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S
taking place
in the earth;
thirdly, the soil’s
color, witch influ-
ences its
tem-
pera-
ture and the air closest to it, af-
fecting the final ripening of the
fruit; fourthly, the soil’s stoniness
-that is, the presence of stones or
small pebbles, which can help by
improving the aeration and health
of the roots; and, finally, the soil’s
composition, since this determines
the mineral substances necessary
for the vine’s existence. Thus, for
example, phosphorus, calcium and
potassium all positively affect quali-
ty while high levels of nitrogen and
organic matter yield larger harvests
but diminish the fruit’s quality.
Grape Varieties
Grape variety is one of the most
significant factors in the production
of quality wines. Other variables,
such as pruning methods, fertiliz-
ers, irrigation, etc. treatments may
be modified, but grape variety is
crucial as it transfers its character-
istics, whether virtues or defects,
to the wine being made. Behind
every
wine there
is always one
or more grape
varieties lending
their aroma, body
and
color to the
wine’s
char-
acter.
Spain is
fortunate
to
have a
broad
range of
high-quality
native grape
varieties that pro-
duce noble wines.
Thanks to modern win-
emaking techniques that
respect the fruit’s inherent
qualities, many of the great
traditional Spanish varieties,
such as Albariño, Mosca-
tel, Listán or
Pedro Ximénez, to name just a few,
have recovered their prestige. Over
the years, other great international
varieties, such as distinguished
and widely traveled Merlot and
Cabernet-Sauvignon or the exten-
sively cultivated Chardonnay, have
joined these native varieties.
The blend of Spanish grapes with
foreign varieties has given rise to
the long list shown on the grape
variety search engine. This list
includes all the varieties with pro-
duction areas of 6,000 hectares
or more and those which, although
less extensive, are outstanding for
their quality or a particular rel-
evance to the wines made where
they are grown
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MAGAZINE - MARCH 2012