2016 in Spain will be remembered as one of the best years of all time. It is certainly one of the most extraordinary vintages of this generation.
From the coast to the interior, favourable conditions from spring to autumn allowed Spanish producers to make very balanced, expressive wines. Temperatures were generally moderate, ripening was slow and perfect, and late rains helped the vines reach ideal conditions.
There's no doubt it is the best vintage of the 2000s so far. Producers and winemakers, who always find something to complain about every year... except in 2016.
La Rioja: A Special Year
After much praise for 2001 and acclaim for 2010, the 2016 vintage in La Rioja is the best of the last two decades, perhaps longer. Critics agree, with a great many 2016 La Rioja wines scoring 90 points or more.
That surpasses other celebrated vintages, even before the release of the 2016 gran reservas, which require at least five years of ageing in barrel and bottle. That class of wines will undoubtedly be exceptional.
Spring was wet, with high temperatures in June. July, however, was exceptionally cool, with the hottest days not exceeding 24°C. This slowed the grapes' growing cycle — and the best vintages in La Rioja, or anywhere, are those with long growing cycles.
August was hot and dry, while September brought spells of rain. Choosing the ideal picking dates was a difficult decision. Some rain at the end of September was helpful, and in Haro picking finished on 31 October. At Viña Real, they started on 5 October and finished on the 25th. Contino started and finished on similar dates.
The 2016 wines have an ideal balance of acidity, body, aromas and length, as well as lower alcohol than in hotter years. The result is fresher, deeper wines.
We've selected some magnificent Spanish wines from the 2016 vintage for you to try:
