Treasure hunting for Spain’s ‘indigenous jewels’ (Independent.ie)

15 Jan (Independent.ie).- Lesser-known grape varieties are being revived, proving the country has a lot more to offer than the popular Tempranillo and Garnacha

Aoife Carrigy, 15 Jan (Independent.ie).-

In early December, I attended a fascinating masterclass hosted by the organisers of the Best of Spain Wine Challenge. Entitled Spain and its Diversity: Indigenous Jewels, the eye-opening session celebrated the growing diversity of Spanish grape varieties today. Sommelier supremo Julie Dupouy led us on a treasure hunt throughout the land long beloved for its Tempranillo and Garnacha, or more recently its Albariño and Verdejo, to show that Spain has much more to bring to the table.

In diversity terms, neighbouring Portugal is streets ahead. There, one happy legacy of a once-sluggish wine industry is an intricate patchwork of varietally distinctive vineyards that escaped the homogeny of commercialisation. Conversely, Spain’s heavyweight regions are long dominated by key varieties, but today there’s real excitement for the curious wine lover keen to explore emerging regions and once-neglected but promising varieties.