Spain has more land under vine than any other country. Every style of wine is made here from light whites to blood-thick reds and fortified wines. Rioja was one of the first ports of call for French wine makers travelling south to escape the ravages of Phylloxera and they imparted their knowledge here and in nearby regions like Ribera del Duero. Modernisation has continued apace in the last twenty years, with the exploitation of old, forgotten vineyard regions, wholly new regions and the catalogue of grape varieties that they can call their own.
