Though French wines are famous the world over, it is Spain which has the honour of having the largest percentage of land devoted to making wine. It stands to follow that the country produces a vast array of wines. Spanish red wines are very popular and it is eminently possible to buy wine online as well.

Spanish red wine is known for its subtle flavours and you can easily develop a taste for the different wines. There are different kinds of Spanish wines available, and you should be able to differentiate between table wines and the higher quality ones.

Among the popular Spanish red wines that you may want to try are:

Tempranillo is a very favoured and popular red wine. It has a robust flavour and a deep red colour and goes with red meats and strongly flavoured foods. The best part about this wine is that it really does not need to be aged and can be drunk as soon as it is made. The most famous is the Rioja which has been aged in American oak, giving it a vanilla flavour.

Garnacha is another popular Spanish red wine, full-bodied, not too dry, but sweet and fruity and easier on the palate. One thing to remember about this wine is that it has higher alcohol content than others.

Malaga is another sweet wine, which goes very well with the sweet course.

Decoding the label

If you are going to buy wine online, you should have some idea of how to read the label on the wine bottle. There are different classifications in Spanish wine. If the wine is labelled with DOCa, Denominacion de Origen Calificada, it is the highest quality of Spanish wine. The next best is the DO, Denominacion de Origen. The cheaper table wines carry the VdIT (Vino de la tierra), VC (Vino comarcal) and VdM (Vino de mesa) classifications. These vines do not meet the stricter regulations of the quality ones, though may be good.

For the connoisseur, the bodega or vineyard will give another indication of the quality of the wine. When you read the name of the village the grapes are grown in, it will give point you to the variety of grapes used. The vintage of the wine will be known by the names – Gran Reserva means that the wine has been aged for at least five years, Reserva for three years and Crianza for two years.

When you buy Spanish red wine and particularly buy wine online, you will be pleasantly surprised by the price of the wines. And once you acquire a taste for Spanish red wines, you will be amazed at their fruity and mellow flavours.