Spain: Wine Law and Regulations

Question 1

Spain: Wine Law

Answer 1

PDO /PGI system as per EU ( 1986)

**DO and DOCa/DOQ :
**
-PDO wines
-70DOs in Spain - vast majority
Only 2 DOCa - Priorat and Rioja
Denominacion de Origen Calificada **
**must be established for ten years, all wines must be bottled at the producers property and quality is assessed by a external panel who aslo audit restrictions and regualtions

VP - Vino de Pago - small single estates with high reputations . Majority in Castilla La Mancha , Navarra and Valencia
Only use their own grapes , vinified, matured on their estate. PDO category and not confused with Grandes Pagos de Espana ( assoc. of prestigious estates )

VT - Vino de la Tierra - PGI wines . 40 VT’s - largest in Castilla

Vino - no GI

All regualted by Consejo Regulador - includes max. yields, permitted grapes, vineyard practic eg. irrigation, and winemaking ( min,.ageing regs)
Also, packaging and bottleing
eg.La Mancha can ship in bulk whereas DOCa Prioirat and Rioja must bottle in the region

Question 2

Spain: Wine Business

Answer 2

• tiny landholdings
  -co-ops buy in fruit , some negociantes
  -Small estates produce small volume

-Largest business for unfortified wines is J. Garcia Carrion, Pernod Ricard Groupe , Miguel Torres

• Domestic consumption is low , trend is toward higher quality , prem priced wines with DO status
• Exports - largest exported of wine / bulk wine in terms of volume - 23 mill HL but not =by value - this is low
  Top France, Germany and USA ( by value)

-bulk 56% of exports

-handful of super prem wines still sell for lower price than Italy and France as its not fashionable in the investment market

Promoted by the Food and Wines from Spain organisation- increase awareness for the diversity and quality of Spain through info, education and promo
Individual DO’s will have theri own Consejos that play a role in the marketing of wine