This month’s Explorer Wine Club explores Spain, one of the world’s most dynamic wine-producing nations. While Spain is often associated with powerful reds and long-aged classics, today’s winemakers are equally focused on freshness, regional identity, and native grape varieties. This selection reflects that diversity, beginning with a bright Mediterranean white, continuing with a fruit-forward expression of Tempranillo from central Spain, and finishing with a vibrant Mencía from the steep vineyards of the country’s northwest. Together, these wines showcase the remarkable range of Spanish wine and the distinct personalities that emerge from its varied climates, landscapes, and winemaking traditions.
This crisp and playful white wine is one of the few single-varietal Macabeo wines in the world. It is made in the traditional Spanish white wine style, without barrel aging. On the nose are notes of tropical fruits and citrus, with refreshing and balanced acidity on the palate. Several hours of skin contact before fermentation adds nuance and character. Excellent on its own, this wine can also be paired with fish and chips.
The Producer: Bodegas Virgen de la Sierra
Bodegas Virgen de la Sierra is a small winery located in northeastern Spain. They have been making wine for over a century and are the oldest bodega in the Calatayud region. They primarily farm small plots of old bush vines scattered along the hillsides of the Sierra de la Virgen mountains. They practice organic farming and use minimal intervention in the cellar. Their “Lo Brujo” (Spanish for “wizard”) label is a nod to the winemaker Manuel Castro, a magician when it comes to wine.
The Region: Calatayud (Aragón)
Calatayud lies in northeastern Spain, in a rugged stretch of hills and high plains. Vineyards climb into the foothills of the Iberian mountain range, many planted at significant elevation on rocky soils of slate, quartzite, and clay. The climate is continental and dry, with hot summers, cold winters, and persistent wind. Old Garnacha vines thrive in these poor soils, producing naturally low yields. Elevation preserves acidity, giving the wines structure and lift alongside their depth of fruit.
The Grape: Macabeo
Macabeo is a versatile Spanish white grape that produces fresh, citrus-driven wines with subtle floral notes and moderate acidity.This is a vibrant and juicy red wine, made from 100% Tempranillo grapes grown at high altitudes. It is bright ruby red and has aromas of red berries, rosemary, and a touch of licorice. The grapes were grown organically. The growing conditions in the vineyard create a wine with intense fruit and varietal definition, while retaining remarkable freshness. Pair with chorizo and bell pepper hash.
The Producer: Bodegas Fontana
Bodegas Fontana is a high-volume producer in Castilla-La Mancha that maintains impressive integrity in its wines. Based in the high elevation of Uclés, the estate farms 600 hectares without pesticides, prioritizing freshness, varietal clarity, and sustainable practices. Their ‘Mesta’ line pays tribute to Castille’s medieval shepherding routes, which still run through the vineyard today.
The Region: Uclés (Castilla-La Mancha)
Uclés is located southeast of Madrid on Spain’s high central plateau. The landscape is open and elevated, defined by limestone and clay soils and wide temperature swings between warm days and cool nights. The climate is continental and semi-arid, allowing grapes to ripen fully while retaining freshness. Although Castilla–La Mancha has long been associated with high-volume production, Uclés is smaller and more focused, earning its own DO status in 2006. Today the region is known for clean, modern wines that balance ripe fruit with clarity and structure.
A small production red wine from the northwest corner of Spain, this wine is made primarily from Mencía, with a little bit of Garnacha. The resulting wine has a vibrant nose of red fruits and spice, and flavors of plums, cherries, and herbs on the palate. Its name Vel’uveyra comes from an old dialect meaning “to gaze at the vineyard”. With fresh acidity and bright fruit, it pairs well with grilled jamón and Manchego sandwiches.
The Producer: Ronsel do Sil
Ronsel do Sil is located in one of the world’s most extreme growing locations. Its 10-hectare estate is spread out on steep terrain 1,000 – 2,000 feet above sea level. Harvesting and vineyard management is carried out by hand, using ancient Roman terraces. Led by Maria José Yravedra, Ronsel do Sil uses a minimal approach, with a gravity flow system instead of pumps, all old wood and concrete use for aging, and very few sulfur additions, letting the native grapes of the area tell their individual story.
The Region: Ribeira Sacra (Galicia)
Ribeira Sacra sits in inland northwestern Spain where vineyards line the steep river valleys. Terraced plantings rise along slopes of slate and granite, some too steep for mechanization. The climate is cooler and wetter than much of Spain, shaped by Atlantic influence and moderated by the river corridors. Monastic communities cultivated vines here as early as the Middle Ages, and that legacy still defines the region’s identity. The wines are fresh and mineral-driven.
The Grape: Mencía
Mencía is a red grape from northwestern Spain known for bright red fruit, fresh acidity, and a subtle mineral, floral lift.
