Helen Unger Clark – www.translate.wine
Are you ready to explore Spain? While wine-producing areas such as La Rioja and the Ribera del Duero are famous among English-speaking oenophiles, there are many other less well-known regions that produce wines that are just as amazing!
Throughout this series of posts, we will visit each and every IGP (Protected Geographical Indication) and DOP (Protected Designation of Origin). My hope is that my posts will help you find something new that you like!
We begin our journey by stepping out my front door. We’re in the IGP Vino de la Tierra Costa de Cantabria. This IGP is located between the Cantabrian coast and the mountains, finishing where the altitude reaches 600 meters. Interestingly, a small part of this IGP is surrounded by the Basque Country! The Valle de Villaverde is a small Cantabrian town that is located entirely within the Basque Country!
By Tyk – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17029126
According to Alimentos de Cantabria, the region produces mostly white wine with a moderate alcohol content, an adequate balance of alcohol and acidity and a low sugar content.
The grapes that are permitted in this region are: White – albariño, chardonnay, godello, hondarrabi zuri, riesling, gewürtztraminer, and treixadura. The only red grape permitted in the region is the hondarrabi beltza.
A few of the wine producers in this region include:
Bodegas Vidular, Casona Micaela, Sel D’Aiz, Miradorio de Ruiloba, among many others.
Read more about the two winemaking regions in Cantabria here.
Bibliography
A Tour of Spain's Wine Regions 