Wine in Spain
-Spanish regions-
Northern coast
BASQUE COUNTRY
The traditional wine in the Basque Country is txakolí, a simple, slightly bubbly white wine, very easy to drink. Txakolí is the perfect wine to drink with local seafood dishes and pintxos, the Basque version of tapas. Txakoli is made from the local Basque grape varieties, Hondarrabi Zuri, and Hondarrabi Beltza. It was produced initially in Basque caseríos, as the traditional Basque farms are known.
For great txakolí, look for Txomín Etxaníz in your wine store.
Rioja Alavesa —the Basque section of the Rioja wine region— produces far more serious wines, mainly featuring the classic Rioja grape, Tempranillo.
ASTURIAS AND CANTABRIA
Asturias and Cantabria do not have any serious winemaking tradition as their land isn't good at all for cultivating vines.
They make up for it by drinking huge quantities of the fermented hard apple cider, prepared from the local apples. Pouring cider is an art; it is raditionally poured into wide glasses from great heights and the skill is in filling several glasses in one go, the more the better. Of course, there are pouring contests.
GALICIA
Galicia has two DOs Albariño and Ribeiro.
Apart from wine, there is wonderful food to discover in Spain. Food in Spain through the day is an adventure; so it is food shopping in a Spanish market. See how to lay a Spanish table for some ideas. Before laying the table, check some Spanish food recipes to put together your menu.
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