Spain has traditionally been a country of small wine growers but very few make and sell wine under their own brand. A couple of examples: in DO Jerez there were 1,571 registered growers in 2019 but only 55 exporting wineries while in DO Rioja, according to the latest official statistics, there are 14,800 growers and 574 wineries.
Although far from the figures in France —in the Champagne region alone there are 5,000 vignerons who sell their own wine— in Spain a new generation of producers with family businesses is gaining ground and visibility. Better trained and travelled than the previous generation, they are not only recovering varieties and traditions but also closing the circle, making terroir-driven wines and proudly selling them all over the world. Read more