The Problem with Spanish Wine

[@jamesblick3603]

🙋🏼‍♂️Do you agree with me about Spanish wine? Or should I just shut up and pour myself another glass?

[@mdesignmarc]

Hi James. I broadly agree with you but would say that the big Al Campo supermarkets have a really impressive wine selection from lots of regions across Spain. We visit the one in Murcia and you can spend quite some time browsing in there! Keep up the great channel. Thanks

[@kokorospirit5006]

Good points across. It looks like most of wine drinkers stick to wine bottles of less than 8-10 Euros unlike other countries (i.e. France, etc...)

[@welshtoro3256]

I left a comment James, but I think you pretty much nailed it.

[@stroopwafel6141]

I agree. It's a bit odd that Spain has so many star-restaurants, especially in the north, but the average knowledge in restaurants in this very gastronomic country is relatively low. It's even more odd because Spain produces so many gastronomic wines.

[@lunglunghu]

Dear James, thanks for your interesting and informative videos, I have watched a lot videos of yours and done some research on Spanish wines like Priorat and Penedes. My wife and I will go to Barcelona in January, if it's not too trouble, could you please give me some tips about wine ordering in tapas bars, really appreciate.

[@MattUK36]

I agree completely. Spanish wine is really outstanding and absurdly overlooked by the general public when compared to French or Italian wines. Both Italy and France have great wines as well, but Spain has nothing to envy those two countries when it comes to quality. PS: It's a pity you forgot the Canary Islands in your map, they do produce really unique and interesting wines in those gorgeous islands.

[@Emy53]

Oh yes, I totally agree. I was in Tenerife in late September 2019, and I had many good wines. I let the staff select for me, and was never disappointed. I drank wine every day, at least 4 times a day.

[@MattUK36]

@@Emy53 exactly, although Gran Canaria is the place to visit, it's hands down the best of the Canaries

[@aftp6646]

In many European countries Spanish wine is widely available and very popular. Just look at places live Vivino. 3 decades people would only know Rioja. But people nowadays can distinguish their regions and varieties.

[@kippsguitar6539]

It's absurdly overrated

[@Alusnovalotus]

Maybe they should’ve contributed to either world war and gotten America’s attention…….

[@alynnewenglnd]

❤️❤️❤️ Spanish wine. I foolishly used to believe that only French & Italian wines were any good. Then I tried Spanish Rioja at free wine tasting. I was hooked immediately. Also, obviously - I do not know much about wine so I look for the word “Reserve” 🍷 and those have not let me down so far. Thank you for another great video, James 👍🏼

[@spainrevealed]

Reserva can be a good guide! But sometimes a young wine is great, and white quality too. So much to learn!

[@kippsguitar6539]

Spanish wines are generally cheap but crap and vastly overrated as is the food

[@reboo0038]

@@kippsguitar6539 ¿no puede pensar por un momento que es usted el equivocado? No entiendo la necesidad de ser tan ofensivo,, envidia quizás.

[@rlkinnard]

what about American wine? I like drinking our wine.

[@mayitozubieta3185]

@@kippsguitar6539 Educate us on the good wine and food. Is it McDonald's and Gallo wine?

[@steveandyoung]

Also, when Phyloxera first hit France, the French came over to Rioja and started teaching the local Spanish winemakers how to make Bordeaux-style reds. After that, many Spanish wines took a huge leap forward in quality, but to this day, they are not recognized for the quality they provide at the incredibly low prices.

[@reidelnord]

Well Said, you are correct!

[@spainrevealed]

Totally agree

[@marekck]

Como no los franceses detras de todo en el mundo... Vinieron ellos a enseñarnos... Cuando siglos antes de conocer el vino ellos ya se tomaba en España, de hecho los romanos llevaban de España precisamente vinos y mostos, pero para que leer historia verdad?

[@steveandyoung]

@@marekck Yes, but before the French, Spanish wines were strong and too woody. The French taught them how to make wine in a Bordeaux style, and actually bottled Rioja wines that year in the Bordeaux bottles, pretending they were Bordeauxs. Still, I like Spanish wines better than French wines.

[@EdM796]

They invaded us and we beat the sh*t out of those french and Napoleon. We don't have anything to thank them (I'm kidding. Making jokes about french people is pretty common in some Spanish regions). Do you know why France had so many civil wars in the past? Because they wanted to know how does it feel to win one. (Sorry, I can't help it).

[@maximrabal825]

La única diferencia que hay entre Italia y Francia es que nosotros no sabemos vender nuestros vinos al extranjero como lo hacen ellos. :D

[@alexandreleveille1407]

Compramos muchos vinos españoles in los Estados Unidos. Hay cada vez más importado aquí.

[@kippsguitar6539]

Their wines are also superior

[@enjutomojamuto]

@@kippsguitar6539 No

[@DiegoLopez-np7bz]

@@kippsguitar6539 don't you get bored? You are posting salty ass comments all over the comment section 😂

[@jackklarfeld7726]

Estoy de acuerdo. Echo de menos muchísimo los vinos de España que no está disponible en mi zona de EE.UU, Colorado. Es imposible encontrar los licores excelentes de España aquí.

[@catherinemori4496]

Where I live (BC, Canada), when I buy wine, it’s usually Spanish! It’s so ridiculously good AND much cheaper than anything else, especially our local overpriced wines. And our liquor is taxed at 115%, at least. And I love sherries!

[@kippsguitar6539]

Spanish wines are generally poor but cheap and massively overrated

[@rajo741]

@@kippsguitar6539 thanks for that. Wouldn’t have known how to view Spanish wine without this insight.

[@morten6669]

@@kippsguitar6539 someone got fooled at a "Spanish restaurant". Not our fault.

[@EdM796]

I was reading the comments and beginning to feel sad thinking 'nobody says anything about the great, different wines from my land, Jerez'. Thank you!

[@pedroruizgutierrez68]

As captado perfectamente la cultura del vino en España. Yo vivo en Barcelona y tengo una bodega compartida con mi hermano con más de 350 botellas, me encanta el vino y hemos ido adquiriendo esta colección con los años, aprendiendo y probando. Veo los mismos “defectos” que tu apuntas sobre el conocimiento de bares y restaurantes, precio, etc en este país. Muy buenas recomendaciones para extranjeros 👍 no es fácil entender y encontrar buen vino para alguien de fuera.

[@meat_loves_wasabi]

One of the things I enjoyed most in Spain are their wines….had a bottle of Roda I and Artadi when visiting Barcelona after watching your older videos

[@terryhsiao1745]

I just went to the winery at Artadi and Roda at rioja :)

[@meat_loves_wasabi]

Must have been lots of fun!

[@MiguelAngel-wf3bv]

Roda es una bodega muy especial y muy superior a la media de vinos de España . No sería un ejemplo de las bodegas españolas

[@vinomafia]

Reaching out to you and letting you know that this video and your opinion on wine knowledge was spot on. My wife and I own a wine importing and distribution company in Texas and we run into the same problem. Fortunately we resolved this with the restaurants that purchase our wines. I took a course online from a Spanish school in Marbella. Upon completion of the course my knowledge of Spanish wine was extensive as well as easy to explain Spanish wines to clients and friends with out sounding snobby!!!! LOL! Great job.

[@henq]

Great story, Andrew ! Can you share the name of the Mabella school? TIA !

[@vinomafia]

@@henq Spanish Wine School. I'm not 100% if they're still in business. I'll check the website, then follow up in another message.

[@albertobarrerohernandez3442]

If you think french and italian wines are better than spanish wines you dont know about wines you know about marketing. Muchas gracias.

[@enriquedeldod7193]

Y en que se basa para hacer esa afirmación?

[@colinwilkinson4536]

I've spotted some Spanish wines found in England when in Spain and the price has been notably cheaper (e.g. Campo Viejo). Plus when ordering un menú del día, typically this includes a drink, usually water, beer or wine, and if you opt for wine, it can be the best part of a bottle! Great video, muy interesante.

[@martinryan1071]

For me, Priorato/Priorat is a great treat. I have never been disappointed with one - unlike Rioja where 100% Tempranillo/American oak versions all taste the same to me, regardless of price! 😄 Less common areas which I recommend are Somantano , Navarra and Jumilla. The range and quality really are amazing, nowadays. Not like my (Irish) student days when Spanish reds were bad and Spanish whites were worse! 😆

[@pedroviriato9356]

No recuerdo vinos rojos o blancos malos en España, de eso puede hace muchos años.

[@steviebeavie1]

Yea the American overoaking is not nice. Priorat and Montsant V good!

[@AndyByers1]

Great video, I love Spanish wines and have found that it is possible by asking the right questions to get to taste some great wines.

[@spainrevealed]

Glad you found it helpful Andy!

[@kentlee3451]

Dad went for a «wine adventure » while mom and the baby are home… yes I can relate to that!

[@yildirimakin3767]

Basque Txakoli is also amazing ✨

[@stephencarlisle3743]

Loved Txakoli , so hard to find in England

[@geoffhobster5814]

James your passion for red wine comes through on this video. We returned from living in Spain recently and our knowledge of wine is very little but we mostly drank white. We judged wine by its taste and not by the price but generally from the supermarket, and dont remember paying much above 4 euros. Miss Spain for its people for its food, and wine for its culture.

[@tomas212]

Totalmente de acuerdo, Soy español y curiosamente aprendí más sobre vino (tipos de uva) en Eeuu que aquí. Genial video!

[@marykatherinegoode2773]

¡Es un placer a oir que le gusta! Pienso que cava es una champaña deliciosa (y a los infiernos con los frances-a veces el sabor de sus vinos espumosos se parecen como el aceite de baterías. Hay "brut" y hay "me ahoga". Pero ellos no conocen la diferencia.)

[@alistaircooke7000]

Spanish wine is best

[@j.m.b5441]

I'll go with any Rioja, maybe I'm biased, since part of my family was from there!! Great video and greetings from NC!!

[@korean_foot_traveler8655]

It's interesting to listen to such a great explanation about Spanish wine. It's good information.😀👍👍

[@TimeLockLady]

Such a great video James! I learnt a lot, I think I am also one of those Spaniards who, even if I love wine, I'm really not that well instructed on it! But yeah I definitely agree with the idea of asking for local wines in small places around the country: last month I was staying at a casa rural at the South of Soria and all they had were local wines and OMG! they were honestly delicious and not your typical Duero that you find everywhere else.

[@duncansalmon5718]

We just returned from three weeks in Madrid (side trip to Toledo). Thanks for your videos! We went to La Fisna, where the young Venezuelan wine guy showed deep enthusiasm and knowledge and got us nice wines. Then in La Caja de Vinos, the lady owner took great pride in getting us good Spanish wine. In Toledo, we visited Enodifusion which had a small curated selection of wonderful inexpensive local wines. If you like them red, you can´t go wrong these days with a mencia. Whites? Close your eyes and take the nearest one. Delicious!

[@potterkelly487]

This was great,thank you! We were amazed at the low cost of wines in the supermarket, they were not great only mediocre! Now I know for the next time we travel to Spain, the behind the scenes of Spanish wines.🇨🇦❤️

[@LitoCortes]

I love this. Great video and one that will help a lot of people get a better understanding of Spanish Wine and the amount of regions out there. Totally agree with the servers needing to have a better understanding of not just the wines but the regions as well. I actually see them as a big part, in conjunction with more wine enthusiasts, of what could be the renacimiento of the Spanish wine in and out of the region. Salud!

[@vladimirl8753]

For me nothing is better than a good reserva from Rioja or Ribeira del Duero. I have some favourite wines which my Spanish friends recommended. To me Spanish wines are the best in the world. Thank you, James for covering this so nicely. Spanish beer?! No, only wine!

[@rogerwindler7409]

Muchos gracias. A not at all boring insight. Nice locations. Gave me some ideas for my upcoming trip to spain. Salud. Roger

[@jamesrenner3988]

James - great passion for the topic and you seemed quite coherent despite all the wine you were drinking. One thing you may have glossed over a bit is that house wine - or the cheap stuff - is still pretty darned good. The bodegas of old (back in the 80's) still had huge vats of wine with a spigot attached. You would bring in a container and they would fill it with wine for just a few pesetas (Before the EU). It was nothing high class - just generally good wine and was common for Tinto de Verano or a friendly pitcher of sangria. Of course you showed well that the cheap stuff is now sold in bottles for just a few euros and is widely available. What I think you were explaining was that there are layers of greatness and discovery above that of the good table wine. Well done !!

[@spainrevealed]

I agree, the cheap stuff is often pretty good.

[@kippsguitar6539]

It's cheap but the worst wine in Europe but drinkable

[@JB0712]

@@kippsguitar6539 estás metido en todas las salsas colega… Si tan poco te gusta España, vete, o dejar de ver sus vídeos, pero deja de dar la tabarra.

[@cascadiastyle]

Great video, James! My wife & I visited Madrid in August and checked out Vinoteca Vides (per the recommendation of another video of yours). Chatting with Vicente, him asking questions & recommending wines based on our answers, as well as explaining the regions via his map added so much to the experience (also great food!). One of our favorite stops in Madrid. Thank you for the awesome recommendation! - Terrill & Molly

[@andersestes]

Big thumbs up! Congrats with the family increasement! Could you please do a wine tour of the "new style" of Spanish wines? Less oak, more steel aged and so on? Also, what camera are you using? Great quality! Keep the good stuff coming, you and Yolly are fantastic people

[@arthurtraub3786]

Good video. 100% agree that the commercial wines you find at the supermarket are great value. But if spend a little more and do some research, you are well rewarded.

[@paulmarshallenergytherapym8034]

I live in Catalonia. The only problem I have found living here is that it is all delicious and ridiculously cheap 🤫👀🍷🤩

[@prajjwal1010]

I really like the excitement vibe coming out of you when you describe something in detail😄🌟❤️👌✨

[@Davidsample7761]

One other comment. I visited Spain while in college. Where ever I had a wine, including in folks homes, the wine was poured into a carafe from a keg. Most of the wines were, as you put it, rustic. I loved them and have lamented that I can’t find wines that are as tannic as those wines were.

[@Miguel-rs3sr]

Valdepeñas es la región que más vino produce en el mundo, de una calidad media/alta, que ya quisieran muchos lugares poder producir, y sin embargo una parte muy importante de la producción se vende a granel, incluso creo que se re-embotella en otros lugares (Italia) y de vende a un precio muy superior. Efectivamente no sabemos venderlo, aunque eso va cambiando poco a poco. Algo parecida pasa con otro gran producto nacional, el aceite de oliva

[@mizginavale22]

A very interesting video and I also wanted to comment on how I observe people order their wine here in Spain. Like you've mentioned, patrons will order "un vino tinto" (a red wine) and will not always specify region or ask the server anything about the quality of the wine or the type of wine notes they prefer to enjoy (fruit tones, floral notes, earthy notes, spicy notes, etc). I don't notice many people looking at labels and there is rarely a moment of pause to ascertain the quality of the wine they are enjoying. This country is sitting on a goldmine of wine production but few appear to pay attention to their riches within. When I do come across a wine that I enjoy (which is usually from the Ribera del Duero region), I will take a photo of the label and try to order it again elsewhere, but with no luck. Restaurants stock wines which differ from each other and you are not likely to have the wine you enjoyed before. It isn't always available at the supermarket either. I am not sure if wine is taken for granted here because of the higher beer consumption but I am not losing my interest in a quality wine product. Valencia (where I live) has good regional wines, several wineries within the area, and I happen to be connected to the co-owner of a bodega (Arraez Bodegas) which produce different quality wines, cava, vermouth and also craft beer. (In fact, one of their wines is displayed at the wine shop in this video at the 10:56 mark). My local tapas bar serves all these varieties and I can have something outside of the regular supermarket brand. The one thing that worried me about his video was the title. I can imagine a bunch of Spaniards getting hot under the collar at the insinuation that there is a problem with their wines and the possibility that James could end up hung on a hook like a jamón in a shop. I wonder which kind of Spanish wine pairs well with a leg of James? LOL !

[@spainrevealed]

Great points Gina! And yes, the title might be a bit provocative, but there you go!

[@chemagarau]

Wow Gina, I’d be keen to know how much you know about the Spanish language, and more importantly our culture. For someone who lives in Spain you clearly show the usual arrogance that some old school imperialists like showing around. Let me guess, are you British, voted Brexit and live in Spain because your pension doesn’t allow you to live in the UK but we should be glad to have you here to give us a masterclass about wine? Maybe this is not the case Gina, I may just be generalising and you may be just an American thickhead who voted Trump and is a declared racist. The truth may be that you are neither of them, but your comments may tell everyone otherwise. Why on earth would we make really good quality wines, cava or vermouth if there is not a local market for it (locally or abroad)? Do you actually think that we don’t know about our wines in Spain? Happy to arrange for a free class for you so you learn about wine, but first of all respect. Cheers

[@mizginavale22]

@@chemagarau It is with great apologies if I have offended you or the Spanish wine community. I am none of the things that you have assumed about me, or attempted to assume about me (which is rather amusing since you are exhibiting equal ignorance, as I have. So we are both guilty of sharing an opinion without prior understanding). I will endeavor to learn more about this topic and not only of the basis of what I've seen so far, and I encourage you to share your rebuttals in a more delicate or informative manner. You sign off with "respect" but you did not show that in your words. Instead, it would have been nice if your words shared more knowledge on the topic, without the insults. As it stands, I would like to learn more, but not via a free class from you or anything else you have to say.

[@chemagarau]

@@mizginavale22 Gina, I was trying to be sarcastic. Both you and James used cheap generalisation based on very little knowledge about the Spanish wine and culture. A friend of mine shared this with me and we were both appalled about the ignorance shown in this video and some of the comments. I would encourage you to learn our language, meet our people and try to learn the most about our culture whilst you live here. I am sure that, doing this, you will be surprised and get to improve your knowledge about fine wine and food. Cheers

[@mizginavale22]

@@chemagarau I speak Spanish, since I was born in a Latin American country (but still picking up the colloquialisms of this country), I have been learning about your culture because I didn't come here out of need, but out of love for Spain and its inhabitants. Granted, I have a lot to go in understanding the Spanish culture in real depth, since I have been here only 8 months. It is impossible to amass total knowledge of a different culture in such a short time, but I put myself out there and ask a lot of questions. I have a huge appreciation for the wine of this country and I never insulted the wine itself. As I stated in my original post, you are sitting on a goldmine here. Excellent wines all around. Being from outside the country, there are certain things that are true about James' observation and mine. It may not be in every regard, but some points were valid. I don't agree that they were cheap generalizations but certainly, I can admit that I need to understand more. I also do not agree with your method of sarcasm. It is biting and unkind. You and I could have enjoyed a more educational exchange and I could have learned from you, and maybe the same from my end to yours. I didn't like feeling defensive when it is obvious that you have a cultured side and that would have been agreeable with mine. Shame that it didn't start out that way. But I would still like to say that I love your country, the people, the food, the wine and its amazing history. I was never trying to minimize the level of wonder and amazement that Spain possesses. I do hope to learn more and I do hope that our exchange has helped you to reconsider your approach in responding to others and I can learn to phrase my observations with a disclaimer of "what little I've seen so far", so I can show that I may still have ignorance about a topic.

[@lidialondres]

Completely agree about the perception of wine for the general people until 1980's maybe. I'm from the protected area Rias Baixas, within the sub area "Rosal", wich is wine made with Albariño grape, plus Caíño, Loureiro and Treixadura grapes (frutier and less acidity than 100% Albariño). My family has been making wine at home since we have memories, the house is from 1834, so at least since then. It was Albariño wine and some sort of red wine. The red grape varieties were awful, wine would come out really strong, unbalanced and all together not good. But then, in the 80's, white wine became really popular, so people started chopping off the old plantation and planting the varieties demanded by the Winehouses. Suddenly, the home wine became better, people gathered knowledge and acquired a certain taste. My dad was a field manager in one of the biggest wineries of this region at their very beginning: Terras Gauda. When he married my mum, he slowly changed the way the wine was made at my mums home. Nowadays, more people than not, makes beautiful wine at home (we live in a very rural area) and some of them are legitimately better than the mass produced ones. We Spanish people had no pride in our products, we just made it for survival. Thankfully this is over, and slowly we are realising what a wonderful country full of great things to offer we are. The key is make the people take pride in their products and fuel their passion. Great video as always James. Dale besitos a tus chicas. ☺

[@kokorospirit5006]

No pride for own stuff, you are so right.

[@iddoia]

Seguid así! Provaré 😉

[@MrJcalvino]

Un saúdo dende o Ribeiro 👋

[@lidialondres]

@@MrJcalvino saudos dende o Baixo Miño 🤗

[@rafaelh2504]

Nice! Thank you very much for recommending the wine places in Madrid. Will definitely check them out. Saludos desde 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico!

[@juliasola9197]

Hi James! I recently discovered your channel, like within the last week, and I'm loving all your videos! (Missing Yoly in this one ;) but it was very interesting and informative!) I studied abroad in Madrid in college, and these videos make me miss it so much. I gotta go back soon! I'm an Editor, and just wanted to give you a little suggestion to make your sound a bit smoother. I'm not sure what program you use to edit the videos, but if you put even just a 2 frame fade centered between the audio cut (1 frame on each side of the cut), you can smooth out the clicks that sometimes happen when the audio stops and starts at different levels. And it doesn't have to be on every single cut, but just the ones that you can hear that audio click. It is a bit tedious, but if you add the fades as you go along, hopefully it won't feel so daunting. Or you could edit your video as normal, and then at the end, watch and listen all the way through to find those clicks and add the fades. Whichever way works best for you! Again, really loving these videos and I definitely hit that subscribe button! :D

[@spainrevealed]

Thank you for those tips Julia!

[@Outspoken.Humanist]

A great video. Fascinating information, your usual passion and it seems like you have changed editing style? The transitions seemed different. A quick story about cheap wine. About 40ish years ago I was in Mallorca. My friends and I got really warm walking the Cathedral gardens in the afternoon sun and we went looking for bottled water. We found a shop selling sparkling wine that was cheaper than the water! No contest. But, in hindsight, not the best idea 😁 Hey, you're only young once right? Thanks James. See you next time.

[@spainrevealed]

Haha how medieval of you -- -back when wine was safer than water! I'm glad you liked it Paul!

[@JL-nr3yu]

Wow, James. You got some new equipment! The quality is amazing! Also, great content :)

[@spainrevealed]

Yes! I’m glad you noticed!!

[@Sr.D]

Well I'm biased as I'm Spanish, but nothing beats a Rioja or Ribera...and about price, well usually a 5€ bottle already granted a great wine in any market

[@reidelnord]

Rioja or Ribera you can not go wrong! Also Vino de la casa!

[@Emy53]

@@reidelnord thank you, I agree.

[@kippsguitar6539]

Almost everything in Europe beats Spanish wine, yes biased

[@paulbenham7325]

Pre Covid we'd drive around a different region of Spain every year and always try to visit a winery in the region. The variety of wine and wineries from traditional to space age is incredible. I order most of my wine online from Vinissimus or Decantalo. Post Brexit the prices have increased to match UK prices (with Vat and duty included) but the variety still makes it worthwhile to me. You're lucky if you find one bottle of Mencia ( my red of the moment) on the shelf here. In Spain I've found that bars vary in what they offer. A small town bar is not going to offer a huge selection anymore than a village pub in England. But you do get surprises especially in wine regions. Even in Oviedo, cider central, I walked into a bar and asked for a generic tinto, only for the barman to point at a blackboard behind me with 50 odd wines by the glass. Rioja is great, old and new, but there is so much more. Try Treixadura from a porcelain bowl in Galicia.

[@oscardomingo1695]

Being Spaniard, and Basque, Basque white wine is the best!!! A bit bubbly and tasty!

[@maddys3955]

Hello from Florida 👋🏻 please do another wine tasting! I just discovered your channel and I’m beginning my journey to learn about wine. I work at a local wine store and need more education. My favorite wine countries are Spain and Portugal so far

[@aleposi]

Totalmente de acuerdo contigo. Es una pena, la cantidad de vinos buenos buenos que hay en todas españa, y lo que llega a los bares solo es el Rioja o el Ribera “de turno”. Hay que ir a bares especializados, y como has dicho, en la mayoría de los casos, si compras una botella, gastarte un poquito más para poder probar un buen vino. Si no lo conoces…ve a taberna averías, gran selección! Un saludo, y me alegro mucho que te guste tanto españa y estés disfrutando de ella!

[@spainrevealed]

Gracias!

[@leerage9278]

The best wine is a wine you enjoy. Simples

[@Emy53]

When I was in southern Spain during mid September and mid October 2019, I never ordered wine by any name or region. Whenever I ordered a meal, I let the cook or wait staff select a brand for me. I ate a lot of beef and fish during my visit. I have to say that I did not have a problem with whatever wine I was served. The only selection I ever made was to say Reoja, and I was NEVER disappointed. I never knew the name or region. The fancier restaurant probably carried better wines, but honestly, I never knew the difference. I will visit a winery next visit. The price was never an issue so I drank whatever I was served. I truly loved every sip. I still drink many wines from Spain or Portugal.

[@kippsguitar6539]

Rioja is massively overrated

[@itziaralonso5860]

Yep, you can order a vino de la casa in any restaurant you go to and you will be fine, no need to spend a lot of money to enjoy a glass of wine.

[@johngayley9373]

James, I keep coming back to this in anticipation of our upcoming trip...thanks for everything. QUESTION: what is the technical name for the madrid wine growing district? I know they grow a lot of Garnacha there, which is great, but knowing the region's actual name may facilitate our finding the wines when there...cheers

[@alexandreleveille1407]

Great video! We did a winery tour through Rioja (using some suggestions from a Madrileña who now owns a Spanish restaurant in Houston, TX) and definitely found a different attitude about asking for wine in a restaurant. I wish I'd had your suggestions for Madrid wine bars during our last visit-Noting them down for the future. We generally fall into the habit in many cities, for a quick tapas stop, of just asking for vino blanco seco or other description which has so far given fairly good results-I try asking for an Albariño, but sometimes the server will recommend something similar if they don't have one. I did notice when we were in Valencia that there was a focus on featuring regions wines and the wine lists (or chalkboard) might be broken down into a few types and Valencianan wine.

[@hochifeen]

Great video! My old flat here in Madrid was literally two minutes away from Casa González, around the corner on Lope de Vega... I have passed it so many times, it looked interesting but, to my shame, I've never been. I'm going to make a point of going there this week!

[@volodymyrcuza9994]

Hi James, thanks a lot for the very helpful video!

[@spainrevealed]

Glad to help you drink better Volodymyr!

[@englishwithmsjulia]

Great Video!!! I am originally from South Africa - best country for wine! However, having lived in Spain for almost three years now, I have explored and enjoyed the very BEST wine here!

[@marcofigueroa9296]

Thanks for the insight! Well spoken, informative and educational

[@politicabritanicaynorteame9266]

Admirable lo bien que pronuncias la letra J, increíble. Enhorabuena!

[@joychia-yuchang2514]

James I went to Vinoteca Vides this weekend and absolutely LOOOVE it! :) Can you recommend more bars like this in Madrid?! Thank you~

[@RafaWillisch]

I just found your video in KZbin. Excellent advice on Spanish wines!!

[@iddoia]

Soy de Navarra, totalmente de acuerdo con lo que dices! Muy interesante. Me ha encando "we're producing" 😄 A tener en cuenta el tipo de uva (o combinación), cambia mucho el sabor! Creo que la evolucion del vino ha sido más rápida que la de los consumidores. Mucha gente de 70 años ha conocido hacer su propio vino en el pueblo, quizá por eso no se le ha dado valor y no se demanda que los camareros sepan del tema. Para mi en tintos, lo más "seguro" relación calidad precio es pedir un crianza. Mejor si es la marca que más se sirve en el bar porque las botellas que quedan abiertas días pierden calidad, para mi gusto. Cada vez me gusta más el vino joven, pero hoy en día es normal que te pongan un vino de batalla (incluso ni del año que debería ser) y resulte mejor en kalimotxo 😅 Creo que también es habitual lo que los bares normales tengan los vinos que les da su proveedor de bebidas, que ya llevan el pack de ciertas marcas digamos. Sin mas complicaciones... Recomiendo los Rosados de Navarra 😉. Lo siento, me he extendido montón. Gracias por vuestros vídeos y enhorabuena por vuestra hija (me entero hoy 😬)

[@spainrevealed]

Totalmente de acuerdo!

[@bowiefb]

I am having a lot of fun here learning!! (thanks!)

[@josevilabella]

Great review James, I fully agree with your views. Everything comes down to educating yourself, and palate is just the same. It applies to all acquired tastes, be it mustard, cheese or wine. Find what you like, and take it from there. My favourite Spanish wine, Venta La Ossa, from Castilla La Mancha. A gem at 12 eur the bottle. Get it before Parker discovers it!

[@carlosmspedrosapedrosa9490]

You must do a vídeo about Portuguese wine, because they are very, very good and have a lot of variety. Superb quality wines.

[@raulalbertopilling-riefkoh7194]

We just returned from Spain. While in Cáceres, we drank Habla del Silencio and Palacio Quemado. Outstanding!! We now need to find a store in Phoenix that carries better Spanish wines.

[@ginangan8892]

I don’t drink but appreciate your sharing and good knowledge,thanks

[@mangstadt1]

Many bars cater to what is fashionable, and for several years running it's been Ribera del Duero for red wines and Rueda for white wines. At least that's what I notice around where I live, a small town in the south of Madrid bordering Toledo. I generally buy wine at the supermarket. I make it a point to try wines from different wine-producing regions. For around 5 euros or less you can get wine from different regions such as Toro, Bierzo, Jumilla, Cariñena, Campo de Borja, various regions in Catalonia, Navarra, Somontano (I often remark that Rioja, Navarra and Somontano could be considered the "Ribera del Ebro"), Valdepeñas, Utiel, Madrid.... In white wines there is also plenty to choose from, especially in Galicia and of course Rueda. My sister once brought me an excellent white wine from Lanzarote, in the Canary Islands. One thing I must recommend is NOT to eat olives with your wine. They can kill the taste of the wine. Cheese and embutido (cold cuts) go well with wine, but with olives it's best to stick to beer. The most expensive wine I've ever tried is Valbuena 5.º Año, from the same producers as Vega Sicilia. I don't remember it distinctly but the company was good--that's the most important thing to make wine taste better, the people you share it with.

[@TamzinVokes]

It's great to seeing you be honest about wine here and not wax lyrical about a particular region! Many years ago I visited Laguardia in Rioja. I chose a bodega in the town at random for a wine tasting and ended up being the only person. Had a personalized lesson in how to taste wine before sampling and getting to visit the production area. One of only two that still makes wine within the old town and uses donkeys to transport the grapes up the narrow streets. The wine was pretty good too. Now I live in rural Catalonia and I can guarantee the bars serve local vino tintos but it's usually served straight from the fridge. However this can often be a blessing as it tends to taste better colder.

[@richardherrett5432]

Good video on one of your favourite topics! Whilst I agree mainly with your view on supermarket wine, I would just add that when we are new to an area, a quick introduction to it’s wines can be achieved by visiting a large Carrefour. They make a point of promoting local wines and foodstuffs in their hypermarkets, in addition to going down the major brand route. It gives you a quick snapshot of the local products that you can investigate further through wine stores. Salud. Richard.

[@spainrevealed]

Good point Richard - some supermarkets do a better job than others.

[@euroschmau]

I have to thank you for the various suggestions I learned from your previous videos for when I was in Madrid back in September, particularly Cava Baja, which I was able to navigate with ease!

[@Davidsample7761]

i just returned from Madrid and Seville. I found it refreshing to walk into a bar and request a Vino Tinto and be offered only two choices, Rioja or Ribera. The number of choices here in the states is overwhelming and seldom do any of them offer a revelation.

[@aaronrochard4594]

I feel that Spain has that problem with cheese too. Very little of the stuff you see around town is the real D.O. good stuff. I started ordering my "Maese Miguel" Manchego Gran Reserva straight from Rocinante in Ciudad Real and they deliver it to wherever we're staying. Ahorramas used to carry it, but no longer. It's really good stuff and costs about 5x the price here in Toronto.

[@juanma4598]

Thanks for sharing. I love the content of your channel very informative.

[@Fran-tx9fi]

Very good video. I totally agree with what you have exposed. Could you please make a video about the Airen variety from Castilla la Mancha?

[@mayitozubieta3185]

Start with wine from La Rioja. That's Spains Napa Valley. From there when you find a good tasting wine that does not make you feel rough after 2 to 3 wine glasses, thats a good one.

[@lencarter1460]

Agree! I LOVE Spanish wines

[@anthonywells3088]

My wife and I have traveled all over the world and have to been to all the major wine producing countries and we both agree Spain is the best. Also, the best wine bar in the world we've been to is Vinoteca Vides! It is our home when we are in Madrid. We were just there last month on our last trip and the knowledge, service and the wine is the best! Great customer service on top of that as well! Totally agree with your statement of paying a little bit more to explore the different regions and at Vinoteca Vides you can do that. Cheers!

[@spainrevealed]

It's an awesome wine bar!

[@kippsguitar6539]

You must be joking, you can't compare Spanish wine to French and Italian or even Croatian, travel more

[@anthonywells3088]

@@kippsguitar6539 you don't know me, so how can you tell me to travel more? But I'll leave it to the trolls ( such as yourself) to make stupid comments such as yours. Now let me see where my wife and I have gone to sample wine outside of the USA. Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, France, Spain and Italy. We don't just hit one area in each country we travel to several of the wine regions in each country. Also, great choice in picking the wine country of the month that is Croatia; I'm sure there is great wine from there, but they don't have that many different varieties of wine. Plus, I think you missed the meaning of this video. Spain has such a diverse variety of wines, that it's worth exploring the many different ones outside of the big two.

[@Katiediddance]

I don't know if you can still do this or if they still exist but when I was in Spain (2001) I found amazing wine in the Venda Mayor, one of the very best for me was in Bilbao, very out of the way. All of the venda mayors are generally out of the way but worth it.

[@barbara3977]

Funny 4 years ago I went to Spain with my daughter and we went to Casa Gonzalez for cheese and wine and now os the first place you go 😀👍

[@spainrevealed]

Awesome!!!

[@danielhoffheins2068]

Vino y Compania in Plaza de Olavide. Fantastic selection and wonderful tastings.

[@henrysteppel2031]

The problem is that there is NO problem with Spanish wines, it's marketing great quality, which Spanish wines have, period! Thanks for this video!!

[@andrespazos1208]

Visited Vides during my last trip to Spain thanks to James recommendation. Best wine bar I have been to. Drank so many amazing wines from less known regions of Spain.

[@davesaunders7080]

Very informative and I like your price point as the transition from the supermarket wine to the higher quality lower production wines. As a tourist I would not know that.

[@MiguelAngel-wf3bv]

Estoy muy de acuerdo. Cualquier vino español a partir de 20 €es un super vino

[@JoseASoto-bp4wi]

In September I visited and toured two really amazing wineries en La Mancha

[@thisiswilson]

I went to La Fisna my first night of my year in Spain, loved it there.

[@spainrevealed]

A great way to kick off a year in Spain!

[@Iacobeavs3535]

Planning a trip next year to Madrid to visit family and sightee with my boyfriend. He is addicted to sherry, so we're planning on spending a day in Jerez de La Frontera and taking the in depth Lustau tour. Any viñedas you might recommend in Castilla would be welcome. Cooking tours also!

[@chuckduzzie8529]

What an outstanding video on Spain and Wine. Tourism to Spain has to increase after this gets around.

[@peteraleksandrovich5923]

This is true of wine production everywhere.

[@michaelward5729]

Fantastic video. Answered all my questions!

[@spainrevealed]

Excellent!

[@jamesmattoon9479]

Spanish wine can be the absolute best, at a price ! The best wine i have ever had was a Marques De Murietta Gran Reserva Especial 2011 , Rioja : as close to perfect as is possible :- Spoil yourself some time !

[@wateryteat5837]

My girlfriend and I were in Cadiz a few months ago,.. we bought a bottle of wine for 1.5 euros,..... Best wine I've had 🤣🤣

[@caracas787]

I was lucky in that when I came to live in Spain I had a wonderful teacher whenever we went for lunch or dinner and lots of tapas we were given a menu and wine list but he never opened it he would just talk to the waiter and the food and wine would appear and it was always outstanding.One night I can remember the owner of a particular restaurant in Pozuelo bringing us a magnum of Vega Sicilian 1968 it was to die for. I agree with you that places like Mercadona don,t have a great selection but there are others that do but really there are plenty of very good wine shops all over Spain. Perhaps I have been lucky but even in bars I have found waiters to be very knowledgeable.

[@steveee2511]

i lived in Madrid 15 years and loved drinking Riojas,Ribera del Duero and Rueda DO whites now i live in Switzerland and moved to drinking italian reds and australian whites.

[@skiptheline-barcelona1728]

I do agree with your explanation, confident about the near future, I'm starting to realize that waiters are getting better at recommending wines, and small producers are part of this change, more direct contact with the wine stores and restaurants and it does change how they sell the wine and wich wines do they sell. The wines from Terra Alta are getting their market expanded now in Catalunya. Thank you for using "we" when you speak about Spain at the beginning of the explanation.

[@Key_M4ker]

"You can't get a really good wine under 5 euros" - Laughs in Chilean but sobs because I just moved to Madrid. Great video!

[@josealigera3234]

Si quieres probar vinos diferentes, tienes que ir a la zona de Zamora, una gran desconocida.

[@miguelferrer9496]

1 liter artisan popular wine from the celler 2 € aceptible quality , one Rioja Haro grand reserve 35 to 50 € , Vega Sicilia Castillian-Rioja wine grand resv. 500€ , there are alot of possibilities , but the quality is allways outstanding, superb , marvillows...

[@RobertHuffaker]

Omg I was just at Vides this weekend, pretty great spot!

[@matthewanthony9808]

It is certainly true in my experience that the locals don't drink local wine and there's a strong emphasis on Rioja throughout Spain. In Andalusia there are so may great wines to discover that aren't sold in any supermarkets and the only way to find them is to go to smaller wine bars and shops. Found one of my favourite wines so far this year in Malaga!

[@carlosperezleiro4375]

James, tienes razón en muchas cosas que dices, pero en otras yerras, porque en España hay tal variedad de vinos que es imposible hacer una clasificación o una sistematización a menos que escribas una enciclopedia. Es cierto que los españoles no valoramos nuestros vinos como se merecen, tan cierto como que los franceses se tiran el moco y le echan mucho cuento. Prefiero quedarme con el estilo español antes que andar haciendo el gili a la francesa. Al fin y al cabo, salvo escasas excepciones, un vino es un vino y no es cuestión de ir de "enterao", hacer el ridículo y montar el numerito. Es para beber a gusto y punto. Te recomiendo la lectura de la obra de Pierre Casamayor, un francés catedrático de enología, reconocido mundialmente como uno de los mayores expertos, además honesto y sincero. Una de las cosas que dice este hombre es que no mires nunca el precio ni la etiqueta, puedes comprar, especialmente en España, vinos por uno o dos euros que dan mil vueltas a los mejores vinos franceses o de donde quieras. También dice que si quieres beber un buen vino francés compres los que yo llamo afrancesados, es decir, de Australia, Sudáfrica, Chile, Argentina, California... Plantaron las mejores cepas francesas en tierras más adecuadas, porque en realidad Francia no es tierra de vinos salvo en el Sur, de ahí que anden siempre mirando la milésima. Te cuento un secreto: cuando vayas por tierras vinícolas para en cualquier bodega o bar, no importa si es de mala muerte, o en los restaurantes de carretera donde haya estacionados muchos camiones, y pide siempre el vino de la casa o de la tierra. Normalmente es un vino excelente de cosecha propia o de algún vecino. Lo mismo si vas a un supermercado, busca las marcas de vino locales, vas a encontrar vinos superiores por un precio ridículo. Esto se debe a que estos cosecheros producen poco vino o no tienen infraestructura para meterse en los circuitos comerciales, así que venden su vino localmente a un precio para ellos más interesante que no vendido a granel a una cooperativa o a un mayorista. Otra cosa: si hay una región que produce unos vinos superiores, esa es Andalucía. No entiendo que se omita muchas veces. Los mejores vinos del mundo con diferencia. Y allí la gente sí que entiende. Vaya si entiende. Te recomiendo un buen peregrinaje por bodegas y bodegones andaluces, eso merece ser patrimonio de la humanidad, no sólo por los vinos que tienen, sino por los locales. Para flipar en colores. Y lo dicho, cuando veas un vino en cualquier parte del mundo semejante a un jerez, dulce o seco, a un málaga, etc. hablamos. En cuanto a que los camareros no entienden de vinos, me dejas sorprendido. Será en Madrid, y dudo que en todas partes. Lo cierto es que es muy difícil ser un experto en un país eminentemente vinícola como España, donde hay tantos vinos que sólo un verdadero especialista puede abarcar tanta materia. Si me hablas de un bar, cafetería o restaurante de batalla es comprensible que sepan poco, pero en cualquier otro lugar normalmente cualquier camarero suele estar bien puesto en la materia, cuando menos en los vinos de la tierra. Por lo demás, agradecer el trato que nos dispensas. Un saludo.

[@carlosperezleiro4375]

@@galis86 Respeto tu opinión, deberías respetatr la de los demás. Vivo en Bélgica, llevo más de 20 años en el extranjero, he probado vinos de casi todo el mundo, me falta de Líbano y quizá alguno más, en tiempos me recorrí toda España, leí más de una docena de libros de los mejores enólogos y expertos, y otros que pasan por tal y que no lo son. No me tengo por experto en vinos, pero he probado lo que yo llamo vinos " de verdad ", entre los que no se encuentran desde luego los chateau Lafite Rothschild, Saint Emilion y otros, que dejan mucho que desear. En cuanto a los vinos franceses te cuento lo que oí en la televisión francesa varias veces por boca de las autoridades francesas más autorizadas en materia enológica, la última vez del presidente, director general o como se diga, que ya no recuerdo, del ente público, quien muy diplomáticamente decía literalmente de los vinos franceses que la relación calidad-precio no era competitiva, salvando únicamente a los vinos de Burdeos. Es decir, que los vinos franceses son caros y, consecuentemente, malos en relación a su precio. Si lo dicen por algo será. Y repito lo que dice Pierre Casamayor y otros expertos en el tema, si quieres un buen vino francés compra de los que yo llamo "afrancesados", es decir, de Australia, Sudáfrica, Chile, Argentina, California, España, etc., que están plantados en terrenos ideales, tienen un régimen de sol y lluvias idóneos, y son mejores que los franceses con diferencia, y muchos más caros que éstos por su indudable calidad superior. Sabías que todos los grandes cosecheros franceses tienen kilómetros de viñedos en España para mezclar con los suyos y subir la famosa milésima ? Por cierto, sabes lo que es la milésima ? Me da la impresión de que quien no tiene mucha idea de vinos eres tú, que sigues la procesión y repites lo que te han repetido hasta la saciedad. Yo me pateé toda España, no he visto en toda Europa Bodegas - lo digo así con mayúsculas - como las que hay sobre todo en Andalucía, pero también en otras regiones. Que en España no entendemos de vino ? Según quien y dónde. Cierto, en cualquier bar, cafetería o restaurante normal no va a ser fácil que encuentres un experto, como no lo ves tampoco en Francia, Bélgica, Alemania o Italia, no digo en Gran Bretaña que están muy pez en cuestiones enológicas, por decir que saben algo. Y sigo diciendo que en España - y en Portugal, no nos olvidemos - tenemos vinos tan buenos y mil veces mejores que los franceses e italianos. LO cual NO quiere decir que éstos sean malos. Hay de todo como en botica. Pero ni todos los franceses son buenos ni todos los buenos son franceses. Hay mucho que patear, mucho que degustar. Yo no me tengo por nada, pero he probado CIENTOS de vinos. De momento francés sólo le dí un notable a uno. Y suspenso a muchos. Prefiero desde luego los italianos, comparativamente mucho mejor que los franceses. Pero he probado vinos griegos, búlgaros, marroquíes, afrancesados como te he dicho, licores y demás, sin ánimo de dar lecciones, muy lejos de ellos, creo tener referencias más que suficientes para opinar, y lo francés deja mucho que desear, que le vamos a hacer. Tal vez deberías tú abrir la mente y eliminar prejuicios, formarte un poco más y probar muchos vinos. Lo digo con humildad.

[@carlosperezleiro4375]

​@@galis86 Veo que en comprensión lectora dejas mucho que desear, así que te lo diré con refranes, por aquello de que la sabiduría popular es infalible y comprensible a todas las mentes, salvo a las pedantes, resabiadas, eruditas, etc. Así que comenzaré con aquello de "dime de qué presumes y te diré de qué careces" y terminaré - de momento - con lo de "cree el ladrón que son todos de su profesión". Digo esto por la alusión que haces en primera instancia a la "humildad" , que cito en humilde respuesta a tu comentario y que tomas por afrenta, tú sabrás por qué. El que se pica ajos mastica. Repito : no voy de nada ni sé de nada en cuestriones enológicas, pero me he leído a unos cuantos expertos, traté con otros tantos, he asistido a muchos certámenes, probado cientos de vinos, también tuve o dirigí bares, restaurantes, cafeterías, etc. Y, repito, no voy de nada, al contrario que tú, que alegas titulitis para demostrar tu sapiencia sin conciencia demostrable ni demostrada. Voy a obviar todos tus comentarios, mantengo lo dicho en los míos, lee y relee por si no has comprendido bien lo que dije, y como entonces me dejé en el tintero unas cuantas cosillas me conformaré con un par de comentarios: 1 - Dices: "Un vino de 1 o 2 euros igual de bueno que uno de los mejores franceses o italianos? Por favor, no me hagas reír. Como dice James, para tener buenos vinos en España tienes que gastarte más de 15 euros..." Respondo: Soy gallego. Cada vez que voy a mi tierra compro tres o cuatro cajas de vinos, todos ellos premiados en certámenes nacionales e internacionales, o con puntuación superior a 90 puntos. De los premiados, sólo los gallegos suman más que todos los franceses e italianos juntos que encuentro en los estantes de los supermercados belgas, alemanes, holandeses, etc. De los supermercados franceses no hablo porque normalmente sólo encuentras vinos franceses. De estos vinos que compro pocos superan los diez euros. Ya me explicarás. 2 - Mi vino de mesa habitual es un Gran Reserva premiado con medalla de oro en tres certámenes internacionales, así que es de suponer será uno de los mejores vinos del mundo o tan bueno como cualquiera de ellos. Su precio de mercado es 13€, pero los del super se equivocaron o no se creen que un vino español pueda tener ese precio, así que lo tienen a 3,99€. Por eso lo compro, aunque hay otro Gran Reserva de Cariñena, sin medallas ni gaitas, que me gusta más. Cosas que pasan. Por aquello de no fijarse tanto en los premios, etiquetas y precios, y degustar los vinos, que es de lo que se trata. Resulta que un día encuentro el medalla de plata premiado en uno de los mismos certámenes que este vino español de 13€. Cuál debería ser el precio del medalla de plata ? Menos de 13€ ? Pues está a 18€. Es francés. Mutatis mutandis, si el francés medalla de plata cuesta 18€, cuánto debería costar el medalla de oro, sea o no francés ? Espero que tu ilustre prosapia resuelva satisfactoriamente mis dudas dogmáticas. Si ya no humilde, al menos atentamente.

[@carlosperezleiro4375]

@@galis86 Ya sabía yo. Me salió el españolisto de turno. Son como el perro de Pavlov, siempre responden al estímulo. Pues lo mismo digo. Bueno, sí. Dónde los compras tú, eminencia. Y bajo qué criterios ?

[@mangstadt1]

At around 8.50-8.55 you're standing in front of a small box that says Viña Pomal. I have a soft spot for that wine. When we lived back in Navarra, in the second half of the 70s (I arrived in Spain in 1971 as a boy), I remember my father used to comment that Viña Pomal didn't travel well, especially in a plane after takeoff and landing. He obviously took some with him to share with people outside of Spain. In those days they (my dad, my stepmother and the guests that came over to dinner) were huge fans of Muga, also from Rioja.

[@1650million]

It´s a matter of money, James: most people in Spain consider a 5€ (or less) as a "pretty good" wine, as your Mercadona prices indicate. My daily driver is a 2.85€ D.O. Cariñena, which IMHO, it´s excellent for the price. So we´re not exactly happy whenever we get crucified with the prices we´re supposed to pay for a small glass of "quality wine", which has plenty to do with the restaurateur´s greed. For example, the other day we went to a fancy restaurant: 75€ menu per person, drinks not included; and they charged us 6€ for a single cup of Rioja which had 80cc in it, on a good day. Had we asked for the bottle, we would´ve basically doubled the price of the (already expensive) meal. In short: the reason why people usually order beer, or a "wine of the house", it´s simply that at least you know you´re not to get ripped off, since wine has always been the way restaurants "artifically" increase their bills, and not many people are willing to accept that; even less so, in a wine country when even the cheapest wines are good enough, for most people; and the true conoisseurs who are willing to spend money, usually do it at home, not at restaurants or winerys. If you´re loaded, or you´re a tourist who lives in a country where alcohol is much more expensive, it´s another matter. But that´s a minority, not representative of the general Spanish population. Best.

[@yogicfire]

Yes, good point. Probably a lot of the best wine in Spain gets exported to other countries. Most Spanish people happy with table wine. If I was drinking wine I would go for something from Rioja.

[@1650million]

@@yogicfire Pre-covid, Spain was the n1 producer of wine in the World. Almost 50% of it all was exported. And no, I wouldn´t go for Rioja, since it´s the most popular DO, and the only one (most) tourists have heard about, therefore, the most overpriced of them all. So if you´re goinig to spend 5€ on any bottle of wine, chances are you´ll be getting worse wine with a Rioja than you would get with a carefully selected brand from a different DO. If money is no object, yes go for it.

[@Garcwyn]

@@1650million so what other DO would you choose for a red? Out of curiosity

[@1650million]

@@Garcwyn I´m certainly no expert, but as I said above, I usually buy DO Cariñena, which is a region pretty close to Rioja, but far less popular, so its prices are far better. The important thing is to understand that Rioja is not Mercedes: it´s not a synonym of "quality": there are excellent Riojas out there, and absolutely terrible ones, as it happens with every other DO. It´s just a matter of trial and error, and stick to what you like, for the price you´re willing to pay.

[@yogicfire]

@@1650million Some good points. Carinena is just under 200 km away from Rioja, though. I have walked through the Rioja region and you can see why it is prized for its winemaking. It is good to seek out alternatives that is true!

[@marisolc6230]

Unfortunately, since I know what I don’t want in wine…the waiters are bothered by me, as I often ask questions regarding the house wine or my options for wine by the glass. You’re 100% correct about spending 5€ more and you’ll get an exceptional wine. Also the vinotecas are excellent, you’ll get great information from them regarding wineries and regions, not to mention personal assessment of wines.