![]() ![]() The first four of these flow westwards into Portugal, where they become the Minho, Douro, Tejo and Guadiana (see Portugal) respectively. The most significant of the Spanish 'wine rivers' are the Miño, Duero, Tajo, Guadiana and Ebro. These are significant not only as a source of much-needed water but also because of their impact on local soils and mesoclimates. The Cordillera Cantábrica range, for example, creates dramatic contrasts between the lush, green land on its northern, Atlantic side and dry, dusty Castilla y León on its southern, inland side.Īmong the mountain peaks and plateau rise the rivers on which so many Spanish vineyards depend. The country spans seven degrees of latitude (36°N to 43°N), leaving 800 kilometers (500 miles) between its Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts.īetween these two very different coastlines are various mountain ranges, each of which has its own particular effect on the local landscape and climate. From cool, green Galicia and the snow-capped Pyrenees in the north, via the parched central plateau, to sandy, sunny Andalucia in the south, the Spanish landscape is very diverse. The topography plays a fundamental role in defining Spain's many wine styles. ![]() ![]() Volcanic vineyards on the Canary Islands, Spain | ©Carlos Castilla / Geography and climate The greatest concentration of vineyards is in Castilla-La Mancha, but the finest and most famous wines come from Galicia ( Rias Baixas), Catalonia ( Cava and Priorat), Andalucia ( Sherry), Castilla y Leon ( Rueda, Toro and Ribera del Duero) and of course Rioja. Today, the country is home to more vines than any other country on Earth and has a national wine output exceeded only by France and Italy.Īll seventeen of Spain's administrative regions produce wine to some extent, including the Canary Islands and Balearic Islands. that winemaking began here in earnest – a skill brought by Phoenician traders from the eastern Mediterranean. A country rich in viticultural history, grape vines have been grown on the Spanish Iberian Peninsula since at least 3000 B.C. ![]()
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