BODEGAS ELVARA

The Classification System

Denominacion de Origen or D.O. designated wine is the gold standard for wines produced in Spain, and is subject to each region's own regulating Council (Consejo Regulador) which sets strict quality rules with supervision. Wines must be made with grapes approved by and only grown within the D.O. geographical limits, and are subject to strict quality regulations in the vineyard, the wine-making process, cellar management, labelling and marketing.

Denominacion de Origen Calificada or D.O.Ca. is a higher category granted to a region's wines where the highest quality has been consistently maintained. For many years Rioja was the only region accredited D.O.Ca since this ranking was inaugurated in 1988; most recently the Priorato region is the only other D.O. to assume this status.

There are currently 67 D.O.s throughout Spain of varying size and longevity, all ultimately ratified by EU wine laws.

Vinedos de Espanya: This is a new appellation recently approved by the EU, which in effect allows producers in Spain to source their grapes from any accredited vineyard in the country. Greater flexibility in terms of yield, winery practices, barrel ageing and labelling information is designed to facilitate the production of economically priced wines, but with minimum quality standards in place.

Vino de la Terra (VdlT), equivalent to the French Vin de Pays, is a category given to wines from an officially demarcated region that have potential to attain D.O. status. However, some VdlT producers prefer to retain this status rather than become D.O. accredited, on account of there being less regulation and therefore greater flexibility to pioneer new styles and methods.

Ageing Regulations in Spain

Denominacion de Origen wines have minimum standards for ageing depending on each region. These regulations are designed to ensure wines are sufficiently mature on release, ready for immediate drinking, although many wines will continue to improve with further bottle ageing.

Unlike some wine producing countries where the term Reserva is loosely used to suggest a higher quality of wine, the word Reserva when used on a bottle of Spanish wine, has a very specific meaning for the consumer. Reserva labelled wine is required to spend a minimum three calendar years in the bodega before release, including a minimum 12 months in oak.

Similarly, wines bearing the name Crianza, which simply means ageing, must have minimum two calendar years in storage before they can be sold, including a minimum 6 months in oak (12 months in Rioja and Ribera del Duero). 

A Vino Joven has usually seen no oak and is ready for immediate drinking, normally being sold in the spring of the year following harvest. The unofficial designation Roble or Barrica is increasingly found on certain wines which means they have been aged for an undefined period in oak and with no restriction placed on when they can be released following bottling.