Spain and Portugal wine regions: discoveries beyond Rioja and Port

Co-written by Holly Salt DipWSET & Jeremy Gladwin

Ask most wine drinkers to name a Spanish wine region and Rioja will probably arrive first. Ask the same question about Portugal and Port is unlikely to be far behind. Both answers are perfectly reasonable. Rioja and Port earned their reputations for good reason, and neither is in any danger of becoming boring.

But stopping there would be rather like visiting Spain, ordering one plate of jamón, then declaring the entire country thoroughly explored!

Spain and Portugal contain an extraordinary variety of climates, landscapes, grape varieties and regional traditions. Atlantic vineyards produce fresh, saline whites. Mountainous areas give structured reds with remarkable energy. Mediterranean regions deliver warmth and concentration, while local grapes offer flavours that cannot simply be copied elsewhere.

For curious wine drinkers, this makes the Iberian Peninsula one of the most rewarding places to explore. The challenge is knowing where to begin... but we can certainly help you with that!

Why look beyond Rioja and Port?

Famous regions offer familiarity. Less familiar regions often offer discovery, distinctive local varieties and, in many cases, excellent value.

Spain has a vast area under vine, with styles shaped by the cool Atlantic, the Mediterranean coast, high inland plateaux and rugged mountain ranges. Portugal may be smaller, but its collection of indigenous grapes is astonishingly diverse. Many of these varieties remain closely connected to the places where they have been cultivated for generations.

This matters because wine becomes more interesting when it tastes of somewhere, rather than merely tasting like a familiar grape variety made to a familiar recipe.

You do not need to memorise every appellation, subregion and local synonym. Nobody is handing out medals for pronouncing Xarel·lo correctly after the third glass... in fact, from personal experience, nobody can do it! A better approach is to understand a few important regions and the styles they tend to produce.

Penedès and Cava: traditional grapes with serious potential

Penedès lies in Catalonia, between Barcelona and Tarragona, with vineyards stretching from warmer coastal areas towards cooler, elevated sites inland. It is best known as the historic heartland of Cava, Spain’s traditional method sparkling wine.

Like Champagne, Cava completes its second fermentation inside the bottle. Its identity, however, comes from a different climate and a distinctive collection of local grapes. The classic trio is Macabeo, Xarel·lo and Parellada, varieties that have been established in Penedès for centuries. You can learn more about them through the official DO Cava guide to authorised grape varieties.

Macabeo generally brings fruit and fragrance. Parellada contributes freshness and delicacy. Xarel·lo often provides structure, body and a savoury character that can make good Cava particularly satisfying with food.

The best examples are not merely inexpensive alternatives to Champagne. They have their own regional identity, their own varieties and their own reasons for existing. They can be dry, complex and wonderfully useful at the table.

Arrels Montau de Sadurní Brut Nature Reserva is a particularly good introduction. Made by a small traditional family cellar, it combines the three classic grapes and spends an extended period ageing on its lees. The result is crisp and mineral, with fine bubbles and enough depth to work beyond the aperitif.

Try it with salted almonds, anchovies, grilled fish, croquetas... or simply the pleasing knowledge that you have opened something sparkling without needing to organise a wedding!

Rías Baixas: Atlantic Spain and the rise of Albariño

Travel to Galicia in the north west of Spain and the landscape changes dramatically. This is green, cool and maritime Spain, shaped by rainfall, granite soils and the Atlantic Ocean.

Rías Baixas is closely associated with Albariño, a native variety well adapted to the region’s cool and humid conditions. The name of the denomination refers to the coastal estuaries that run inland from the Atlantic, helping to define both the landscape and its climate. The official Rías Baixas regional guide provides a useful overview of its geography and terroir.

Albariño commonly produces dry white wines with lively acidity, citrus and stone fruit flavours, floral aromas and a refreshing saline quality. That final maritime note is one reason the wines feel so natural alongside seafood.

However, Albariño should not be reduced to a single flavour profile. Vineyard location, vine age, yields and time on the lees can all influence its texture and complexity. While many examples are made for youthful freshness, more ambitious wines can develop beautifully in bottle.

Bouza do Rei Albariño comes from Val do Salnés, the historic and strongly maritime heart of Rías Baixas. It offers the bright fruit, aromatic lift and fresh coastal character that make the variety so immediately appealing.

Serve it with shellfish, grilled prawns, white fish, sushi, goat’s cheese or a plate of something garlicky that you have confidently described as tapas... been there, done that!

Priorat: mountain vineyards, slate soils and Mediterranean depth

Priorat is not exactly unknown, but it remains far less familiar to many British wine drinkers than Rioja. It also offers one of Spain’s most dramatic examples of how landscape can shape wine.

The region is defined by steep hills, low yielding vineyards and its famous slate based soils, locally known as llicorella. Vines must work hard here, which is rarely an enjoyable experience for the vine but can be very good news for the person holding the glass.

The traditional red varieties are Garnacha and Cariñena. In the right hands, they produce wines with ripe dark fruit, spice, concentration and a distinctive mineral tension. Warm Mediterranean conditions provide richness, while altitude and poor soils can help preserve freshness and definition.

Priorat’s modern reputation grew through powerful, ambitious reds, but the most compelling wines are not simply about weight. Increasingly, producers are seeking balance, regional expression and a clearer sense of individual vineyard character.

El Tribut de Scala Dei Priorat combines old vine Garnacha and Cariñena with Cabernet Sauvignon. It is aged in French oak and delivers ripe fruit, spice, depth and structure, while retaining the sense of energy needed to keep the wine moving across the palate.

This is the bottle for slow cooked lamb, grilled meat, aubergine, mushrooms or a generous dinner where nobody is pretending they only wanted a light supper!

Vinho Verde: much more than light and slightly fizzy

Vinho Verde is often understood as a style of simple, youthful white wine with low alcohol and a slight spritz. Those wines certainly exist, and they can be delightful. But Vinho Verde is a region, not a grape variety, and its wines are considerably more diverse than the familiar stereotype suggests.

Located in the green north west of Portugal, the region is influenced by the Atlantic and contains numerous subregions, soil types and local grape varieties. The official Vinhos Verdes guide to indigenous grapes lists a remarkable range of varieties adapted to its different local conditions.

Important white grapes include Alvarinho, Loureiro, Arinto, Avesso, Azal and Trajadura. Some produce light and aromatic wines, while others can give greater structure, concentration and capacity to age.

A growing number of producers are focusing on individual vineyard sites, specific subregions and more serious expressions of terroir. These wines retain the freshness associated with Vinho Verde but can offer considerably more texture, depth and mineral character.

Almanua Vinho Verde Terroir Marítimo Vine Vinu comes from vineyards planted on granite and clay soils around twenty kilometres from the Atlantic. It is structured and rounded, with lime, quince, saline notes and a distinctly coastal character.

It is an excellent example of modern Vinho Verde for drinkers who still think every bottle from the region should be simple, gently fizzy and consumed beside a swimming pool. There is nothing wrong with the swimming pool, naturally. We just think this wine simply deserves a little more credit...

Lisboa: coastal influence and a treasure chest of varieties

The Lisboa wine region follows Portugal’s Atlantic coastline north of Lisbon. It includes a broad range of landscapes, exposures and microclimates, which means its wines can vary considerably in style.

Historically, Lisboa was strongly associated with generous volumes and dependable value. Today, it is also becoming an interesting source of smaller scale, environmentally conscious and experimental wines. Coastal influence can help retain freshness, while the region’s collection of Portuguese and international varieties gives winemakers considerable freedom.

One particularly intriguing grape is Bastardo, known as Trousseau in France’s Jura region. Despite the name, which sounds like the start of an argument, Bastardo can produce beautifully fragrant, pale and energetic reds.

Falatório Tinto Bastardo Cas’Amaro Lisboa is made from hand picked grapes and fermented spontaneously in concrete, with gentle extraction. It is light, fresh and aromatic, showing currant, cherry, floral notes, smooth tannins and balanced acidity.

This is the sort of red that can be served slightly chilled. It works well with charcuterie, grilled vegetables, chicken, tuna, lighter pasta dishes and relaxed summer food. It also offers a useful reminder that Portuguese red wine does not always need to be dark, tannic, nor heavy.

Dão: elegance, altitude and Touriga Nacional

Dão sits in the centre north of Portugal, surrounded by mountains that protect its vineyards from the harshest maritime and continental influences. Granite soils, elevated sites and a long growing season help producers create reds with perfume, structure and freshness.

The region is closely connected to Touriga Nacional, one of Portugal’s most celebrated red grapes. The official regional body describes Dão as the birthplace of Touriga Nacional and the white variety Encruzado. More information can be found through the Dão regional wine commission.

Touriga Nacional is known for its deep colour, floral perfume, dark fruit and firm tannic structure. It plays an important role in Port and in many Portuguese blends, but as a single variety it can also produce refined, expressive dry reds.

Dão is particularly well suited to showing the grape’s elegant side. The best wines combine depth with freshness, rather than relying purely on power.

Quinta dos Carvalhais Touriga Nacional Dão offers dark berry fruit, floral character, spice and polished tannins. It has the structure expected from the grape, but also the balance and composure associated with the region.

Pair it with roast lamb, beef, game, rich mushroom dishes or mature cheese. A large glass (and a little patience) will also do nicely.

Why indigenous grape varieties matter

International varieties such as Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot became global for understandable reasons. They are adaptable, recognisable and capable of producing excellent wine.

But local grape varieties provide something different. They preserve regional character, agricultural history and a flavour vocabulary that might otherwise disappear. Grapes such as Xarel·lo, Albariño, Bastardo, Touriga Nacional, Garnacha and Cariñena are not interesting merely because they are unfamiliar. They are interesting because they have evolved within particular places and traditions.

They also make wine exploration more enjoyable. Once every shelf begins to look like a choice between the same six grapes, wine becomes rather less adventurous than it ought to be.

Exploring indigenous varieties does not require expert knowledge. Start with the style you already enjoy. Sauvignon Blanc drinkers may find plenty to like in Albariño or a fresh Vinho Verde. Pinot Noir drinkers can explore lighter Bastardo. Fans of structured reds may enjoy Touriga Nacional or the Garnacha and Cariñena based wines of Priorat.

How to explore Spanish and Portuguese wine at home

The easiest approach is to taste by contrast. Compare an Atlantic white from Galicia with one from northern Portugal. Follow a light, fragrant Lisboa red with a structured Dão wine. Finish with the deeper Mediterranean character of Priorat.

Pay attention to freshness, texture and structure rather than trying to identify an ambitious list of aromas. Does the wine feel light or full? Crisp or rounded? Floral or savoury? Does it make you want another sip? That final question remains suspiciously useful.

Food can make the comparison even more revealing. Sparkling Cava suits salty snacks and fried dishes. Albariño and Vinho Verde feel natural with seafood and fresh vegetables. Bastardo works well with lighter dishes, while Dão and Priorat can handle richer flavours and slower cooking.

A broader view of Iberian wine

Rioja and Port will remain essential reference points, and rightly so. But Spain and Portugal have far more to offer than their most famous names.

Penedès shows the personality of traditional sparkling varieties. Rías Baixas captures the energy of Atlantic Spain. Priorat translates difficult mountain vineyards into concentrated Mediterranean reds. Vinho Verde is proving that freshness can coexist with texture and ambition. Lisboa offers experimentation and unexpected varieties, while Dão continues to demonstrate the elegance of Touriga Nacional.

Together, these regions reveal an Iberian wine culture that is deeply traditional but far from static. Producers are returning to local grapes, paying closer attention to individual vineyards and creating wines with clearer regional identities.

That makes this a particularly good moment to explore. The wines are distinctive, food friendly and often excellent value. More importantly, they are rarely dull... and, in a modern world with quite enough dull things already, that seems a very good reason to open a bottle!