Spain is one of the most historical and culture-driven countries in the world. With tons of unique traditions, a rich and vibrant history, and flavorful food and drink, many people have Spain on their bucket list of places to go. One thing that makes Spain so great is its wine culture — and this guide is going to take you through some history of Spanish wine, some popular tapas, and wine pairings, and end with some traditional Spanish drinking customs.
History of Spanish Wine
The beginning of wine in Spain goes back so far that there’s no clear timeline for when it started. It’s believed that Spain’s wine heritage began with the Phoenicians in Gadir, now known as Cadiz. During this time, viticulture was established throughout Spain and wines began to be traded throughout the Mediterranean and North Africa.
Following this, the Romans brought different winemaking methods into Spain when they conquered the country — but after Rome fell, winemaking saw a drastic decrease. And it continued to decrease even further when invaders from the Arabian peninsula arrived with a strict ban on alcohol. Eventually, winemaking began to flourish once again with increasing popularity of Catholicism.
Unfortunately, winemaking took another hit in the 19th century when a vine louse called phylloxera took over Northern Europe, destroying all of the vines in their paths. To combat the destruction of the phylloxera, winemakers began exploring other grapes and winemaking techniques. By the time the phylloxera arrived in Spain, winemakers found that American rootstock could be combined with European vines to create a vine that was immune to the phylloxera. Because of this, Spanish vineyards suffered significantly less damage and created new wine varieties in the process.
As you can see, Spanish winemaking has gone through a lot of wins and losses throughout the years. But while it seemed grim at times, all of these events helped create the Spanish wine culture that exists today. Without these losses, Spanish wine would not be what it is today. Spanish winemakers have developed flavors and winemaking methods over the years to create the perfect blends that we can enjoy today. So when you’re drinking Spanish wine, you’re drinking thousands of years of history too.
Tapas and Wine
Just like its wine, Spain is also well-known for its wonderful food. And what better pairing than wine and food? But because Spanish wines and food both have such rich flavors, it’s important to choose the right wine for the dish. To help you get started, here are a few common pairings to consider.
Paella and a Rosé: One of Spain’s most famous dishes is paella. This dish consists of rice and seafood and is commonly served with shrimp. It can also contain other foods like chicken, peppers, beans, and other seafood. With this heavy dish having tons of different flavors, it’s a good idea to choose a wine that is light and can compliment the flavors. Because a Rosé has qualities of both white and red wine, it makes the perfect pairing for this dish.
Shishito Peppers and a Riesling: Grilled or fried peppers are another common dish found throughout Spain. While they can be prepared in a number of ways, they always offer a strong flavor, sometimes with a bit of heat. Because of these flavors, a Riesling is a great choice — the sweetness and flavor of the wine will help balance the heat of the peppers.
Chorizo and a fruity red: With a lot of spice, chorizo is a must-have dish in Spain. The spices and heat can vary depending on where it’s prepared, but it’s always a hit. Because of the heat, a fruity red wine is a great option to go with the dish. The fruit helps mellow out the spiciness while adding even more flavor to the meal.
Lamb chops and a structured red: Spanish baby lamb chops are generally grilled over wine clippings and spiced simply with salt and pepper, making it a perfectly simple dish. Because of the flavors of the lamb chops, a structured red wine is suggested to enhance the smoky flavor from the grill. While fruity reds would overpower the flavor of the meat, a structured red will help bring out the flavors instead.
Traditional Spanish Drinking Customs
When you’re in Spain, you’re not going to just get to enjoy the food and wine — you’re going to get to enjoy the food and wine like a local. While it may take a few tries, you’ll be drinking like a true Spanish resident in no time. Here are a few common drinking customs that you should know about when visiting Spain.
You drink late. Unlike other fast-paced countries, everything moves much slower in Spain. Meals are eaten much later — dinner isn’t usually eaten until after ten o’clock at night! Because of how late meals are and how long they last, drinking doesn’t begin until much later at night. Once midnight comes around, more people will be out and about at bars and usually stay out until around four in the morning. So be prepared to stay out late drinking.
You drink at every meal. While heavy drinking begins late at night, most locals have alcohol with their meals throughout the day. Because Spain is full of a wide variety of alcoholic beverages, having a drink with each meal is a great way to get to experience as many as you can. But if you’re going to be drinking throughout the day, it’s important to pace yourself so you can still go out later at night.
You’re going to toast. You probably have a traditional toasting custom at home — but in Spain, toasts are said often and said loud. The most common toast you’ll probably hear is “Salud!” which translates to “health”. This is said before anyone takes a sip of their drink, so be sure to wait for the toast before you begin drinking. Another longer toast you may hear is “Pa arriba’, pa’ bajo, pa’ al centro, pa’ dentro”, which can be translated to “Up, down, to the centre, inside”. Toasts are a fun way to kick of drinking and you’ll catch on in no time!
Spanish culture is full of history, unique traditions, and great food and drink. It can be easy to get overwhelmed with all of the food and drink you want to try during a visit to Spain — so it’s important to pace yourself. Getting involved with locals is a great way to get some insider tips on places to go and dishes or drinks to try. But no matter what you do or try, you’re sure to have a memorable trip to Spain — Salud!
In case you are around Barcelona and fancy a Spanish Wine Experience please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us and we´ll get things sorted out for you!
