped up with a crisp, dry finish.
Key specificationsGrapeGarnatxa NegraABV13.5%
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7
Finca Carelio Tempranillo
Score: 79/100
This easy drinking red comes from a top Spanish producer, but it’s made from declassified wine (which means it can’t state the appellation on the label). In short, this means Majestic can sell it at this price, and you nab a huge bargain. Win, win.
With ripe, jammy blackcurrant and spice, it’s particularly good if lamb is on the menu, and should probably be twice the price, but we won’t tell if you won’t.
8
Best gran reserva
Beronia Rioja Gran Reserva
Score: 79/100
Beronia is a failsafe brand to look out for when in need of a crowd-pleasing rioja, and if budget allows, this gran reserva is worth the splurge. You’ll be rewarded with cooked blackberry, tobacco smoke and leather.
However, a more cost-effective alternative is Beronia’s Crianza. A less complex but no less delicious red, with ripe cherry, herbs and a crack of black pepper on the palate, it scored 76/100 with the panel.
Key specificationsGrapeTempranillo, Graciano, MazueloABV14.5%
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9
Best Spanish white wine
Vinos Más Buscados Te Queiro White Field Blend
Score: 78/100
Proving there’s more to Spanish wine than rioja, this refreshing, organic-certified white impressed testers. Rich and aromatic, it should appeal to chardonnay fans, with citrus, blossom and a standout herbaceous note.
10
Best budget Spanish wine
Bienbebido Pulpo Albariño
Score: 76/100
This zippy albariño would be excellent with smoked salmon, shellfish starters, or, as the label suggests, octopus. It’s bursting with thirst-quenching citrus and has a lovely mineral finish. It’s exceptional value too, as it comes from Rioja (instead of Galicia or the Basque region of Spain, as is traditional).
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11
Campo Viejo Winemakers Blend
Score: 73/100
A blend of three grapes — tempranillo, garnacha and bobal — this easy drinking red isn’t the most complex, but it’s a great choice for a midweek glass, pairing with a wide variety of food. With notes of cherry, strawberry and blackcurrant, it can also be served slightly chilled.
Key specificationsGrapeTempranillo, Garnacha, BobalABV13.5%
Stacey looks after all food and drink reviews — from coffee pods and veg boxes, to natural wine and tequila. Stacey is also founder of Crummbs, where she’s written nearly 2,000 restaurant and hotel reviews since 2013. Prior to this, Stacey wrote hundreds of in-depth buying guides for the Independent, i newspaper and BBC Good Food, as well as reviewing restaurants and interviewing celebrities in her column at Balance Magazine. Stacey has also appeared in BAFTA-nominated BBC documentary Blood, Sweat & Takeaways, where she investigated South East Asia’s food production industry, appearing on both Newsnight and BBC World Service to share her findings. Regularly checking out the latest restaurants, bars and product launches, Stacey also loves experimenting with recipes at home, and is a WSET-certified wine and spirits expert, with over 10 years of experience in the business. You can follow Stacey on Instagram @crummbs_uk
Callum is our Food and Drink Testing Manager and has been part of the world of professional catering for 10 years, from cheffing to food manufacturing. While working in manufacturing he specialised in bespoke product and menu development for several start-ups and well-known brands such as Wrap It Up! and HOP Vietnamese. He holds the WSET Level 2 in wine, a Level 3 in spirits and has a particular interest in agave spirits.
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